Proverbs 29

¹ 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: The LORD 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 the LORD is kept safe.

²⁶ Many seek the ruler’s favor, but a man’s justice comes from the LORD.

²⁷ A dishonest man detests the righteous, and the upright in their ways detest the wicked.

Around Proverbs 29

Context

Context for this book is being written. A note appears here only once it names its sources.

AI explanation

About Proverbs as a whole · Written by an AI model · Not reviewed by a theological reader

This explanation was written by an AI model to help you get started. It names no sources and can contain mistakes. Scripture comes first, and context with sources is shown separately on this page.

What this book is about

Two voices call from the high places of a city, and both want the same passers-by. “Wisdom has built her house”, the ninth chapter says. She has set her table and sent out her maidens, and she calls the simple to leave their simple ways. Across the street, a loud and undisciplined woman, Folly, sits at her door and calls the very same crowd.

That picture captures the whole book. Proverbs gathers short sayings and longer poems about living wisely. Its starting point is that “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom.” It contrasts the wise and the foolish in speech, work, money, friendship, marriage and the raising of children.

In the opening chapters wisdom is pictured as a woman calling out in the streets. The book ends with a poem in praise of a capable wife.

Background

Most of the sayings are linked with Solomon. Others are credited to Agur, to King Lemuel and to unnamed wise teachers, and one section was copied by officials of King Hezekiah about two centuries after Solomon (25:1). Similar collections of wisdom are known from Egypt and Mesopotamia.

How Christians read it

A proverb states what is generally true, not a guarantee for every case. Reading the sayings as promises leads to disappointment, and the books of Job and Ecclesiastes show the exceptions. The New Testament speaks of Christ as the wisdom of God, and many Christians read the figure of wisdom in chapter 8 in that light.

About this explanation

Written by Claude Sonnet 5.5, an AI model, on 19 October 2026. It draws on the WEB text and general knowledge and was not checked against sources by a person. Every quotation from Scripture is checked automatically against the WEB text.

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