Proverbs 28

²When a land is full of sin, leaders come and go quickly. But a wise leader who truly understands keeps things stable for a long time.

³A poor person who crushes other poor people is like a heavy rain that washes away all the crops. Nothing is left. Everyone suffers.

⁴People who disobey God's law end up praising those who do wrong. But people who keep God's law stand against wickedness.

⁵Wicked people do not understand what is right and what is wrong. But people who seek the LORD understand all things clearly.

⁶A poor person who walks honestly and rightly is better off than a rich person who lives the wrong way. Riches do not make someone good.

⁷A child who obeys God's law is a wise son. But a child who chooses wild and bad friends brings shame to their father.

⁸Someone who gets rich by cheating and charging unfair prices will only end up giving it all away to someone who will help the poor. Unjust money never stays.

⁹If someone refuses to listen to God's law, even their prayers are something God hates. You cannot ignore God's Word and then expect Him to hear you.

¹⁰Anyone who leads a good person into doing wrong will fall into their own trap. But those who walk uprightly will receive good things.

¹¹A rich man thinks he is very wise — but often he is just proud. A poor person with true understanding can see right through him.

¹²When righteous people are in charge and doing well, everyone celebrates and things are glorious. But when wicked people rise to power, people hide in fear.

¹³Hiding your sins will not help you. It will not make you prosper. But if you confess them and stop doing them, God will show you mercy.

¹⁴The person who always respects and honours God is truly happy. But the person who makes their heart hard and refuses to listen will fall into serious trouble.

¹⁵A wicked ruler over poor people is as frightening as a roaring lion or a raging bear. He crushes the very people he should protect.

¹⁶A ruler without wisdom and understanding becomes a great oppressor. But a ruler who hates greed will live long and lead well.

¹⁷A person who takes someone else's life will run toward their own destruction. No one should stop what is coming to them.

¹⁸The person who walks honestly and rightly will be kept safe. But the person who lives in twisted and wrong ways will fall suddenly.

¹⁹The person who works hard on their land will have plenty of food. But the person who chases after worthless and lazy people will end up very poor.

²⁰A faithful person will be full of blessings. But someone who rushes to get rich quickly will not get away with what they do to get there.

²¹Showing favouritism — treating some people as more important than others — is not good. Some people will do wrong for just a small reward. Do not be partial.

²²A person who rushes to get rich is greedy and cannot see clearly. They do not realise that poverty is heading straight toward them.

²³A person who honestly corrects someone will end up being more loved and trusted than a person who just says nice things to make them feel good.

²⁴Someone who steals from their father or mother and says it is not doing wrong is as bad as a person who destroys everything. Stealing from your parents is very serious.

²⁵A proud heart always starts trouble and fights. But the person who trusts in the LORD will be well fed and richly blessed.

²⁶A person who trusts only in their own feelings and ideas is a fool. But the person who walks in wisdom will be kept safe and delivered.

²⁷The person who gives to those in need will never run out. But the person who looks away from the poor will face many curses.

²⁸When wicked people rise to power, everyone hides in fear. But when wicked people are gone, righteous people grow and increase.