The wicked flee when no man pursueth;
But the righteous are bold as a lion.
For the transgression of a land many are the princes thereof;
But by {Or, a man}men of understanding and knowledge the state thereof shall be prolonged.
A needy man that oppresseth the poor
Is like a sweeping rain {Hebrew: without food.}which leaveth no food.
They that forsake the law praise the wicked;
But such as keep the law contend with them.
Evil men understand not justice;
But they that seek Jehovah understand all things.
Better is the poor that walketh in his integrity,
Than he that is {Hebrew: perverse of two ways.}perverse in his ways, though he be rich.
Whoso keepeth the law is a wise son;
But he that is a companion of gluttons shameth his father.
He that augmenteth his substance by interest and increase,
Gathereth it for him that hath pity on the poor.
He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law,
Even his prayer is an abomination.
Whoso causeth the upright to go astray in an evil way,
He shall fall himself into his own pit;
But the perfect shall inherit good.
The rich man is wise in {Hebrew: his own eyes.}his own conceit;
But the poor that hath understanding searcheth him out.
When the righteous triumph, there is great glory;
But when the wicked rise, men {Hebrew: must be searched for.}hide themselves.
He that covereth his transgressions shall not prosper:
But whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall obtain mercy.
Happy is the man that feareth alway;
But he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into {Or, calamity}mischief.
As a roaring lion, and a ranging bear,
So is a wicked ruler over a poor people.
{Or, O prince that lackest understanding and art a great oppressor, He &c.}The prince that lacketh understanding is also a great oppressor;
But he that hateth covetousness shall prolong his days.
A man that is laden with the blood of any person
Shall flee unto the pit; let no man stay him.
Whoso walketh uprightly shall be delivered;
But {Or, he that walketh perversely in two ways}he that is perverse in his ways shall fall at once.
He that tilleth his land shall have plenty of bread;
But he that followeth after vain persons shall have poverty enough.
A faithful man shall abound with blessings;
But he that maketh haste to be rich shall not be unpunished.
To have respect of persons is not good;
{Or, For for a piece of bread a man will transgress}Neither that a man should transgress for a piece of bread.
He that hath an evil eye hasteth after riches,
And knoweth not that want shall come upon him.
He that rebuketh a man shall afterward find more favor
Than he that flattereth with the tongue.
Whoso robbeth his father or his mother, and saith, It is no transgression,
The same is the companion of a destroyer.
He that is of a greedy spirit stirreth up strife;
But he that putteth his trust in Jehovah shall be made fat.
He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool;
But whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered.
He that giveth unto the poor shall not lack;
But he that hideth his eyes shall have many a curse.
When the wicked rise, men hide themselves;
But when they perish, the righteous increase.
Querverweise zu Sprüche 28,7 Spr 28,7
My son, if thou wilt receive my words,And lay up my commandments with thee;
So as to incline thine ear unto wisdom,And apply thy heart to understanding;
Yea, if thou cry after discernment,And lift up thy voice for understanding;
If thou seek her as silver,And search for her as for hid treasures:
Then shalt thou understand the fear of Jehovah,And find the knowledge of God.
For Jehovah giveth wisdom;Out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding:
Whoso robbeth his father or his mother, and saith, It is no transgression,The same is the companion of a destroyer.
My son, forget not my {Or, teaching}law;But let thy heart keep my commandments:
For length of days, and years of life,And peace, will they add to thee.
Let not kindness and truth forsake thee:Bind them about thy neck;Write them upon the tablet of thy heart:
So shalt thou find favor and {Or, good repute}good understandingIn the sight of God and man.
Trust in Jehovah with all thy heart,And lean not upon thine own understanding:
In all thy ways acknowledge him,And he will {Or, make straight (or, plain)}direct thy paths.
Be not wise in thine own eyes;Fear Jehovah, and depart from evil:
It will be health to thy navel,And {Or, refreshing Hebrew: moistening.}marrow to thy bones.
Honor Jehovah with thy substance,And with the first-fruits of all thine increase:
So shall thy barns be filled with plenty,And thy vats shall overflow with new wine.
My son, despise not the {Or, instruction}chastening of Jehovah;Neither be weary of his reproof:
For whom Jehovah loveth he reproveth;Even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.
Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,And the man that {Hebrew: draweth forth.}getteth understanding.
For the gaining of it is better than the gaining of silver,And the profit thereof than fine gold.
She is more precious than rubies:And none of the things thou canst desire are to be compared unto her.
Length of days is in her right hand;In her left hand are riches and honor.
Her ways are ways of pleasantness,And all her paths are peace.
She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her:And happy is every one that retaineth her.
Jehovah by wisdom founded the earth;By understanding he established the heavens.
By his knowledge the depths were broken up,And the skies drop down the dew.
My son, let them not depart from thine eyes;Keep sound wisdom and discretion:
So shall they be life unto thy soul,And grace to thy neck.
Then shalt thou walk in thy way securely,And {Hebrew: thou shall not dash thy foot.}thy foot shall not stumble.
When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid:Yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.
Be not afraid of sudden fear,Neither of the {Or, storm}desolation of the wicked, when it cometh:
For Jehovah will be thy confidence,And will keep thy foot from being taken.
Withhold not good from them to whom it is due,When it is in the power of thy hand to do it.
Say not unto thy neighbor, Go, and come again,And to-morrow I will give;When thou hast it by thee.
Devise not evil against thy neighbor,Seeing he dwelleth securely by thee.
Strive not with a man without cause,If he have done thee no harm.
Envy thou not the man of violence,And choose none of his ways.
For the perverse is an abomination to Jehovah;But his {Or, counsel}friendship is with the upright.
The curse of Jehovah is in the house of the wicked;But he blesseth the habitation of the righteous.
{Or, Though}Surely he scoffeth at the scoffers; {Or, Yet}But he giveth grace unto the lowly.
The wise shall inherit glory;But {Or, foots carry away shame}shame shall be the promotion of fools.
He that doeth violence to his father, and chaseth away his mother,Is a son that causeth shame and bringeth reproach.
Hear thou, my son, and be wise,And guide thy heart in the way.
Be not among winebibbers,Among gluttonous eaters of flesh:
For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty;And drowsiness will clothe a man with rags.
Hearken unto thy father that begat thee,And despise not thy mother when she is old.
Whoso loveth wisdom rejoiceth his father;But he that keepeth company with harlots wasteth his substance.
The rod and reproof give wisdom;But a child left to himself causeth shame to his mother.
And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together and took his journey into a far country; and there he wasted his substance with riotous living.
but when this thy son came, who hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou killedst for him the fatted calf.
For the time past may suffice to have wrought the desire of the Gentiles, and to have walked in lasciviousness, lusts, winebibbings, revellings, carousings, and abominable idolatries:
wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them into the same {Or, flood}excess of riot, speaking evil of you: