Proverbs 29

¹One who is often reproved, yet remains stubborn,

will suddenly be broken beyond healing.

²When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice;

but when the wicked rule, the people groan.

³A child who loves wisdom makes a parent glad,

but to keep company with prostitutes is to squander one’s substance.

⁴By justice a king gives stability to the land,

but one who makes heavy exactions ruins it.

⁵Whoever flatters a neighbor

is spreading a net for the neighbor’s feet.

⁶In the transgression of the evil there is a snare,

but the righteous sing and rejoice.

⁷The righteous know the rights of the poor;

the wicked have no such understanding.

⁸Scoffers set a city aflame,

but the wise turn away wrath.

⁹If the wise go to law with fools,

there is ranting and ridicule without relief.

¹⁰The bloodthirsty hate the blameless,

and they seek the life of the upright.

¹¹A fool gives full vent to anger,

but the wise quietly holds it back.

¹²If a ruler listens to falsehood,

all his officials will be wicked.

¹³The poor and the oppressor have this in common:

the Lord gives light to the eyes of both.

¹⁴If a king judges the poor with equity,

his throne will be established forever.

¹⁵The rod and reproof give wisdom,

but a mother is disgraced by a neglected child.

¹⁶When the wicked are in authority, transgression increases,

but the righteous will look upon their downfall.

¹⁷Discipline your children, and they will give you rest;

they will give delight to your heart.

¹⁸Where there is no prophecy, the people cast off restraint,

but happy are those who keep the law.

¹⁹By mere words servants are not disciplined,

for though they understand, they will not give heed.

²⁰Do you see someone who is hasty in speech?

There is more hope for a fool than for anyone like that.

²¹A slave pampered from childhood

will come to a bad end.

²²One given to anger stirs up strife,

and the hothead causes much transgression.

²³A person’s pride will bring humiliation,

but one who is lowly in spirit will obtain honor.

²⁴To be a partner of a thief is to hate one’s own life;

one hears the victim’s curse, but discloses nothing.

²⁵The fear of others lays a snare,

but one who trusts in the Lord is secure.

²⁶Many seek the favor of a ruler,

but it is from the Lord that one gets justice.

²⁷The unjust are an abomination to the righteous,

but the upright are an abomination to the wicked.