Przysłów 28:13 Midrasz: Ein Yaakov (Glick Edition), Aggadat Bereshit, Midrash Tanchuma Buber & Pesikta Rabbati

R. Zutra b. Tubia said in the name of Rab: "Repentance is so great, that even when an individual repents the whole world is pardoned together with him, as it is said: I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely; for my anger is turned away from us. It does not say from them, but from us, — from all of us." What do you call a repentant sinner? When he had an opportunity to do a sin once, and twice, but abstains from committing it. R. Juda, pointing out with his finger, said: "This refers only to when it [the repentance] happened in the same place, with the same person, and at the same time." R. Juda said: "Rab raised the following contradiction: It is written (Pr. 28, 13) He that concealeth his transgressions will not prosper, and (Ps. 31, 1) Happy is he whose transgression is forgiven; whose sin is covered. It presents no difficulty. One refers to a sin publicly known [he ought to confess and repent]; but the other refers to a sin not yet known [he ought to repent before it has become known]." R. Zutra b. Tubia said: "The former deals with sins committed toward a man; and the other deals with sins committed toward God."

(Fol. 60a) Our Rabbis taaught: "It once happened that when Hillel the Old was coming along the road and heard a sorrowful cry he said, 'I am sure it is not in my house.' And concerning such men, says the passage (Ps. 112, 7.) Of an evil report shall he not he afraid; his heart is firm, trusting in the Lord." Raba said: "We can infer this passage in whatever way we desire, either from the beginning to the end, or from the end to the beginning; from the beginning to the end: Of an evil report shall he not be afraid, [because] his heart is firm trusting in the Lord, or from the end to the beginning: [Having] his heart firm trusting in the Lord, he shall not be afraid of an evil report." A certain disciple followed R. Ishmael, the son of R. Jose, in the market of Zion, whereupon the latter noticed that the disciple was frightened; he said to him: "Hast thou sinned? for it is written (Is. 33, 14.) In Zion sinners are in fear." The disciple asked him, "Is it not written (Pr. 28, 13.) Happy is the man that always feareth." 'This refers to the Torah"' [was R. Ishmael's answer]. Juda b. Nathan was following R. Hamnuna and noticed that he groaned; Juda b. Nathan said: "That man is inviting afflictions upon himself, for it is written (Job 3, 25.) For the thing which I greatly feared, is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me." Has it not been written also (Pr. 28, 14.) Happy is the man that always feareth? The last refers to the Torah.

Chapter 11: Prophets [1] "The Lord's wrath I will bear [for I have sinned against Him]" (Micah 7:9). As it says, "I acknowledged my sin to You, and so on" (Psalm 32:5), the assembly of Israel said before the Holy One, blessed be He: "Master of the Universe, at first I said, 'I have not sinned,' and You brought suffering upon me, as it says, 'Now I will bring charges against you [because you say, "I have not sinned"]." (Jeremiah 2:35). But now I say, 'I have sinned, have mercy on me,' as it is written, 'The Lord's wrath I will bear, for I have sinned against Him,' and so on" (Micah 7:9). And when I went into exile, they said to me, "Who gave Jacob to the despoilment [and Israel to the plunderers]?" (Isaiah 42:24), "I said, isn't it God, we have sinned against Him" and so on (Isaiah 42:24). Even now I say, "For I have sinned against Him," and so on (Micah 7:9), for confession is pleasing to me, as it says, "He who conceals his sins will not succeed, but he who confesses and abandons them will find mercy" (Proverbs 28:13). When David committed that act and Nathan the prophet came and rebuked him, and David said to him, "I have sinned greatly in, what I have done" (2 Samuel 12:13), what did Nathan say to him? "The Lord has taken away your sin, you shall not die" (2 Samuel 12:13). And what did [Bathsheba] ask for? She said to him, "Just as you have brought Noah out of the darkness into the light, do the same for me, [bring me out into the light and I will see His righteousness]" (Micah 7:9). He said to her, "And so I will do." And once he heard this, he began to say, "Do not rejoice over me, my enemy," and so on (Micah 7:8).