Proverbs 28
1 The wicked have fled and there is no pursuer. And the righteous as a young lion is confident.
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 many [are] its heads. And by an intelligent man, Who knoweth 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 understand not judgment, And those seeking Jehovah 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 Whoso is keeping the law is an intelligent son, And a friend of gluttons, Doth cause 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 Whoso is multiplying his wealth by biting and usury, For one favouring the poor doth gather it.
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 Whoso 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 Whoso is causing the upright to err in an evil way, Into his own pit he doth fall, And the perfect do inherit 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 searcheth 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 Whoso is covering his transgressions prospereth not, And he who is confessing and forsaking hath 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 happiness of a man fearing continually, And whoso is hardening his heart falleth 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 multiplieth oppressions, Whoso is hating dishonest gain prolongeth 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, Unto the pit fleeth, none taketh hold on him.
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 Whoso is walking uprightly is saved, And the perverted of ways falleth at once.
Those who [continually] do what is right will be safe/protected, but those who are dishonest will [suddenly] be ruined.
19 Whoso is tilling his ground is satisfied [with] bread, And whoso 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 stedfast man hath multiplied blessings, And whoso is hasting 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 To discern faces is not good, And for a piece of bread doth a man transgress.
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 Troubled for wealth [is] the man [with] an evil eye, And he knoweth not that want doth meet him.
Selfish people [IDM] are very eager to become rich quickly; they do not realize that they will [soon] become poor.
23 Whoso is reproving a man afterwards findeth grace, 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 Whoso is robbing his father, or his mother, And is saying, 'It is not transgression,' A companion he is 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 Whoso is proud in soul stirreth up contention, And whoso is trusting on Jehovah is made fat.
Greedy people cause trouble/strife; those who trust in Yahweh will prosper [IDM].
26 Whoso is trusting in his heart is a fool, And whoso 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 Whoso is giving to the poor hath no lack, And whoso 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 In the rising of the wicked a man is hidden, And in their destruction the righteous multiply!
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.
