1Sinners run away even when no one is chasing them.
But those who do what is right are as bold as lions.
2A country has many rulers when its people don’t obey.
But an understanding ruler knows how to keep order.
3A ruler who treats poor people badly
is like a pounding rain that leaves no crops.
4Those who turn away from instruction praise sinners.
But those who learn from it oppose them.
5Sinful people don’t understand what is right.
But those who worship the Lord understand it completely.
6It is better to be poor and live without blame
than to be rich and follow a crooked path.
7A child who understands what is right learns from instruction.
But a child who likes to eat too much brings shame on his father.
8Someone might get rich by taking interest or profit from poor people.
But that person only piles up wealth for someone who will be kind to poor people.
9If you don’t pay attention to my instruction,
even your prayers are hated.
10Those who lead honest people down an evil path
will fall into their own trap.
But those who are without blame
will receive good things.
11Rich people may think they are wise.
But a poor person with understanding knows that rich people are fooling themselves.
12When godly people win, everyone is very happy.
But when sinners take charge, everyone hides.
13Anyone who hides their sins doesn’t succeed.
But anyone who admits their sins and gives them up finds mercy.
14Blessed is the one who always trembles in front of God.
But anyone who makes their heart stubborn will get into trouble.
15An evil person who rules over helpless people
is like a roaring lion or an angry bear.
16A ruler who is mean to his people takes money from them by force.
But one who hates money gained in the wrong way will rule a long time.
17Anyone troubled by the guilt of murder
will seek to escape their guilt by death.
No one should keep them from it.
18Anyone who lives without blame is kept safe.
But anyone whose path is crooked will fall into the pit.
19Those who work their land will have plenty of food.
But those who chase dreams will be very poor.
20A faithful person will be richly blessed.
But anyone who wants to get rich will be punished.
21Favoring one person over another is not good.
But a person will do wrong for a piece of bread.
22Those who won’t share what they have want to get rich.
They don’t know they are going to be poor.
23It is better to warn a person than to pretend to praise them.
In the end that person will be more pleased with you.
24Anyone who steals from their parents and says, “It’s not wrong,”
is just like someone who destroys.
25People who always want more stir up conflict.
But those who trust in the Lord will succeed.
26Those who trust in themselves are foolish.
But those who live wisely are kept safe.
27Those who give to poor people will have all they need.
But those who close their eyes to the poor will receive many curses.
28When those who are evil take charge, other people hide.
But when those who are evil die, godly people grow stronger.
1Tumatakbo ang masama kahit walang humahabol, ngunit ang matuwid ay matapang tulad ng leon.
2Kapag ang isang bansa ay makasalanan, madalas nilang palitan ang kanilang pinuno. Ngunit kung may karunungan at pang-unawa ang kanilang pinuno, matatag ang kalagayan ng kanilang bayan.
3Ang taong mahirap na ginigipit ang kapwa mahirap ay tulad ng malakas na ulan na sumisira sa pananim.
4Pinupuri ng masama ang mga taong lumalabag sa utos, ngunit ang sumusunod dito, kinakalaban ang masama.
5Hindi maintindihan ng masasama ang katarungan, ngunit lubos itong nauunawaan ng mga lumalapit sa Panginoon.
6Mas mabuti pa ang mahirap na namumuhay nang matuwid kaysa sa mayaman na namumuhay sa kasalanan.
7Ang matalinong anak ay sumusunod sa mga Kautusan, ngunit ang anak na bumabarkada sa mga pasaway,28:7 pasaway: o, palakain. mga magulang ang pinapahiya.
8Kung yumaman ka sa pamamagitan ng patubuan, ang iyong kayamanan ay mapupunta sa matulungin sa mga nangangailangan.
9Ang taong hindi sumusunod sa Kautusan, kahit panalangin niya ay kasusuklaman ng Dios.
10Ang taong inililigaw ang matuwid para magkasala ay mabibiktima ng sarili niyang mga pakana. Ngunit ang taong namumuhay nang matuwid ay tatanggap ng maraming kabutihan.
11Iniisip ng mayayaman na napakarunong na nila, ngunit alam ng taong mahirap na may pang-unawa kung anong klaseng tao talaga sila.
12Kapag matuwid ang namumuno nagdiriwang ang mga tao, ngunit kapag ang pumalit ay masama, mga taoʼy nagtatago.
13Hindi ka uunlad kung hindi mo ipapahayag ang iyong mga kasalanan, ngunit kung ipapahayag mo ito at tatalikdan, kahahabagan ka ng Dios.
14Mapalad ang taong laging may paggalang sa Panginoon, ngunit mapapahamak ang taong matigas ang ulo.
15Panganib sa mahihirap ang masamang pinuno gaya ng mabangis na leon at osong naghahanap ng mabibiktima.
16Ang pinunong walang pang-unawa ay lubhang malupit.
Hahaba naman ang buhay ng pinuno na sa kasakiman ay galit.
17Ang taong hindi pinatatahimik ng kanyang budhi dahil sa pagpatay sa kanyang kapwa ay tatakas kahit saan hanggang sa siya ay mamatay. Huwag ninyo siyang tulungan.
18Ang taong namumuhay nang matuwid ay ligtas sa kapahamakan, ngunit ang taong namumuhay sa maling pamamaraan ay bigla na lamang mapapahamak.
19Ang masipag na magsasaka ay sasagana sa pagkain, ngunit maghihirap ang taong nag-aaksaya ng oras niya.
20Ang taong tapat ay sasagana sa pagpapala, ngunit ang taong nagmamadaling yumaman ay parurusahan.
21Hindi mabuti ang may kinikilingan, ngunit may mga gumagawa nito dahil sa kaunting suhol.
22Nagmamadaling yumaman ang taong sa pera ay gahaman, ngunit ang hindi niya alam patungo pala siya sa kahirapan.
23Pasasalamatan ka pa ng tao sa huli kapag sinaway mo siya ng tapat kaysa panay ang papuri mo sa kanya kahit hindi nararapat.
24Ang taong nagnanakaw sa magulang at sasabihing hindi iyon kasalanan ay kasamahan ng mga kriminal.
25Ang taong sakim ay nagpapasimula ng kaguluhan, ngunit ang taong nagtitiwala sa Panginoon ay magtatamo ng kasaganaan.
26Hangal ang taong nagtitiwala sa kanyang sariling kakayahan. Ang taong namumuhay na may karunungan ay ligtas sa kapahamakan.
27Ang taong mapagbigay sa mahihirap ay hindi kukulangin, ngunit ang nagbubulag-bulagan ay makakatanggap ng mga sumpa.
28Kapag masama ang mga pinuno, mga tao ay nagtatago. Ngunit kapag namatay sila, ang matutuwid ang mamumuno.
