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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Proverbs 29: MSG
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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.
Proverbs 29
29
1Whoever is stubborn after being corrected many times
will suddenly be hurt beyond cure.
2When good people do well, everyone is happy,
but when evil people rule, everyone groans.
3Those who love wisdom make their parents happy,
but friends of prostitutes waste their money.
4If a king is fair, he makes his country strong,
but if he takes gifts dishonestly, he tears his country down.
5Those who give false praise to their neighbors
are setting a trap for them.
6Evil people are trapped by their own sin,
but good people can sing and be happy.
7Good people care about justice for the poor,
but the wicked are not concerned.
8People who make fun of wisdom cause trouble in a city,
but wise people calm anger down.
9When a wise person takes a foolish person to court,
the fool only shouts or laughs, and there is no peace.
10Murderers hate an honest person
and try to kill those who do right.
11Foolish people lose their tempers,
but wise people control theirs.
12If a ruler pays attention to lies,
all his officers will become wicked.
13The poor person and the cruel person are alike
in that the Lord gave eyes to both of them.
14If a king judges poor people fairly,
his government will continue forever.
15Correction and punishment make children wise,
but those left alone will disgrace their mother.
16When there are many wicked people, there is much sin,
but those who do right will see them destroyed.
17Correct your children, and you will be proud;
they will give you satisfaction.
18Where there is no word from God, people are uncontrolled,
but those who obey what they have been taught are happy.
19Words alone cannot correct a servant,
because even if they understand, they won’t respond.
20Do you see people who speak too quickly?
There is more hope for a foolish person than for them.
21If you spoil your servants when they are young,
they will bring you grief later on.
22An angry person causes trouble;
a person with a quick temper sins a lot.
23Pride will ruin people,
but those who are humble will be honored.
24Partners of thieves are their own worst enemies.
If they have to testify in court, they are afraid to say anything.
25Being afraid of people can get you into trouble,
but if you trust the Lord, you will be safe.
26Many people want to speak to a ruler,
but justice comes only from the Lord.
27Good people hate those who are dishonest,
and the wicked hate those who are honest.
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The Holy Bible, New Century Version, Copyright © 2005 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.