World English Bible
- He who is often rebuked and stiffens his neck will be destroyed suddenly, with no remedy.
- When the righteous thrive, the people rejoice; but when the wicked rule, the people groan.
- Whoever loves wisdom brings joy to his father; but a companion of prostitutes squanders his wealth.
- The king by justice makes the land stable, but he who takes bribes tears it down.
- A man who flatters his neighbor spreads a net for his feet.
- An evil man is snared by his sin, but the righteous can sing and be glad.
- The righteous care about justice for the poor. The wicked aren’t concerned about knowledge.
- Mockers stir up a city, but wise men turn away anger.
- If a wise man goes to court with a foolish man, the fool rages or scoffs, and there is no peace.
- The bloodthirsty hate a man of integrity; and they seek the life of the upright.
- A fool vents all of his anger, but a wise man brings himself under control.
- If a ruler listens to lies, all of his officials are wicked.
- The poor man and the oppressor have this in common: The LORD gives sight to the eyes of both.
- The king who fairly judges the poor, his throne shall be established forever.
- The rod of correction gives wisdom, but a child left to himself causes shame to his mother.
- When the wicked increase, sin increases; but the righteous will see their downfall.
- Correct your son, and he will give you peace; yes, he will bring delight to your soul.
- Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint; but one who keeps the law is blessed.
- A servant can’t be corrected by words. Though he understands, yet he will not respond.
- Do you see a man who is hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
- He who pampers his servant from youth will have him become a son in the end.
- An angry man stirs up strife, and a wrathful man abounds in sin.
- A man’s pride brings him low, but one of lowly spirit gains honor.
- Whoever is an accomplice of a thief is an enemy of his own soul. He takes an oath, but dares not testify.
- The fear of man proves to be a snare, but whoever puts his trust in the LORD is kept safe.
- Many seek the ruler’s favor, but a man’s justice comes from the LORD.
- A dishonest man detests the righteous, and the upright in their ways detest the wicked.
“If a ruler listens to lies, all of his officials are wicked.”
—Proverbs 29:12, World English Bible
A kingdom may begin to decay long before its laws change. It begins in the ruler’s ear.
In the ancient royal court, access meant survival. Officials quickly learned which reports pleased the king and which truths endangered the messenger. Thus Proverbs does not say merely that a lying ruler gathers wicked servants. It says that when a ruler listens to lies, his servants become wicked. An appetite at the top becomes an atmosphere below. What authority rewards, a community reproduces.
This principle reaches far beyond government. Every home, church, and workplace has a moral climate shaped by what its leaders are willing to hear. Even the heart is a small royal court: desires bring flattering reports, anger argues its case, and fear demands immediate obedience. Wisdom asks, Which voices have learned that they can manipulate me?
Proverbs 29 repeatedly pictures evil as a trap: flattery spreads a net, sin snares the evildoer, and fear of man becomes a snare. Yet verse 25 says the one who trusts the Lord is “kept safe.” The Hebrew verb can mean being placed securely on high. Trust does not remove us from danger; it lifts us above the level where human approval controls us.
Verse 13 offers one of the chapter’s strangest images: the poor person and the oppressor meet, and the Lord “gives sight to the eyes of both.” They appear to possess nothing in common, yet every glance is borrowed from God. The oppressor looks upon the poor with eyes illuminated by the very God whose image the poor person bears.
This makes injustice a kind of spiritual absurdity. We use God-given sight to refuse to see our God-given neighbor.
The same Lord who gives sight also gives justice. People crowd around rulers seeking favorable decisions, but verse 26 insists that true judgment comes from God. Human courts matter greatly, yet they are never ultimate. Every throne stands beneath another throne.
This collection was preserved by “the men of Hezekiah” (Proverbs 25:1), royal scribes serving a reforming king. Its political wisdom is therefore not abstract. A nation’s stability depends not chiefly upon military strength, but upon truth welcomed, anger restrained, bribes refused, and the poor heard. Augustine described peace as “the tranquility of order.” Proverbs 29 shows that such order begins when pride bows before God.
“Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint” (verse 18). The Hebrew chazon means prophetic revelation, not personal ambition. The parallel line speaks of keeping God’s law. A people do not perish because they lack impressive plans; they unravel when God’s voice no longer interrupts their desires.
Christ is the faithful King who never rewarded flattery, never ignored the poor, and never feared human opinion. Before Pilate, he appeared powerless, yet he stood above the snare. His kingdom begins wherever truth is heard and obeyed.
Suggested readings: Exodus 23:1–8; Isaiah 11:1–5;
John 18:33–38; James 2:1–9
Hymn: “God of Grace and God of Glory”
Lord, expose the flattering voices I welcome. Give me courage to hear truth, eyes to see those I overlook, and freedom from the fear of man. Govern my heart by your Word, and make my life a small province of Christ’s just and peaceful kingdom. Amen.