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Proverbs 29
New Life Version
Proverbs 29
New Life Version
29 A man who does not listen after many strong words are spoken to him will be destroyed all at once and without help.
2 When those who are right with God rule, the people are glad, but when a sinful man rules, the people have sorrow.
3 A man who loves wisdom makes his father glad, but he who goes with women who sell the use of their bodies wastes his money.
4 The king makes the land strong by doing what is right and fair, but the one who takes pay for doing wrong, destroys it.
5 A man who gives his neighbor sweet-sounding words that are not true spreads a net for his own feet.
6 A sinful man is trapped by his sins, but a man who is right with God sings for joy.
7 The man who is right with God cares about the rights of poor people, but the sinful man does not understand such things.
8 Men who speak against others set a city on fire, but wise men turn away anger.
9 When a wise man argues with a foolish man, the fool only gets angry or laughs, and there is no peace and quiet.
10 Men who kill hate him without blame, but a good man cares for his life.
11 A fool always loses his temper, but a wise man keeps quiet.
12 If a ruler listens to lies, all who work for him will become sinful.
13 The Lord gives light to the eyes of both the poor man and the man who makes it hard for others.
14 If the king is fair as he judges the poor, his throne will stand forever.
15 The stick and strong words give wisdom, but a child who gets his own way brings shame to his mother.
16 When the sinful are many, sins become many, but those who are right with God will see their fall.
17 Punish your son when he does wrong and he will give you comfort. Yes, he will give joy to your soul.
18 Where there is no understanding of the Word of the Lord, the people do whatever they want to, but happy is he who keeps the law.
19 A servant will not be taught by words alone. For even if he understands, he will not answer.
20 Do you see a man who is quick with his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
21 He who gives good care to his servant from the time he is young, will in the end find him to be a son.
22 A man of anger starts fights, and a man with a bad temper is full of wrong-doing.
23 A man’s pride will bring him down, but he whose spirit is without pride will receive honor.
24 He who works with a robber hates his own life. He knows about the bad that will come, but can tell nothing.
25 The fear of man brings a trap, but he who trusts in the Lord will be honored.
26 Many look for the ruler’s favor, but what is right and fair comes from the Lord.
27 A sinful man is a shame to those who are right with God, and he who is right with God is a shame to the sinful.
Proverbs 29
New International Version
Proverbs 29
New International Version
29 Whoever remains stiff-necked(A) after many rebukes
will suddenly be destroyed(B)—without remedy.(C)
3 A man who loves wisdom brings joy to his father,(G)
but a companion of prostitutes squanders his wealth.(H)
4 By justice a king gives a country stability,(I)
but those who are greedy for[a] bribes tear it down.
5 Those who flatter their neighbors
are spreading nets for their feet.(J)
6 Evildoers are snared by their own sin,(K)
but the righteous shout for joy and are glad.
7 The righteous care about justice for the poor,(L)
but the wicked have no such concern.
8 Mockers stir up a city,
but the wise turn away anger.(M)
9 If a wise person goes to court with a fool,
the fool rages and scoffs, and there is no peace.
10 The bloodthirsty hate a person of integrity
and seek to kill the upright.(N)
13 The poor and the oppressor have this in common:
The Lord gives sight to the eyes of both.(S)
14 If a king judges the poor with fairness,
his throne will be established forever.(T)
15 A rod and a reprimand impart wisdom,
but a child left undisciplined disgraces its mother.(U)
16 When the wicked thrive, so does sin,
but the righteous will see their downfall.(V)
17 Discipline your children, and they will give you peace;
they will bring you the delights you desire.(W)
18 Where there is no revelation, people cast off restraint;
but blessed is the one who heeds wisdom’s instruction.(X)
19 Servants cannot be corrected by mere words;
though they understand, they will not respond.
20 Do you see someone who speaks in haste?
There is more hope for a fool than for them.(Y)
21 A servant pampered from youth
will turn out to be insolent.
22 An angry person stirs up conflict,
and a hot-tempered person commits many sins.(Z)
24 The accomplices of thieves are their own enemies;
they are put under oath and dare not testify.(AC)
27 The righteous detest the dishonest;
the wicked detest the upright.(AI)
Footnotes
- Proverbs 29:4 Or who give
Proverbs 29
Authorized (King James) Version
Proverbs 29
Authorized (King James) Version
29 He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck,
shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.
