Proverbs 29
Christian Standard Bible
29 One who becomes stiff-necked,
after many reprimands
will be shattered instantly—
beyond recovery.(A)
2 When the righteous flourish, the people rejoice,
but when the wicked rule, people groan.(B)
3 A man who loves wisdom brings joy to his father,(C)
but one who consorts with prostitutes destroys his wealth.(D)
4 By justice a king brings stability to a land,(E)
but a person who demands “contributions”[a]
demolishes it.(F)
5 A person who flatters his neighbor
spreads a net for his feet.(G)
7 The righteous person knows the rights[b] of the poor,(J)
but the wicked one does not understand these concerns.
8 Mockers inflame a city,(K)
but the wise turn away anger.
9 If a wise person goes to court with a fool,
there will be ranting and raving but no resolution.[c](L)
12 If a ruler listens to lies,(P)
all his officials will be wicked.
14 A king who judges the poor with fairness—
his throne will be established forever.(R)
15 A rod of correction imparts wisdom,(S)
but a youth left to himself[g]
is a disgrace to his mother.(T)
16 When the wicked increase, rebellion increases,
but the righteous will see their downfall.(U)
17 Discipline your child,(V) and it will bring you peace of mind
and give you delight.
18 Without revelation[h](W) people run wild,(X)
but one who follows divine instruction will be happy.(Y)
19 A servant cannot be disciplined by words;
though he understands, he doesn’t respond.(Z)
21 A servant pampered from his youth
will become arrogant[i] later on.
24 To be a thief’s partner is to hate oneself;
he hears the curse but will not testify.(AF)
27 An unjust person is detestable to the righteous,
and one whose way is upright
is detestable to the wicked.(AK)
Footnotes
- 29:4 The Hb word for contributions usually refers to offerings in worship.
- 29:7 Lit justice
- 29:9 Lit rest
- 29:10 Or person, and seek the life of the upright
- 29:11 Lit spirit
- 29:13 Lit oppressor meet
- 29:15 Lit youth sent away
- 29:18 Lit vision
- 29:21 Hb obscure
- 29:22 Lit a master of rage
- 29:25 Lit raised high
Proverbs 29
New Living Translation
29 Whoever stubbornly refuses to accept criticism
will suddenly be destroyed beyond recovery.
2 When the godly are in authority, the people rejoice.
But when the wicked are in power, they groan.
3 The man who loves wisdom brings joy to his father,
but if he hangs around with prostitutes, his wealth is wasted.
4 A just king gives stability to his nation,
but one who demands bribes destroys it.
5 To flatter friends
is to lay a trap for their feet.
6 Evil people are trapped by sin,
but the righteous escape, shouting for joy.
7 The godly care about the rights of the poor;
the wicked don’t care at all.
8 Mockers can get a whole town agitated,
but the wise will calm anger.
9 If a wise person takes a fool to court,
there will be ranting and ridicule but no satisfaction.
10 The bloodthirsty hate blameless people,
but the upright seek to help them.[a]
11 Fools vent their anger,
but the wise quietly hold it back.
12 If a ruler pays attention to liars,
all his advisers will be wicked.
13 The poor and the oppressor have this in common—
the Lord gives sight to the eyes of both.
14 If a king judges the poor fairly,
his throne will last forever.
15 To discipline a child produces wisdom,
but a mother is disgraced by an undisciplined child.
16 When the wicked are in authority, sin flourishes,
but the godly will live to see their downfall.
17 Discipline your children, and they will give you peace of mind
and will make your heart glad.
18 When people do not accept divine guidance, they run wild.
But whoever obeys the law is joyful.
19 Words alone will not discipline a servant;
the words may be understood, but they are not heeded.
20 There is more hope for a fool
than for someone who speaks without thinking.
21 A servant pampered from childhood
will become a rebel.
22 An angry person starts fights;
a hot-tempered person commits all kinds of sin.
23 Pride ends in humiliation,
while humility brings honor.
24 If you assist a thief, you only hurt yourself.
You are sworn to tell the truth, but you dare not testify.
25 Fearing people is a dangerous trap,
but trusting the Lord means safety.
26 Many seek the ruler’s favor,
but justice comes from the Lord.
27 The righteous despise the unjust;
the wicked despise the godly.
Footnotes
- 29:10 Or The bloodthirsty hate blameless people, / and they seek to kill the upright; Hebrew reads The bloodthirsty hate blameless people; / as for the upright, they seek their life.
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
