The Bible — World English Bible
Proverbs 28
In brief
Proverbs 28 contrasts the righteous and the wicked in every area of life: the courage of one, the fear of the other, and an integrity that is worth more than wealth gained by crooked ways. The wise man speaks of God's law, of rulers who oppress or govern with understanding, of money, of generosity toward the poor and of frankness rather than flattery. At the center, verse 13 teaches that hiding your faults leads nowhere, while confessing and forsaking sin opens the door to mercy.
The chapter in 4 parts
1The wicked flee when no one pursues; but the righteous are as bold as a lion.
2In rebellion, a land has many rulers, but order is maintained by a man of understanding and knowledge.
3A needy man who oppresses the poor is like a driving rain which leaves no crops.
4Those who forsake the law praise the wicked; but those who keep the law contend with them.
5Evil men don’t understand justice; but those who seek Yahweh understand it fully.
6Better is the poor who walks in his integrity, than he who is perverse in his ways, and he is rich.
7Whoever keeps the law is a wise son; but he who is a companion of gluttons shames his father.
8He who increases his wealth by excessive interest gathers it for one who has pity on the poor.
9He who turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer is an abomination.
10Whoever causes the upright to go astray in an evil way, he will fall into his own trap; but the blameless will inherit good.
11The rich man is wise in his own eyes; but the poor who has understanding sees through him.
12When the righteous triumph, there is great glory; but when the wicked rise, men hide themselves.
13He who conceals his sins doesn’t prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.
14Blessed is the man who always fears; but one who hardens his heart falls into trouble.
15As a roaring lion or a charging bear, so is a wicked ruler over helpless people.
16A tyrannical ruler lacks judgment. One who hates ill-gotten gain will have long days.
17A man who is tormented by life blood will be a fugitive until death; no one will support him.
18Whoever walks blamelessly is kept safe; but one with perverse ways will fall suddenly.
19One who works his land will have an abundance of food; but one who chases fantasies will have his fill of poverty.
20A faithful man is rich with blessings; but one who is eager to be rich will not go unpunished.
21To show partiality is not good; yet a man will do wrong for a piece of bread.
22A stingy man hurries after riches, and doesn’t know that poverty waits for him.
23One who rebukes a man will afterward find more favor than one who flatters with the tongue.
24Whoever robs his father or his mother and says, “It’s not wrong,” is a partner with a destroyer.
25One who is greedy stirs up strife; but one who trusts in Yahweh will prosper.
26One who trusts in himself is a fool; but one who walks in wisdom is kept safe.
27One who gives to the poor has no lack; but one who closes his eyes will have many curses.
28When the wicked rise, men hide themselves; but when they perish, the righteous thrive.
Key verses
The wicked flee when no one pursues; but the righteous are as bold as a lion.
The wicked flee when no one pursues them: their conscience torments them. The righteous, by contrast, has the boldness of a young lion, because he has nothing to hide.
He who turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer is an abomination.
Whoever refuses to listen to God's law cannot expect his prayer to be accepted. The verse ties prayer to obedience and to listening to the word.
He who conceals his sins doesn’t prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.
The verse contrasts secrecy and confession: hiding your faults keeps you from moving forward, while acknowledging and leaving them opens the door to mercy. Confession goes hand in hand with a change of direction.
One who trusts in himself is a fool; but one who walks in wisdom is kept safe.
Trusting in your own heart is folly, while walking in wisdom leads to safety. The wise person relies on God's word rather than on instinct.
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Frequently asked questions about Proverbs 28
What does Proverbs 28:13 mean?
Whoever hides his sins does not prosper, meaning he does not really move forward, while whoever confesses and forsakes them finds mercy. The verse does not promise material success: it describes the relief of a conscience that stops hiding and receives God's compassion.
What does even his prayer is an abomination mean (Proverbs 28:9)?
The proverb says that whoever refuses to listen to God's law makes his prayer vain. It is not about a prayer of repentance, which God always welcomes, but a prayer made while deliberately keeping the ear closed. Listening to the word and putting it into practice goes along with prayer.
What is the message of Proverbs 28?
The chapter teaches that integrity is worth more than dishonest wealth and that true confidence comes from a clear conscience. It also speaks of justice toward the poor, of frankness rather than flattery, of the confession of sin and of trust in the Lord.
Articles quoting Proverbs 28
World English Bible translation — public domain.