Proverbs 28 in plain modern English. New Ground English Translation.
Time Period
Originally from Solomon (~970-930 BC), collected during Hezekiah's reign (~715-686 BC)
Location
Jerusalem, Kingdom of Judah
Audience
The people of Judah, court officials, and leaders
Situation
Proverbs 28 focuses heavily on governance, justice, wealth, and the contrast between the righteous and the wicked in positions of power.
Key Background
This chapter has a strong political dimension — when the wicked rise to power, people hide (v.12,28), but when they perish, the righteous increase. The emphasis on just governance likely resonated during Hezekiah's reform era, contrasting his rule with the corrupt reign of his father Ahaz. Several proverbs address economic justice: lending at interest (v.8), the rich person's self-deception (v.11), and the danger of pursuing wealth at any cost (v.20,22). The chapter also values confession and transparency (v.13) over concealment.
The run when no one is chasing them, but those who do are as as a
When a land it cycles through leader after leader, but with someone who has and stability lasts.
A who those even weaker is like a that the
People who abandon praise the but those who keep it stand against them.
People consumed by evil don't understand but those who look to understand it completely.
Better to be poor and walk with than to be rich and
A child keeps but one who hangs around with humiliates their parents.
Anyone who builds wealth through and is just stockpiling it for someone who will be generous to the poor.
If someone turns a deaf ear to even their prayers are
Whoever leads down a destructive path will fall into their own trap, but those with will receive things.
Rich people think they're so but a poor person with sees right through them.
When those who do succeed, there's but when the guilty rise to power, people go into hiding.
Anyone who hides their will never thrive, but whoever them and from them will find
is for the person who always lives with but whoever their will fall into disaster.
A over a is like a roaring lion or a charging bear.
A leader who lacks is a brutal oppressor, but one who hates will have a long life.
A person down by the of will be a until death -- don't help them.
Walk with and you'll be kept safe, but whoever takes will
and you'll have plenty of food; chase and you'll have plenty of poverty.
A person with but whoever rushes to get rich won't go unpunished.
is never good -- but some people will sell out for as little as a of
A races to get rich, not realizing that poverty is coming for them.
Someone who you the will end up more appreciated than a person who just you.
Whoever from their own and says, "It's not wrong" -- that person is no different from who
A stirs up conflict, but anyone who in will
Whoever their own is a fool, but anyone who walks in will be kept safe.
Whoever gives to the won't lack anything, but whoever looks the other way will get plenty of
When the rise to power, people go into hiding, but when they fall, those who do