Proverbs 29:1-27 MSG

Proverbs 29:1-27 MSG [1] For 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. [2] When good people run things, everyone is glad, but when the ruler is bad, everyone groans. [3] If you love wisdom, you’ll delight your parents, but you’ll destroy their trust if you run with prostitutes. [4] A leader of good judgment gives stability; an exploiting leader leaves a trail of waste. [5] A flattering neighbor is up to no good; he’s probably planning to take advantage of you. [6] Evil people fall into their own traps; good people run the other way, glad to escape. [7] The good-hearted understand what it’s like to be poor; the hardhearted haven’t the faintest idea. [8] A gang of cynics can upset a whole city; a group of sages can calm everyone down. [9] A sage trying to work things out with a fool gets only scorn and sarcasm for his trouble. [10] Murderers hate honest people; moral folks encourage them. [11] A fool lets it all hang out; a sage quietly mulls it over. [12] When a leader listens to malicious gossip, all the workers get infected with evil. [13] The poor and their abusers have at least something in common: they can both see—their sight, God’s gift! [14] Leadership gains authority and respect when the voiceless poor are treated fairly. [15] Wise discipline imparts wisdom; spoiled adolescents embarrass their parents. [16] When degenerates take charge, crime runs wild, but the righteous will eventually observe their collapse. [17] Discipline your children; you’ll be glad you did—they’ll turn out delightful to live with. [18] If 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. [19] It takes more than talk to keep workers in line; mere words go in one ear and out the other. [20] Observe the people who always talk before they think—even simpletons are better off than they are. [21] If you let people treat you like a doormat, you’ll be quite forgotten in the end. [22] Angry people stir up a lot of discord; the intemperate stir up trouble. [23] Pride lands you flat on your face; humility prepares you for honors. [24] Befriend 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. [25] The fear of human opinion disables; trusting in God protects you from that. [26] Everyone tries to get help from the leader, but only God will give us justice. [27] Good people can’t stand the sight of deliberate evil; the wicked can’t stand the sight of well-chosen goodness.

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