Proverbs 29:12
10 Men of bloodshed hate a blameless man, but the upright care for his life.
11 A fool vents all his anger, but a wise man holds it back.
If a ruler listens to lies, all his officials will be wicked.
13 The poor man and the oppressor have this in common: The LORD gives light to the eyes of both.
14 A king who judges the poor with fairness— his throne will be established forever.
This was said to Israel at a particular time, so it is wise to read it together with the surrounding text. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- If a ruler listens to lies, all his officials will be wicked.
- KJV
- If a ruler hearken to lies, all his servants are wicked.
- WEB
- If a ruler listens to lies, all of his officials are wicked.
- ASV
- If a ruler hearkeneth to falsehood, All his servants are wicked.
- DARBY
- If a ruler hearken to lying words, all his servants are wicked.
- BLB
- One ruling listening to words of deception, all his ministers [are] wicked.
- ÅB
- Når en hersker akter på løgnens ord, blir alle hans tjenere ugudelige.
- OTB
- Hvis en hersker lytter til løgn, blir alle hans embetsmenn korrupte.
- B1930
- Når en hersker akter på løgnens ord, blir alle hans tjenere ugudelige.
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Proverbs 20:8
A king who sits on a throne to judge sifts out all evil with his eyes.
Read in context1 Samuel 22:8–23
Is that why all of you have conspired against me? Not one of you told me that my own son had made a covenant with the son of Jesse. Not one of you has shown concern for me or revealed to me that my son has stirred up my own servant to lie in wait against me, as is the case today.”
Read in contextPsalms 101:5–7
Whoever slanders his neighbor in secret, I will put to silence; the one with haughty eyes and a proud heart, I will not endure.
Read in context2 Kings 10:6–7
Then Jehu wrote them a second letter and said: “If you are on my side, and if you will obey me, then bring the heads of your master’s sons to me at Jezreel by this time tomorrow.” Now the sons of the king, seventy in all, were being brought up by the leading men of the city.
Read in contextPsalms 52:2–4
Your tongue devises destruction like a sharpened razor, O worker of deceit.
Read in context2 Samuel 4:5–12
Now Rechab and Baanah, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, set out and arrived at the house of Ish-bosheth in the heat of the day, while the king was taking his midday nap.
Read in context1 Kings 21:11–13
So the elders and nobles who lived in Naboth’s city did as Jezebel had instructed in the letters she had written to them.
Read in context1 Samuel 23:19–23
Then the Ziphites came up to Saul at Gibeah and said, “Is not David hiding among us in the strongholds at Horesh, on the hill of Hachilah south of Jeshimon?
Read in context