Proverbs 29
29
Use Good Sense
1If you keep being stubborn
after many warnings,
you will suddenly discover
you have gone too far.
2When justice rules a nation,
everyone is glad;
when injustice rules,
everyone groans.
3If you love wisdom
your parents will be glad,
but chasing after bad women
will cost you everything.
4An honest ruler
makes the nation strong;
a ruler who takes bribes
will bring it to ruin.
5Flattery is nothing less
than setting a trap.
6Your sins will catch you,
but everyone who lives right
will sing and celebrate.
7The wicked don't care
about the rights of the poor,
but good people do.
8Sneering at others is a spark
that sets a city on fire;
using good sense can put out
the flames of anger.
9Be wise and don't sue a fool.
You won't get satisfaction,
because all the fool will do
is sneer and shout.
10A murderer hates everyone
who is honest
and lives right.#29.10 and lives right: Or “and those who live right are friends of honest people.”
11Don't be a fool
and quickly lose your temper—
be sensible and patient.
12A ruler who listens to lies
will have corrupt officials.
13The poor and all who abuse them
must each depend on God
for light.
14Kings who are fair to the poor
will rule a long time.
15Correct your children,
and they will be wise;
children out of control
disgrace their mothers.
16Crime increases
when crooks are in power,
but law-abiding citizens
will see them fall.
17If you correct your children,
they will bring you peace
and happiness.
18Without guidance from God
law and order disappear,
but God blesses everyone
who obeys his Law.
19 #
Si 33.25-30. Even when servants are smart,
it takes more than words
to make them obey.
20There is more hope for a fool
than for someone who speaks
without thinking.
21Slaves that you treat kindly
from their childhood
will cause you sorrow.#29.21 will … sorrow: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
22A person with a quick temper
stirs up arguments
and commits a lot of sins.
23Too much pride brings disgrace;
humility leads to honor.
24If you take part in a crime
you are your worst enemy,
because even under oath
you can't tell the truth.
25Don't fall into the trap
of being a coward—
trust the Lord,
and you will be safe.
26Many try to make friends
with a ruler,
but justice comes
from the Lord.
27Good people and criminals
can't stand each other.
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Proverbs 29: CEVDCI
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Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®)
© 2006 American Bible Society. All rights reserved.
Proverbs 29
29
If People Can’t See What God Is Doing
1For people who hate discipline
and only get more stubborn,
There’ll come a day when life tumbles in and they break,
but by then it’ll be too late to help them.
2When good people run things, everyone is glad,
but when the ruler is bad, everyone groans.
3If you love wisdom, you’ll delight your parents,
but you’ll destroy their trust if you run with prostitutes.
4A leader of good judgment gives stability;
an exploiting leader leaves a trail of waste.
5A flattering neighbor is up to no good;
he’s probably planning to take advantage of you.
6Evil people fall into their own traps;
good people run the other way, glad to escape.
7The good-hearted understand what it’s like to be poor;
the hardhearted haven’t the faintest idea.
8A gang of cynics can upset a whole city;
a group of sages can calm everyone down.
9A sage trying to work things out with a fool
gets only scorn and sarcasm for his trouble.
10Murderers hate honest people;
moral folks encourage them.
11A fool lets it all hang out;
a sage quietly mulls it over.
12When a leader listens to malicious gossip,
all the workers get infected with evil.
13The poor and their abusers have at least something in common:
they can both see—their sight, God’s gift!
14Leadership gains authority and respect
when the voiceless poor are treated fairly.
15Wise discipline imparts wisdom;
spoiled adolescents embarrass their parents.
16When degenerates take charge, crime runs wild,
but the righteous will eventually observe their collapse.
17Discipline your children; you’ll be glad you did—
they’ll turn out delightful to live with.
18If people can’t see what God is doing,
they stumble all over themselves;
But when they attend to what he reveals,
they are most blessed.
19It takes more than talk to keep workers in line;
mere words go in one ear and out the other.
20Observe the people who always talk before they think—
even simpletons are better off than they are.
21If you let people treat you like a doormat,
you’ll be quite forgotten in the end.
22Angry people stir up a lot of discord;
the intemperate stir up trouble.
23Pride lands you flat on your face;
humility prepares you for honors.
24Befriend an outlaw
and become an enemy to yourself.
When the victims cry out,
you’ll be included in their curses
if you’re a coward to their cause in court.
25The fear of human opinion disables;
trusting in God protects you from that.
26Everyone tries to get help from the leader,
but only God will give us justice.
27Good people can’t stand the sight of deliberate evil;
the wicked can’t stand the sight of well-chosen goodness.
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THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson. All rights reserved. Used by permission of NavPress. Represented by Tyndale House Publishers.