2 When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice:
but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.
3 Whoso loveth wisdom rejoiceth his father:
but he that keepeth company with harlots spendeth his substance.
4 The king by judgment establisheth the land:
but he that receiveth gifts overthroweth it.
5 A man that flattereth his neighbour
spreadeth a net for his feet.
6 In the transgression of an evil man there is a snare:
but the righteous doth sing and rejoice.
7 The righteous considereth the cause of the poor:
but the wicked regardeth not to know it.
8 Scornful men bring a city into a snare:
but wise men turn away wrath.
9 If a wise man contendeth with a foolish man,
whether he rage or laugh, there is no rest.
10 The bloodthirsty hate the upright:
but the just seek his soul.
11 A fool uttereth all his mind:
but a wise man keepeth it in till afterwards.
12 If a ruler hearken to lies,
all his servants are wicked.
13 The poor and the deceitful man meet together:
the Lord lighteneth both their eyes.
14 The king that faithfully judgeth the poor,
his throne shall be established for ever.
15 The rod and reproof give wisdom:
but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame.
16 When the wicked are multiplied, transgression increaseth:
but the righteous shall see their fall.
17 Correct thy son, and he shall give thee rest;
yea, he shall give delight unto thy soul.
18 Where there is no vision, the people perish:
but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.
19 A servant will not be corrected by words:
for though he understand he will not answer.
20 Seest thou a man that is hasty in his words?
there is more hope of a fool than of him.
21 He that delicately bringeth up his servant from a child
shall have him become his son at the length.
22 An angry man stirreth up strife,
and a furious man aboundeth in transgression.
23 A man’s pride shall bring him low:
but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit.
24 Whoso is partner with a thief hateth his own soul:
he heareth cursing, and bewrayeth it not.
25 The fear of man bringeth a snare:
but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe.
26 Many seek the ruler’s favour;
but every man’s judgment cometh from the Lord.
27 An unjust man is an abomination to the just:
and he that is upright in the way is abomination to the wicked.
Proverbs 29
New American Standard Bible
Proverbs 29
New American Standard Bible
Warnings and Instructions
29 A person [a]often (A)rebuked who [b]becomes obstinate
Will (B)suddenly be broken [c]beyond remedy.
2 When the (C)righteous [d]increase, the people rejoice,
But when a wicked person rules, people groan.
3 A man who (D)loves wisdom makes his father glad,
But he who (E)involves himself with prostitutes wastes his wealth.
4 The (F)king gives stability to the land by justice,
But a person who takes bribes ruins it.
5 A man who (G)flatters his neighbor
Is spreading a net for his steps.
6 By wrongdoing an evil person is (H)ensnared,
But the righteous (I)sings and rejoices.
7 The (J)righteous [e]is concerned for the rights of the poor;
The wicked does not understand such [f]concern.
8 Arrogant people (K)inflame a city,
But (L)wise people turn away anger.
9 When a wise person has a controversy with a foolish person,
[g]The foolish person either rages or laughs, and there is no rest.
10 People of (M)bloodshed hate the blameless person,
But the upright [h]are concerned for his life.
11 A (N)fool [i]always loses his temper,
But a (O)wise person holds it back.
12 If a (P)ruler pays attention to falsehood,
All his ministers become wicked.
13 The (Q)poor person and the oppressor [j]have this in common:
The Lord gives (R)light to the eyes of both.
14 If a (S)king judges the poor with truth,
His (T)throne will be established forever.
15 The (U)rod and a rebuke give wisdom,
But a child [k]who gets his own way (V)brings shame to his mother.
16 When the wicked [l]increase, wrongdoing increases;
But the (W)righteous will see their downfall.
17 (X)Correct your son, and he will give you comfort;
He will also [m](Y)delight your soul.
18 Where there is (Z)no [n]vision, the people (AA)are unrestrained,
But (AB)happy is one who keeps the Law.
19 A slave will not be instructed by words alone;
For though he understands, there will be no response.
20 Do you see a person who is (AC)hasty with his words?
There is (AD)more hope for a fool than for him.
