Proverbs 29:2-18

When good people run things, everyone is glad, but when the ruler is bad, everyone groans. If you love wisdom, you’ll delight your parents, but you’ll destroy their trust if you run with prostitutes. A leader of good judgment gives stability; an exploiting leader leaves a trail of waste. A flattering neighbor is up to no good; he’s probably planning to take advantage of you. Evil people fall into their own traps; good people run the other way, glad to escape. The good-hearted understand what it’s like to be poor; the hardhearted haven’t the faintest idea. A gang of cynics can upset a whole city; a group of sages can calm everyone down. A sage trying to work things out with a fool gets only scorn and sarcasm for his trouble. Murderers hate honest people; moral folks encourage them. A fool lets it all hang out; a sage quietly mulls it over. When a leader listens to malicious gossip, all the workers get infected with evil. The poor and their abusers have at least something in common: they can both see—their sight, GOD’s gift! Leadership gains authority and respect when the voiceless poor are treated fairly. Wise discipline imparts wisdom; spoiled adolescents embarrass their parents. When degenerates take charge, crime runs wild, but the righteous will eventually observe their collapse. Discipline your children; you’ll be glad you did— they’ll turn out delightful to live with. 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.