Proverbs 29 - Lessons Learnt

When righteous leaders are in power everyone flourishes; otherwise a whole nation crumbles

When the righteous govern, it is for the benefit of the entire community, not only their own interests. A nation can only expect strength and progress when it is ruled with justice. When a community or nation sees evildoers punished and restrained, fairness in the legal system, and agreements honored, there will be justice and a foundation for growth and blessing.

The community or the nation suffers when the wicked rule. Lawlessness increases and freedoms diminish. The rule of the wicked is bad for both the righteous and the wicked in the community or nation. Bribes destroy the foundations of fairness and equality before the law. It means that the rich and devious prosper.

Where a wise and a fool sit together; chaos still arises

Since the two have different foundations and principles for living, it isn’t a surprise that they would contend with each other.

The wise know it is foolish to reveal all of their feelings

It is the nature of a fool to think that everyone is interested in all his feelings and that he has some obligation to inflict all his feelings on others. This is a foolish offense to self-respect, self-restraint, and courtesy towards others.

A wicked ruler gains wicked subjects

When the servants see that the ruler can be influenced by lies, it encourages them to lie. Deception is rewarded and telling the truth is discouraged. The atmosphere around that ruler and his servants becomes poisonous and incompetent. Courtiers adjust themselves to the prince—when they see that deception and court flattery win the day, they learn how the game is played

A child left to his own devise brings shame to their parents

“Discipline is the order of a family's government. Parents are his dispensers of it to their children. Let correction be first tried, and if it succeeds, let the rod be spared. If not, let the rod do its work.

When there is no vision; cities perish

Where there is no visionary leadership, people and enterprises fail.

Lose control of your mouth and you're beyond hope

A mark of a fool is that they don’t have control over what they say. They are hasty in their words. There is more hope for a fool than for him: The man hasty in his words was a special kind of a fool, a super-fool. His impulsive speech sets him to his own demise.