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.
Proverbs 29
Common English Bible
29 One who stays stubborn after many corrections
will be suddenly broken, beyond healing.
2 When the righteous become numerous, the people rejoice,
but when the wicked dominate, the people moan.
3 A man who loves wisdom makes his father rejoice,
but one who spends time with prostitutes destroys riches.
4 A king gives stability to the land by justice,
but one who imposes heavy taxes tears it down.
5 People who flatter their friends
spread out a net for their feet.
6 The wicked are snared by their own sin;[a]
the righteous sing and rejoice.
7 The righteous know the rights of the poor,
but the wicked don’t understand.
8 Mockers set a city on fire,
but the wise turn back anger.
9 When the wise make a legal charge against the foolish,
the fools shout, they laugh—there is no calm.
10 Murderous people hate the innocent,
and they seek the lives of the virtuous.
11 Fools show all their anger,
but the wise hold it back.
12 If a ruler listens to lies,
those who serve him will be wicked.
13 The poor and their oppressors have a common bond—
the Lord gives light to the eyes of both.
14 If a king judges the poor honestly,
his throne will be established forever.
15 The rod and correction lead to wisdom,
but children out of control shame their mothers.
16 When the wicked become numerous, so do crimes;
the righteous will see their downfall.
17 Instruct your children; they will give you peace of mind
and bring delight into your life.
18 When there’s no vision, the people get out of control,
but whoever obeys instruction is happy.
19 Servants aren’t disciplined by words;
they might understand, but they don’t respond.
20 Do you see people who are quick to speak?
There is more hope for fools than for them.
21 Pamper servants from a young age,
and later on there will be trouble.
22 Angry people stir up conflict;
hotheads cause much offense.
23 Pride lays people low,
but those of humble spirit gain honor.
24 Those who share plunder with thieves hate themselves;
even under oath, they don’t testify.
25 People are trapped by their fear of others;
those who trust the Lord are secure.
26 Many seek access to the ruler,
but justice comes from the Lord.
27 The unjust person is disgusting to the righteous;
the straight path is disgusting to the wicked.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 29:6 Tg, Syr; MT In the sin of an evil man is a snare
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.
Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible