Proverbs 28
1 The wicked have fled and there is no pursuer, And the righteous is confident as a young lion.
Wicked [people] run away [even] when no one is pursuing them, but righteous/good [people are not afraid]; they are as brave as lions.
2 By the transgression of a land its heads are many, And by an understanding man, Who knows right—it is prolonged.
When [the people of] a nation sin, they will have one ruler after another; but when their leaders are wise and have good sense, their government will last for a long time.
3 A man—poor and oppressing the weak, [Is] a sweeping rain, and there is no bread.
A poor person who oppresses [other] poor [people] is [like] [MET] a very heavy/hard rain that [destroys the crops], with the result that there is no food [for people to eat].
4 Those forsaking the Law praise the wicked, Those keeping the Law plead against them.
Those who reject/disobey [God’s] laws always speak well of wicked [people]; but those who obey [God’s] laws [always] oppose what wicked people do.
5 Evil men do not understand judgment, And those seeking YHWH understand all.
Evil people do not understand what it means to act justly, but those who try to obey/worship Yahweh understand that very well.
6 Better [is] the poor walking in his integrity, Than the perverse of ways who is rich.
It is better to be honest [even] though you are poor than to be dishonest [even] though you are rich.
7 Whoever is keeping the Law is an intelligent son, And a friend of gluttons Causes his father to blush.
Young people who obey the laws are wise [IDM]; parents whose children associate with those who (carouse/go to wild parties) are humiliated/disgraced because of what their children do.
8 Whoever is multiplying his wealth by biting and usury, Gathers it for one favoring the poor.
When people become very rich by charging very high interest [DOU], their money will [eventually] go to someone who does kind things for the poor.
9 Whoever is turning his ear from hearing the Law, Even his prayer [is] an abomination.
If people do not obey [MTY] [God’s] laws, [God] (detests their prayers/considers that their prayers stink).
10 Whoever is causing the upright to err in an evil way, He falls into his own pit, And the perfect inherits good.
Those who cause honest/good [people] to do what is evil will fall into their own pits/traps, but good things will happen to those who (are innocent/have not done what is wrong).
11 A rich man is wise in his own eyes, And the intelligent poor searches him.
[Many] rich people think that they are wise, but poor people who have good sense will find out whether rich people really are wise or not.
12 In the exulting of the righteous the glory [is] abundant, And in the rising of the wicked man is apprehensive.
When righteous/good [people] (succeed/win [elections]), everyone (celebrates/is happy); but when wicked [people win], everyone hides [because they are afraid of what the wicked people will do].
13 Whoever is covering his transgressions does not prosper, And he who is confessing and forsaking has mercy.
Those who refuse to confess/admit their sins will not prosper, but [God] acts mercifully/kindly toward those who confess their sins and turn away from their sinful behavior.
14 O the blessedness of a man fearing continually, And whoever is hardening his heart falls into evil.
[God] is pleased with those who always revere him, but those who are stubborn [IDM] will experience disasters.
15 A growling lion, and a ranging bear, [Is] the wicked ruler over a poor people.
Wicked people who [mistreat] poor people whom they rule are [as dangerous to them as] [SIM] a lion roaring [at them] or a bear springing up [to attack them].
16 A leader lacking understanding multiplies oppressions, Whoever is hating dishonest gain prolongs days.
Rulers who do not have good sense cruelly oppress [the people they rule], but rulers who do not want to become rich by cheating/deceiving [people] will live (OR, rule) for a long time.
17 A man oppressed with the blood of a soul, Flees to the pit, [and] none takes hold on him [to help].
Those who are guilty of murdering [MTY] another person will (be fugitives/keep running away) until they die; do not help them to escape.
18 Whoever is walking uprightly is saved, And the perverted of ways falls at once.
Those who [continually] do what is right will be safe/protected, but those who are dishonest will [suddenly] be ruined.
19 Whoever is tilling his ground is satisfied [with] bread, And whoever is pursuing vanity, Is filled [with] poverty.
Farmers who work [hard] in their fields will [produce good crops and always] have plenty of food [to eat], but those who spend all their time (on useless projects/doing things that do not benefit anyone) will become very poor.
20 A steadfast man has multiplied blessings, And whoever is hastening to be rich is not acquitted.
[God] will greatly bless those who (are trustworthy/always do what they say that they will do), but he will certainly punish [LIT] those who try to become rich quickly.
21 [It] is not good to discern faces, And a man transgresses for a piece of bread.
It is not good [for judges] to decide matters unfairly/unjustly, but [some] people will do what is wrong [even] if they receive [only] a very small bribe [HYP] [for doing it].
22 The man [with] an evil eye [is] troubled for wealth, And he does not know that want meets him.
Selfish people [IDM] are very eager to become rich quickly; they do not realize that they will [soon] become poor.
23 Whoever is reproving a man finds grace afterward, More than a flatterer with the tongue.
Those who rebuke someone will be appreciated/thanked more than those who [say nice things to others merely] to (flatter them/cause them to feel good).
24 Whoever is robbing his father or his mother, And is saying, “It is not transgression,” He is a companion to a destroyer.
Anyone who steals things from his father or his mother and says “That is not sinful” is as bad as a bandit.
25 Whoever is proud in soul stirs up contention, And whoever is trusting on YHWH is made fat.
Greedy people cause trouble/strife; those who trust in Yahweh will prosper [IDM].
26 Whoever is trusting in his heart is a fool, And whoever is walking in wisdom is delivered.
Those who believe that what they think [is always right] are foolish; those who act wisely will (escape danger/be safe).
27 Whoever is giving to the poor has no lack, And whoever is hiding his eyes multiplied curses.
Those who give things to poor [people] will not become poor, but many [people] will curse those who refuse to help [IDM] poor people.
28 A man is hidden in the rising of the wicked, And the righteous multiply in their destruction!
When wicked [people] become rulers, people hide [because they are afraid of what those wicked people will do]; but when wicked people are no longer rulers, good/righteous [people will] become the rulers.