21 One who pampers his slave from childhood
Will in the end find him to be rebellious.
22 An (AE)angry person stirs up strife,
And a hot-tempered person abounds in wrongdoing.
23 A person’s (AF)pride will bring him low,
But a (AG)humble spirit will obtain honor.
24 One who is a partner with a thief hates his own life;
He (AH)hears the oath but tells nothing.
25 The (AI)fear of man [o]brings a snare,
But one who (AJ)trusts in the Lord will be protected.
26 (AK)Many seek the ruler’s [p]favor,
But (AL)justice for mankind comes from the Lord.
27 An (AM)unjust person is an abomination to the righteous,
And one who is (AN)upright in the way is an abomination to the wicked.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 29:1 Lit of rebukes who
- Proverbs 29:1 Lit hardens his neck
- Proverbs 29:1 Lit and there is no remedy
- Proverbs 29:2 Or become great
- Proverbs 29:7 Lit knows the cause
- Proverbs 29:7 Lit knowledge
- Proverbs 29:9 Lit He
- Proverbs 29:10 Lit seek his soul
- Proverbs 29:11 Lit sends forth all his spirit
- Proverbs 29:13 Lit meet together
- Proverbs 29:15 Lit left to himself
- Proverbs 29:16 Or become great
- Proverbs 29:17 Lit give delight to
- Proverbs 29:18 Or revelation
- Proverbs 29:25 Lit gives
- Proverbs 29:26 Lit face
Proverbs 29
The Message
Proverbs 29
The Message
If People Can’t See What God Is Doing
29 For people who hate discipline
and only get more stubborn,
There’ll come a day when life tumbles in and they break,
but by then it’ll be too late to help them.
2 When good people run things, everyone is glad,
but when the ruler is bad, everyone groans.
3 If you love wisdom, you’ll delight your parents,
but you’ll destroy their trust if you run with prostitutes.
4 A leader of good judgment gives stability;
an exploiting leader leaves a trail of waste.
5 A flattering neighbor is up to no good;
he’s probably planning to take advantage of you.
6 Evil people fall into their own traps;
good people run the other way, glad to escape.
7 The good-hearted understand what it’s like to be poor;
the hardhearted haven’t the faintest idea.
8 A gang of cynics can upset a whole city;
a group of sages can calm everyone down.
9 A sage trying to work things out with a fool
gets only scorn and sarcasm for his trouble.
10 Murderers hate honest people;
moral folks encourage them.
11 A fool lets it all hang out;
a sage quietly mulls it over.
12 When a leader listens to malicious gossip,
all the workers get infected with evil.
13 The poor and their abusers have at least something in common:
they can both see—their sight, God’s gift!
14 Leadership gains authority and respect
when the voiceless poor are treated fairly.
15 Wise discipline imparts wisdom;
spoiled adolescents embarrass their parents.
16 When degenerates take charge, crime runs wild,
but the righteous will eventually observe their collapse.
17 Discipline your children; you’ll be glad you did—
they’ll turn out delightful to live with.
18 If people can’t see what God is doing,
they stumble all over themselves;
But when they attend to what he reveals,
they are most blessed.
19 It takes more than talk to keep workers in line;
mere words go in one ear and out the other.
20 Observe the people who always talk before they think—
even simpletons are better off than they are.
21 If you let people treat you like a doormat,
you’ll be quite forgotten in the end.
22 Angry people stir up a lot of discord;
the intemperate stir up trouble.
23 Pride lands you flat on your face;
humility prepares you for honors.
24 Befriend an outlaw
and become an enemy to yourself.
When the victims cry out,
you’ll be included in their curses
if you’re a coward to their cause in court.
25 The fear of human opinion disables;
trusting in God protects you from that.
26 Everyone tries to get help from the leader,
but only God will give us justice.
27 Good people can’t stand the sight of deliberate evil;
the wicked can’t stand the sight of well-chosen goodness.
New Life Version (NLV)
Copyright © 1969, 2003 by Barbour Publishing, Inc.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
Authorized (King James) Version (AKJV)
KJV reproduced by permission of Cambridge University Press, the Crown’s patentee in the UK.
New American Standard Bible (NASB) 
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
The Message (MSG)
Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson