Proverbs of Solomon 28 — The Holy Bible

The Lawful and the Lawless

An ungodly man flees when no one is pursuing,

But a righteous man is confident as a lion.

Condemnations arise because of the sins of the ungodly,

But an astute man quenches them.

A bold man harasses the poor with ungodliness.

As a driving and unprofitable rain,

So those who forsake the law praise ungodliness,

But those who love the law surround themselves with a wall.

Evil men do not understand judgment,

But those who seek the Lord shall understand it in everything.

A poor man walking in the truth is better than a rich liar.

A wise son keeps the law,

But he who cherishes luxury dishonors his father.

He who increases his wealth with usury and unjust gains

Gathers it for him who shows mercy to the poor.

He who turns away his ear so as not to hear the law,

He also makes his prayer repulsive.

He who leads upright men astray in an evil way,

He shall fall into destruction;

And lawless men shall pass by good things,

But they shall not enter into them.

A rich man is wise in his own eyes,

But a poor man shall disapprove of his thoughts.

Great glory arises because of the help of the righteous,

But in places of the ungodly, men are conquered.

He who hides his own ungodliness shall not prosper,

But he who leads his own rebuttal shall be loved.

Blessed is the man who shall be discreet in all things because of godly fear,

But the man who hardens his heart shall fall into evils.

A hungry lion and a thirsty wolf

Is he who, being poor, tyrannizes over poor people.

A king in need of revenues is a great oppressor,

But he who hates unrighteousness shall live a long time.

He who becomes surety for a man charged with murder

Shall be a fugitive and unsafe.

Instruct your son, and he shall love you;

And he shall give honor to your soul,

Lest he follow a lawless people.

He who walks righteously shall be helped,

But he who walks in crooked ways shall be entangled therein.

He who works his own land shall be satisfied with bread,

But he who pursues leisure shall be filled with poverty.

A trustworthy man shall be blessed in many things,

But an evil man shall not go unpunished.

He who does not respect righteous people is not good;

Such a man will sell another for a morsel of bread.

An envious man hastens to be rich,

But does not know that a merciful man shall have the mastery over him.

He who reproves a man's ways

Shall have more grace than he who flatters him.

He who casts off his father or mother and thinks he does not sin,

He is the accomplice of an ungodly man.

A greedy man judges rashly,

But he who trusts in the Lord shall be careful.

He who trusts in an arrogant heart, such a man is without discernment,

But he who walks in wisdom, such a man shall be saved.

He who gives to the poor shall not be in want,

But he who turns away his eye from them shall be in much distress.

The righteous lament in the places of the ungodly,

But in their destruction the righteous shall be increased.