Study

28. Proverbs of Solomon

    ² When a country is rebellious, it has many rulers,
   but a ruler with discernment and knowledge maintains order.

    ³ A ruler Or A poor person who oppresses the poor
   is like a driving rain that leaves no crops.

    ⁴ Those who forsake instruction praise the wicked,
   but those who heed it resist them.

    ⁵ Evildoers do not understand what is right,
   but those who seek the LORD understand it fully.

    ⁶ Better the poor whose walk is blameless
   than the rich whose ways are perverse.

    ⁷ A discerning son heeds instruction,
   but a companion of gluttons disgraces his father.

    ⁸ Whoever increases wealth by taking interest or profit from the poor
   amasses it for another, who will be kind to the poor.

    ⁹ If anyone turns a deaf ear to my instruction,
   even their prayers are detestable.

    ¹⁰ Whoever leads the upright along an evil path
   will fall into their own trap,
   but the blameless will receive a good inheritance.

    ¹¹ The rich are wise in their own eyes;
   one who is poor and discerning sees how deluded they are.

    ¹² When the righteous triumph, there is great elation;
   but when the wicked rise to power, people go into hiding.

    ¹³ Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper,
   but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.

    ¹⁴ Blessed is the one who always trembles before God,
   but whoever hardens their heart falls into trouble.

    ¹⁵ Like a roaring lion or a charging bear
   is a wicked ruler over a helpless people.

    ¹⁶ A tyrannical ruler practices extortion,
   but one who hates ill-gotten gain will enjoy a long reign.

    ¹⁷ Anyone tormented by the guilt of murder
   will seek refuge in the grave;
   let no one hold them back.

    ¹⁸ The one whose walk is blameless is kept safe,
   but the one whose ways are perverse will fall into the pit. Syriac (see Septuagint); Hebrew into one

    ¹⁹ Those who work their land will have abundant food,
   but those who chase fantasies will have their fill of poverty.

    ²⁰ A faithful person will be richly blessed,
   but one eager to get rich will not go unpunished.

    ²¹ To show partiality is not good—
   yet a person will do wrong for a piece of bread.

    ²² The stingy are eager to get rich
   and are unaware that poverty awaits them.

    ²³ Whoever rebukes a person will in the end gain favor
   rather than one who has a flattering tongue.

    ²⁴ Whoever robs their father or mother
   and says, “It’s not wrong,”
   is partner to one who destroys.

    ²⁵ The greedy stir up conflict,
   but those who trust in the LORD will prosper.

    ²⁶ Those who trust in themselves are fools,
   but those who walk in wisdom are kept safe.

    ²⁷ Those who give to the poor will lack nothing,
   but those who close their eyes to them receive many curses.

    ²⁸ When the wicked rise to power, people go into hiding;
   but when the wicked perish, the righteous thrive.