Proverbs — Chapter 28

Fugit impius, nemine persequente: justus autem quasi leo confidens, absque terrore erit

The wicked flee when no one pursues; but the righteous are bold as a lion. Lapide: The contrast between the guilty conscience and the righteous conscience. The wicked man is pursued by his own fear and guilt — he flees though no one chases him, because his conscience is his constant accuser. The righteous man is bold as a lion — he has no fear of men or circumstances because his conscience is at peace and he trusts in God's protection. Lapide: \"A good conscience is a continuous feast\" (Bernard). The wicked man is enslaved to fear; the righteous man is free.

Qui abscondit scelera sua, non dirigetur: qui autem confessus fuerit, et reliquerit, misericordiam consequetur

He who conceals his sins will not prosper; but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy. Lapide: One of the great sacramental texts of Proverbs — directly applicable to the sacrament of penance. \"Abscondit scelera sua\" = whoever hides his sins (from God, from conscience, from the confessor) — keeps them, does not confront them, does not repent — will not prosper. \"Confessus fuerit et reliquerit\" = he who confesses (acknowledges, admits, declares) AND forsakes (abandons, avoids, ceases from) his sins will obtain mercy. Both conditions are necessary: confession without amendment is not genuine; amendment without confession of specific sins is incomplete (cf. Council of Trent, Sess. XIV).