Proverbs 29
Evangelical Heritage Version
29 A person who remains stiff-necked[a] after many rebukes
will be broken suddenly, and there will be no cure.
2 When the righteous increase, the people rejoice,
but when a wicked man rules, the people groan.
3 A man who loves wisdom brings joy to his father,
but one who visits prostitutes destroys his wealth.
4 A king brings stability to a land by justice,
but one who accepts bribes tears it down.
5 A man who flatters his neighbor
is spreading a net for his steps.[b]
6 An evil man sets a trap with his sin,
but a righteous person sings and rejoices.
7 A righteous person acknowledges the rights of the poor,
but a wicked person does not understand such knowledge.
8 Scoffers stir up a city,
but wise people turn away anger.
9 When a wise person seeks justice from a stubborn fool,
the fool rants and laughs, and there is no peace.
10 Bloodthirsty people hate anyone with integrity,
but upright people seek to save his life.[c]
11 A fool vents all his emotions,
but a wise person calmly restrains them.
12 If a ruler listens to lies,
all his officials become wicked.
13 A poor person and an oppressor have this in common:
The Lord gives light to the eyes of both.
14 If a king judges poor people with truth,
his throne will be established permanently.
15 A rod used for discipline gives wisdom,
but an undisciplined child disgraces his mother.
16 When the wicked increase, sin increases,
but the righteous will see their downfall.
17 Discipline your son, and he will give you rest.
He will give delight to your soul.
18 Without prophetic vision, a people is unrestrained,
but a people which follows the law is blessed.
19 A servant cannot be disciplined with words.
Although he understands, he shows no response.
20 Have you seen a person who is hasty with his words?
There is more hope for a fool than for him.
21 If someone pampers his servant from the time he is young,
later on he will have grief.
22 A hothead stirs up a fight,
and a quick-tempered person commits many sins.
23 A person’s arrogance will humble him,
but a humble spirit will attain honor.
24 The partner of a thief hates his own life.
He hears the oath,[d] but he does not reveal anything.
25 Being afraid of a man sets a trap,
but a person who trusts in the Lord will be secure.
26 Many people seek a ruler’s favor,
but a person gets justice from the Lord.
27 An unjust person is disgusting to righteous people,
but one whose way is upright is disgusting to the wicked.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 29:1 Or stubborn
- Proverbs 29:5 Or his own steps
- Proverbs 29:10 Or and they seek the life of the upright
- Proverbs 29:24 Or curse. He cannot testify for fear of reprisal or self-incrimination.
Proverbs 29
Lexham English Bible
29 A man who is reproved, being stubborn of neck—
suddenly he will be broken, and there will not be healing.
2 When the righteous are numerous, the people will rejoice,
but when the wicked are ruling, people will groan.
3 A man who loves wisdom will make his parents glad,
but the friend of prostitutes[a] will squander his wealth.
4 By justice a king gives stability to a land,
but a man of bribes will ruin it.
5 A strong man who flatters his neighbor
is spreading a net for his feet.
6 In transgression, an evil man is a snare,
but the righteous will sing and rejoice.[b]
7 The righteous knows the case of the poor,
but the wicked does not understand knowledge.
8 Men of scoffing set a city aflame,
but the wise turn away wrath.
9 If a wise man goes to court with a foolish man,
then there is rankling and ridicule,[c] but there is no relief.
10 Men of blood hate the blameless,
and they seek the life of the upright.[d]
11 A fool gives all his breath,[e]
but the wise holds back in quiet.
12 A ruler listening to a word of falsehood,
all his officials are wicked.
13 The poor and a man of oppression have this in common:
Yahweh gives light to the eyes of them both.[f]
14 A king who judges with truthfulness to the poor,
his throne will be established forever.
15 As for a rod and reproof, they[g] will give wisdom,
but a neglected child is disgraced by his mother.
16 With the increase of the wicked, transgression will increase,
but the righteous will look on his downfall.
17 Discipline your children, and they will give you rest,
and they will give delight to your soul.[h]
18 When there is no prophecy, the people cast off restraint,
but as for he who guards instruction, happiness is his.
19 By words, a servant is not disciplined,
for he will understand, but there is no giving heed.
20 You see a man who is hasty in his words:
there is more hope for a fool than him.
21 He who pampers his servant from childhood,
arrogance will be his end.[i]
22 A man of anger will stir strife,
and the owner of anger, much transgression.
23 The pride of a person will bring him humiliation,
and the lowly of spirit will obtain honor.
24 Being a partner with a thief is hating one’s life;[j]
a curse he will hear, but not disclose.
25 The fear of a person will lay a snare,
but he who trusts in Yahweh will be secure.
26 Many are those who seek the favor[k] of a ruler,
but from Yahweh one obtains justice.[l]
27 A man of injustice is an abomination to the righteous,
but the upright[m] is an abomination to the wicked.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 29:3 Or “whores”
- Proverbs 29:6 Hebrew “he will rejoice”
- Proverbs 29:9 Hebrew “there is ridicule”
- Proverbs 29:10 Or “soul,” or “inner self”
- Proverbs 29:11 Or “spirit”
- Proverbs 29:13 Literally “light of the eyes of the two of them”
- Proverbs 29:15 Hebrew “it”
- Proverbs 29:17 Or “life,” or “inner self”
- Proverbs 29:21 Literally “and its/his end will be arrogance”
- Proverbs 29:24 Or “soul,” or “inner self”
- Proverbs 29:26 Literally “faces”
- Proverbs 29:26 Literally “comes justice for a man”
- Proverbs 29:27 Literally “upright of way”
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