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 28,16 Spr 28,16
And the young men that were grown up with him spake unto him, saying, Thus shalt thou say unto this people that spake unto thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, but make thou it lighter unto us; thus shalt thou speak unto them, My little finger is thicker than my father's loins.
Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating unjust gain; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens:
and spake to them after the counsel of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to your yoke: my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.
He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of {Or, fraud}oppressions, that shaketh his hands from taking a bribe, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from looking upon evil:
But the former governors that were before me {Or, laid burdens upon}were chargeable unto the people, and took of them bread and wine, {Or, at the rate of Or, afterward}besides forty shekels of silver; yea, even their servants {Or, lorded over}bare rule over the people: but so did not I, because of the fear of God.
He shall dwell on high; his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks; his bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure.
Then I returned and saw all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and, behold, the tears of such as were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter.
Shalt thou reign, because thou {Or, viest with the cedar}strivest to excel in cedar? Did not thy father eat and drink, and do justice and righteousness? then it was well with him.
He judged the cause of the poor and needy; then it was well. Was not this to know me? saith Jehovah.
But thine eyes and thy heart are not but for thy {Or, dishonest gain}covetousness, and for shedding innocent blood, and for oppression, and for violence, to do it.
As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, they that lead thee cause thee to err, and {Hebrew: swallow up.}destroy the way of thy paths.
Hear this word, ye kine of Bashan, that are in the mountain of Samaria, that oppress the poor, that crush the needy, that say unto their lords, Bring, and let us drink.