The Message Bible MSG
World English Bible WEB
1 For people who hate discipline and only get more stubborn, There'll come a day when life tumbles in and they break, but by then it'll be too late to help them.
1
He who is often rebuked and stiffens his neck Will be destroyed suddenly, with no remedy.
2 When good people run things, everyone is glad, but when the ruler is bad, everyone groans.
2
When the righteous thrive, the people rejoice; But when the wicked rule, the people groan.
3 If you love wisdom, you'll delight your parents, but you'll destroy their trust if you run with whores.
3
Whoever loves wisdom brings joy to his father; But a companion of prostitutes squanders his wealth.
4 A leader of good judgment gives stability; an exploiting leader leaves a trail of waste.
4
The king by justice makes the land stable, But he who takes bribes tears it down.
5 A flattering neighbor is up to no good; he's probably planning to take advantage of you.
5
A man who flatters his neighbor, Spreads a net for his feet.
6 Evil people fall into their own traps; good people run the other way, glad to escape.
6
An evil man is snared by his sin, But the righteous can sing and be glad.
7 The good-hearted understand what it's like to be poor; the hardhearted haven't the faintest idea.
7
The righteous care about justice for the poor. The wicked aren't concerned about knowledge.
8 A gang of cynics can upset a whole city; a group of sages can calm everyone down.
8
Mockers stir up a city, But wise men turn away anger.
9 A sage trying to work things out with a fool gets only scorn and sarcasm for his trouble.
9
If a wise man goes to court with a foolish man, The fool rages or scoffs, and there is no peace.
10 Murderers hate honest people; moral folks encourage them.
10
The bloodthirsty hate a man of integrity; And they seek the life of the upright.
11 A fool lets it all hang out; a sage quietly mulls it over.
11
A fool vents all of his anger, But a wise man brings himself under control.
12 When a leader listens to malicious gossip, all the workers get infected with evil.
12
If a ruler listens to lies, All of his officials are wicked.
13 The poor and their abusers have at least something in common: they can both see - their sight, God's gift!
13
The poor man and the oppressor have this in common: Yahweh gives sight to the eyes of both.
14 Leadership gains authority and respect when the voiceless poor are treated fairly.
14
The king who fairly judges the poor, His throne shall be established forever.
15 Wise discipline imparts wisdom; spoiled adolescents embarrass their parents.
15
The rod of correction gives wisdom, But a child left to himself causes shame to his mother.
16 When degenerates take charge, crime runs wild, but the righteous will eventually observe their collapse.
16
When the wicked increase, sin increases; But the righteous will see their downfall.
17 Discipline your children; you'll be glad you did - they'll turn out delightful to live with.
17
Correct your son, and he will give you peace; Yes, he will bring delight to your soul.
18 If people can't see what God is doing, they stumble all over themselves; But when they attend to what he reveals, they are most blessed.
18
Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint; But one who keeps the law is blessed.
19 It takes more than talk to keep workers in line; mere words go in one ear and out the other.
19
A servant can't be corrected by words. Though he understands, yet he will not respond.
20 Observe the people who always talk before they think - even simpletons are better off than they are.
20
Do you see a man who is hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
21 If you let people treat you like a doormat, you'll be quite forgotten in the end.
21
He who pampers his servant from youth Will have him become a son in the end.
22 Angry people stir up a lot of discord; the intemperate stir up trouble.
22
An angry man stirs up strife, And a wrathful man abounds in sin.
23 Pride lands you flat on your face; humility prepares you for honors.
23
A man's pride brings him low, But one who is of a lowly spirit gains honor.
24 Befriend an outlaw and become an enemy to yourself. When the victims cry out, you'll be included in their curses if you're a coward to their cause in court.
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 human opinion disables; trusting in God protects you from that.
25
The fear of man proves to be a snare, But whoever puts his trust in Yahweh is kept safe.
26 Everyone tries to get help from the leader, but only God will give us justice.
26
Many seek the ruler's favor, But a man's justice comes from Yahweh.
27 Good people can't stand the sight of deliberate evil; the wicked can't stand the sight of well-chosen goodness.
27
A dishonest man detests the righteous, And the upright in their ways detest the wicked.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.
The World English Bible is in the public domain.