Proverbs 29 is the 29th chapter of the Book of Proverbs in the Hebrew Bible or the Old Testament of the Christian Bible.[1] The book is a compilation of several wisdom literature collections, with the heading in 1:1 may be intended to regard Solomon as the traditional author of the whole book, but the dates of the individual collections are difficult to determine, and the book probably obtained its final shape in the post-exilic period. This chapter is the last part of the fifth collection of the book,[2] so-called "the Second Solomonic Collection."
The following table shows the Hebrew text[3] [4] of Proverbs 29 with vowels alongside an English translation based upon the JPS 1917 translation (now in the public domain).
| Verse | Hebrew | English translation (JPS 1917) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | He that being often reproved hardeneth his neck Shall suddenly be broken, and that without remedy. | ||
| 2 | When the righteous are increased, the people rejoice; but when the wicked beareth rule, the people sigh. | ||
| 3 | Whoso loveth wisdom rejoiceth his father; but he that keepeth company with harlots wasteth his substance. | ||
| 4 | The king by justice establisheth the land; but he that exacteth gifts overthroweth it. | ||
| 5 | A man that flattereth his neighbour spreadeth a net for his steps. | ||
| 6 | In the transgression of an evil man there is a snare; but the righteous doth sing and rejoice. | ||
| 7 | The righteous taketh knowledge of the cause of the poor; the wicked understandeth not knowledge. | ||
| 8 | Scornful men set a city in a blaze; But wise men turn away wrath. | ||
| 9 | If a wise man contendeth with a foolish man, Whether he be angry or laugh, there will be no rest. | ||
| 10 | The men of blood hate him that is sincere; And as for the upright, they seek his life. | ||
| 11 | A fool spendeth all his spirit; But a wise man stilleth it within him. | ||
| 12 | If a ruler hearkeneth to falsehood, All his servants are wicked. | ||
| 13 | The poor man and the oppressor meet together; The LORD giveth light to the eyes of them both. | ||
| 14 | The king that faithfully judgeth the poor, His throne shall be established for ever. | ||
| 15 | The rod and reproof give wisdom; But a child left to himself causeth shame to his mother. | ||
| 16 | When the wicked are increased, transgression increaseth; But the righteous shall gaze upon their fall. | ||
| 17 | Correct thy son, and he will give thee rest; Yea, he will give delight unto thy soul. | ||
| 18 | Where there is no vision, the people cast off restraint; But he that keepeth the law, happy is he. | ||
| 19 | A servant will not be corrected by words; For though he understand, there will be no response. | ||
| 20 | Seest thou a man that is hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him. | ||
| 21 | He that delicately bringeth up his servant from a child Shall have him become master at the last. | ||
| 22 | An angry man stirreth up strife, And a wrathful man aboundeth in transgression. | ||
| 23 | A man’s pride shall bring him low; but he that is of a lowly spirit shall attain to honour. | ||
| 24 | Whoso is partner with a thief hateth his own soul: He heareth the adjuration and uttereth nothing. | ||
| 25 | The fear of man bringeth a snare; but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be set up on high. | ||
| 26 | Many seek the ruler’s favour; but a man’s judgment cometh from the LORD. | ||
| 27 | An unjust man is an abomination to the righteous; and he that is upright in the way is an abomination to the wicked. |
Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter in Hebrew are of the Masoretic Text, which includes the Aleppo Codex (10th century), and Codex Leningradensis (1008).
There is also a translation into Koine Greek known as the Septuagint, made in the last few centuries BC; some extant ancient manuscripts of this version include Codex Vaticanus (B;
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This chapter belongs to a further collection of Solomonic proverbs, transmitted andedited by royal scribes during the reign of Hezekiah, comprising Proverbs 25–29. Based on differences in style and subject-matter there could be two originally separate collections:
He who is often reproved, yet hardens his neck,
will suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.[5]
When the righteous increase, the people rejoice,
but when the wicked rule, the people groan.[8]
Methodist commentator Joseph Benson makes the point that a king who judges the poor "faithfully" (the word used in the King James Version) also judges the rich "faithfully", but he argues that the proverb "names the poor, because these are much oppressed and injured by others, and least regarded by princes, and yet committed to their more especial care".[9]
This final verse of chapter 29 has additional words in the Latin Vulgate, Verbum custodiens filius extra perditionem erit, which appear in some versions of the Septuagint after Proverbs 24:22,[10] and are translated in the Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition as "The son that keepeth the word, shall be free from destruction".[11]
. Michael D. Coogan . The New Oxford Annotated Bible with the Apocryphal/Deuterocanonical Books: New Revised Standard Version, Issue 48 . Coogan . Michael David . Marc Zvi . Brettler . Carol Ann . Newsom . Pheme . Perkins . Augmented 3rd . Oxford University Press . 2007 . 9780195288810 .
. Michael V. Fox . Proverbs 10-31: A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary . Anchor Yale Bible Commentaries . Yale University Press . 2009 . 978-0300155563.
. Henry Hampton Halley. Halley's Bible Handbook: an abbreviated Bible commentary . 24th (revised). Zondervan Publishing House . 1965 . 0-310-25720-4.
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