Old Testament

New Testament

Proverbs 29:3-14 The Message (MSG)

3. If you love wisdom, you’ll delight your parents,but you’ll destroy their trust if you run with whores.

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 foolgets 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 respectwhen the voiceless poor are treated fairly.

Read complete chapter Proverbs 29