Bible Gateway passage: Proverbs 29, Proverbs 25 - New King James Version (2024)

Happy Is He Who Keeps the Law

29He^(A) who is often rebuked, and hardens his neck,
Will suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.

²When the righteous ^[a]are in authority, the ^(B)people rejoice;
But when a wicked man rules, ^(C)the people groan.

³Whoever loves wisdom makes his father rejoice,
But a companion of harlots wastes his wealth.

⁴The king establishes the land by justice,
But he who receives bribes overthrows it.

⁵A man who ^(D)flatters his neighbor
Spreads a net for his feet.

⁶By transgression an evil man is snared,
But the righteous sings and rejoices.

⁷The righteous ^(E)considers the cause of the poor,
But the wicked does not understand such knowledge.

⁸Scoffers ^(F)set a city aflame,
But wise men turn away wrath.

⁹If a wise man contends with a foolish man,
^(G)Whether the fool rages or laughs, there is no peace.

^10(H)The bloodthirsty hate the blameless,
But the upright seek his ^[b]well-being.

¹¹A fool vents all his ^(I)feelings,^[c]
But a wise man holds them back.

¹²If a ruler pays attention to lies,
All his servants become wicked.

¹³The poor man and the oppressor have this in common:
^(J)The Lord gives light to the eyes of both.

¹⁴The king who judges the ^(K)poor with truth,
His throne will be established forever.

¹⁵The rod and rebuke give ^(L)wisdom,
But a child left to himself brings shame to his mother.

¹⁶When the wicked are multiplied, transgression increases;
But the righteous will see their ^(M)fall.

¹⁷Correct your son, and he will give you rest;
Yes, he will give delight to your soul.

^18(N)Where there is no ^[d]revelation, the people cast off restraint;
But ^(O)happy is he who keeps the law.

¹⁹A servant will not be corrected by mere words;
For though he understands, he will not respond.

²⁰Do you see a man hasty in his words?
^(P)There is more hope for a fool than for him.

²¹He who pampers his servant from childhood
Will have him as a son in the end.

^22(Q)An angry man stirs up strife,
And a furious man abounds in transgression.

^23(R)A man’s pride will bring him low,
But the humble in spirit will retain honor.

²⁴Whoever is a partner with a thief hates his own life;
^(S)He ^[e]swears to tell the truth, but reveals nothing.

^25(T)The fear of man brings a snare,
But whoever trusts in the Lord shall be ^[f]safe.

^26(U)Many seek the ruler’s ^[g]favor,
But justice for man comes from the Lord.

²⁷An unjust man is an abomination to the righteous,
And he who is upright in the way is an abomination to the wicked.

Further Wise Sayings of Solomon

25These^(A) also are proverbs of Solomon which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied:

^2(B)It is the glory of God to conceal a matter,
But the glory of kings is to search out a matter.

³As the heavens for height and the earth for depth,
So the heart of kings is unsearchable.

^4(C)Take away the dross from silver,
And it will go to the silversmith for jewelry.
⁵Take away the wicked from before the king,
And his throne will be established in ^(D)righteousness.

⁶Do not exalt yourself in the presence of the king,
And do not stand in the place of the great;
^7(E)For it is better that he say to you,
“Come up here,”
Than that you should be put lower in the presence of the prince,
Whom your eyes have seen.

^8(F)Do not go hastily to ^[a]court;
For what will you do in the end,
When your neighbor has put you to shame?
^9(G)Debate your case with your neighbor,
And do not disclose the secret to another;
¹⁰Lest he who hears it expose your shame,
And ^[b]your reputation be ruined.

¹¹A word fitly ^(H)spoken is like apples of gold
In settings of silver.
¹²Like an earring of gold and an ornament of fine gold
Is a wise rebuker to an obedient ear.

^13(I)Like the cold of snow in time of harvest
Is a faithful messenger to those who send him,
For he refreshes the soul of his masters.

^14(J)Whoever falsely boasts of giving
Is like ^(K)clouds and wind without rain.

^15(L)By long forbearance a ruler is persuaded,
And a gentle tongue breaks a bone.

¹⁶Have you found honey?
Eat only as much as you need,
Lest you be filled with it and vomit.

¹⁷Seldom set foot in your neighbor’s house,
Lest he become weary of you and hate you.

^18(M)A man who bears false witness against his neighbor
Is like a club, a sword, and a sharp arrow.

¹⁹Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble
Is like a bad tooth and a foot out of joint.

²⁰Like one who takes away a garment in cold weather,
And like vinegar on soda,
Is one who ^(N)sings songs to a heavy heart.

^21(O)If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat;
And if he is thirsty, give him water to drink;
²²For so you will heap coals of fire on his head,
^(P)And the Lord will reward you.

²³The north wind brings forth rain,
And ^(Q)a backbiting tongue an angry countenance.

^24(R)It is better to dwell in a corner of a housetop,
Than in a house shared with a contentious woman.

²⁵As cold water to a weary soul,
So is ^(S)good news from a far country.

²⁶A righteous man who falters before the wicked
Is like a murky spring and a ^[c]polluted well.

²⁷It is not good to eat much honey;
So ^(T)to seek one’s own glory is not glory.

^28(U)Whoever has no rule over his own spirit
Is like a city broken down, without walls.