Proverbs 29
Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.
Proverbs 29 measures nations and households by their leadership, noting that when the righteous are in authority the people rejoice, but a hardened neck ends in sudden ruin. Its warning that where there is no vision the people perish, unpacked further in Proverbs 29:18, follows naturally from the confession-and-mercy teaching of Proverbs 28.
Sodeyn perischyng schal come on that man, that with hard nol dispisith a blamere; and helth schal not sue hym.
The comynalte schal be glad in the multipliyng of iust men; whanne wickid men han take prinshod, the puple schal weyle.
A man that loueth wisdom, makith glad his fadir; but he that nurschith `an hoore, schal leese catel.
A iust king reisith the lond; an auerouse man schal distrie it.
A man that spekith bi flaterynge and feyned wordis to his frend; spredith abrood a net to hise steppis.
A snare schal wlappe a wickid man doynge synne; and a iust man schal preise, and schal make ioye.
A iust man knowith the cause of pore men; an vnpitouse man knowith not kunnyng.
Men ful of pestilence distryen a citee; but wise men turnen awei woodnesse.
If a wijs man stryueth with a fool; whether he be wrooth, `ether he leiyith, he schal not fynde reste.
Menquelleris haten a simple man; but iust men seken his soule.
A fool bringith forth al his spirit; a wise man dilaieth, and reserueth in to tyme comynge afterward.
A prince that herith wilfuli the wordis of a leesyng; schal haue alle mynystris vnfeithful.
A pore man and a leenere metten hem silf; the Lord is liytnere of euer ethir.
If a kyng demeth pore men in treuthe; his trone schal be maad stidfast with outen ende.
A yerde and chastisyng schal yyue wisdom; but a child, which is left to his wille, schendith his modir.
Grete trespassis schulen be multiplied in the multipliyng of wickid men; and iust men schulen se the fallyngis of hem.
Teche thi sone, and he schal coumforte thee; and he schal yyue delicis to thi soule.
Whanne prophesie faylith, the puple schal be distried; but he that kepith the lawe, is blessid.
A seruaunt mai not be tauyt bi wordis; for he vndirstondith that that thou seist, and dispisith for to answere.
Thou hast seyn a man swift to speke; foli schal be hopid more than his amendyng.
He that nurschith his seruaunt delicatli fro childhod; schal fynde hym rebel aftirward.
A wrathful man territh chidingis; and he that is liyt to haue indignacioun, schal be more enclynaunt to synnes.
Lownesse sueth a proude man; and glorie schal vp take a meke man of spirit.
He that takith part with a theef, hatith his soule; he herith a man chargynge greetli, and schewith not.
He that dredith a man, schal falle soon; he that hopith in the Lord, shal be reisid.
Many men seken the face of the prince; and the doom of alle men schal go forth of the Lord.
Iust men han abhomynacioun of a wickid man; and wickid men han abhomynacioun of hem, that ben in a riytful weye. A sone kepynge a word, schal be out of perdicioun.