Font Size
Proverbs 28
Common English Bible
Proverbs 28
Common English Bible
28 The wicked run away even though no one pursues them,
but the righteous are as confident as a lion.
2 When a land rebels, there are many leaders;
but a person with understanding brings order.
3 Poor people who oppress the needy
are rain that washes away food.
4 Those who abandon Instruction praise the wicked,
but those who follow Instruction battle them.
5 Evil people don’t understand justice,
but those who seek the Lord understand everything.
6 Better to be poor and walk in innocence
than to be on crooked paths and wealthy.
7 Intelligent children follow Instruction,
but those who befriend gluttons shame their parents.
8 Those who become rich through high interest rates
gather money for those who are generous to the poor.
9 Those who turn their ears from hearing Instruction—
even their prayers will be detested.
10 Whoever misleads those who do right onto an evil path
will fall into their own pit,
but the blameless will inherit good things.
11 Rich people think they are wise,
but an insightful poor person sees through them.
12 When the righteous rejoice, there is great respect,
but people hide when the wicked prosper.
13 Those who hide their sins won’t succeed,
but those who confess and give them up will receive mercy.
14 Happy are those who are continually fearful,
but those whose hearts are hard fall into trouble.
15 A wicked ruler over the poor
is like a growling lion or a prowling bear.
16 A prince without understanding is a cruel oppressor,
but one who hates unjust gain will live long.
17 If someone feels guilty about murder,
don’t hold them back from fleeing to the pit.
18 Those who walk in innocence will be saved,
but those who go on twisted paths will fall into the grave.
19 Those who work the land will have plenty to eat,
but those with worthless pursuits will have plenty of poverty.
20 Reliable people will have abundant blessings,
but those with get-rich-quick schemes won’t go unpunished.
21 Those who show favoritism aren’t good;
people do wrong for a crust of bread.
22 The stingy try to get rich fast,
unaware that loss will come to them.
23 Those who correct someone will, in the end, find more favor
than those with flattering tongues.
24 Those who steal from their father and mother,
and say, “It’s not a crime,”
are friends of vandals.
25 Greedy people stir up conflict,
but those who trust the Lord become prosperous.
26 Those who trust in their own reasoning are fools,
but those who walk in wisdom will be kept safe.
27 Those who give to the poor will lack nothing,
but those who turn a blind eye will be greatly cursed.
28 When the wicked rise up, people hide,
but when they are destroyed, the righteous multiply.
Proverbs 28
New International Version
Proverbs 28
New International Version
2 When a country is rebellious, it has many rulers,
but a ruler with discernment and knowledge maintains order.
3 A ruler[a] 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.(D)
7 A discerning son heeds instruction,
but a companion of gluttons disgraces his father.(E)
8 Whoever increases wealth by taking interest(F) or profit from the poor
amasses it for another,(G) who will be kind to the poor.(H)
9 If anyone turns a deaf ear to my instruction,
even their prayers are detestable.(I)
10 Whoever leads the upright along an evil path
will fall into their own trap,(J)
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;(K)
but when the wicked rise to power, people go into hiding.(L)
13 Whoever conceals their sins(M) does not prosper,
but the one who confesses(N) and renounces them finds mercy.(O)
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(P) in the grave;
let no one hold them back.
18 The one whose walk is blameless is kept safe,(Q)
but the one whose ways are perverse will fall(R) into the pit.[b]
19 Those who work their land will have abundant food,
but those who chase fantasies will have their fill of poverty.(S)
20 A faithful person will be richly blessed,
but one eager to get rich will not go unpunished.(T)
22 The stingy are eager to get rich
and are unaware that poverty awaits them.(X)
23 Whoever rebukes a person will in the end gain favor
rather than one who has a flattering tongue.(Y)
24 Whoever robs their father or mother(Z)
and says, “It’s not wrong,”
is partner to one who destroys.(AA)
27 Those who give to the poor will lack nothing,(AF)
but those who close their eyes to them receive many curses.(AG)
28 When the wicked rise to power, people go into hiding;(AH)
but when the wicked perish, the righteous thrive.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 28:3 Or A poor person
- Proverbs 28:18 Syriac (see Septuagint); Hebrew into one
Common English Bible (CEB)
Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.