Proverbs 29
World English Bible
29 He who is often rebuked and stiffens his neck
will be destroyed suddenly, with no remedy.
2 When the righteous thrive, the people rejoice;
but when the wicked rule, the people groan.
3 Whoever loves wisdom brings joy to his father;
but a companion of prostitutes squanders his wealth.
4 The king by justice makes the land stable,
but he who takes bribes tears it down.
5 A man who flatters his neighbor
spreads a net for his feet.
6 An evil man is snared by his sin,
but the righteous can sing and be glad.
7 The righteous care about justice for the poor.
The wicked aren’t concerned about knowledge.
8 Mockers stir up a city,
but wise men turn away anger.
9 If a wise man goes to court with a foolish man,
the fool rages or scoffs, and there is no peace.
10 The bloodthirsty hate a man of integrity;
and they seek the life of the upright.
11 A fool vents all of his anger,
but a wise man brings himself under control.
12 If a ruler listens to lies,
all of his officials are wicked.
13 The poor man and the oppressor have this in common:
Yahweh gives sight to the eyes of both.
14 The king who fairly judges the poor,
his throne shall be established forever.
15 The rod of correction gives wisdom,
but a child left to himself causes shame to his mother.
16 When the wicked increase, sin increases;
but the righteous will see their downfall.
17 Correct your son, and he will give you peace;
yes, he will bring delight to your soul.
18 Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint;
but one who keeps the law is blessed.
19 A servant can’t be corrected by words.
Though he understands, yet he will not respond.
20 Do you see a man who is hasty in his words?
There is more hope for a fool than for him.
21 He who pampers his servant from youth
will have him become a son in the end.
22 An angry man stirs up strife,
and a wrathful man abounds in sin.
23 A man’s pride brings him low,
but one of lowly spirit gains honor.
24 Whoever is an accomplice of a thief is an enemy of his own soul.
He takes an oath, but dares not testify.
25 The fear of man proves to be a snare,
but whoever puts his trust in Yahweh is kept safe.
26 Many seek the ruler’s favor,
but a man’s justice comes from Yahweh.
27 A dishonest man detests the righteous,
and the upright in their ways detest the wicked.
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.
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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.
