< Proverbs 28 >
1 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 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 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 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 people do not understand what it means to act justly, but those who try to obey/worship Yahweh understand that very well.
6 It is better to be honest [even] though you are poor than to be dishonest [even] though you are rich.
7 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 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 If people do not obey [MTY] [God’s] laws, [God] (detests their prayers/considers that their prayers stink).
10 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 [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 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 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 [God] is pleased with those who always revere him, but those who are stubborn [IDM] will experience disasters.
15 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 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 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 Those who [continually] do what is right will be safe/protected, but those who are dishonest will [suddenly] be ruined.
19 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 [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 [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 Selfish people [IDM] are very eager to become rich quickly; they do not realize that they will [soon] become poor.
23 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 Anyone who steals things from his father or his mother and says “That is not sinful” is as bad as a bandit.
25 Greedy people cause trouble/strife; those who trust in Yahweh will prosper [IDM].
26 Those who believe that what they think [is always right] are foolish; those who act wisely will (escape danger/be safe).
27 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 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.
