Proverbs 29 — Rulers, correction, and the fear of people — Hebrew and Greek compared
Each card keeps the independently rendered source readings above their shared comparison and reception notes. The badge records the source’s governing classification; disparate readings are marked in red. Each reading retains its original reference.
Proverbs 29 — Rulers, correction, and the fear of people
29:1–29:10 — Justice and the character of rulers
Verse H 29:1 Different
Hebrew–English (H)
H 29:1
A man often reproved who stiffens his neck
will suddenly be broken, with no healing.
Greek–English (G)
G 29:1
Better a man who reproves than a stiff-necked man;
for when the latter suddenly burns, there is no healing.
Comparison and reception
Different. Text: H’s man of reproofs is interpreted as one repeatedly reproved. G instead compares a reprover with a stiff-necked person and describes burning rather than breaking.
Verse H 29:2 Different
Hebrew–English (H)
H 29:2
When the righteous increase, the people rejoice;
but when a wicked person rules, the people groan.
Greek–English (G)
G 29:2
When the righteous are praised, peoples will rejoice;
but when the impious rule, men groan.
Comparison and reception
Different. Text: G has the righteous being praised where H has their increase.
Verse H 29:3 Similar
Hebrew–English (H)
H 29:3
A man who loves wisdom makes his father glad,
but a companion of prostitutes destroys wealth.
Greek–English (G)
G 29:3
When a man loves wisdom, his father rejoices;
but one who tends prostitutes will destroy wealth.
Comparison and reception
Similar. Text: Both contrast love of wisdom with spending wealth in association with prostitutes.
Verse H 29:4 Different
Hebrew–English (H)
H 29:4
A king establishes a land through judgment,
but a man of exactions tears it down.
Greek–English (G)
G 29:4
A righteous king raises up a country,
but a lawless man tears it down.
Comparison and reception
Different. Text: H’s man of contributions/exactions is provisionally understood as a ruler taking payments; the expression does not itself specify bribery. G names lawlessness generally.
Verse H 29:5 Different
Hebrew–English (H)
H 29:5
A man who flatters his neighbor
spreads a net over his steps.
Greek–English (G)
G 29:5
One who prepares a net before his own friend’s face
wraps it around his own feet.
Comparison and reception
Different. Text: G explicitly identifies the trapped feet as the plotter’s own. H’s his steps leaves the pronoun’s reference less explicit, and names flattering.
Verse H 29:6 Similar
Hebrew–English (H)
H 29:6
In an evil man’s transgression is a snare,
but a righteous person sings out and rejoices.
Greek–English (G)
G 29:6
For a sinning man there is a great snare,
but a righteous person will be in joy and gladness.
Comparison and reception
Similar. Text: G adds great and states joy without H’s singing verb.
Verse H 29:7 Different
Hebrew–English (H)
H 29:7
A righteous person knows the cause of the poor;
a wicked person does not understand such knowledge.
Greek–English (G)
G 29:7
A righteous person knows how to judge for the needy,
but the impious person will not understand knowledge,
and a poor person has no discerning mind.
Comparison and reception
Different. Text: G adds a third clause about a poor person lacking discernment. This difficult generalization is retained, not changed into the impious person failing to understand the poor.
Verse H 29:8 Similar
Hebrew–English (H)
H 29:8
Scoffing men inflame a city,
but wise people turn away anger.
Greek–English (G)
G 29:8
Pestilent men set a city ablaze,
but wise people turned away wrath.
Comparison and reception
Similar. Text: Both contrast destructive provocation with wise restraint; G uses completed actions.
Verse H 29:9 Different
Hebrew–English (H)
H 29:9
When a wise man enters judgment with a foolish man,
there is raging and laughing, but no rest.
Greek–English (G)
G 29:9
A wise man judges nations,
but a worthless man who becomes angry is laughed at and does not shrink back.
Comparison and reception
Different. Text: H does not explicitly identify the subject of the raging and laughing; the impersonal English preserves that uncertainty. G introduces nations and an angry man who is mocked.
Verse H 29:10 Similar
Hebrew–English (H)
H 29:10
Men of blood hate a blameless person,
but the upright seek his life.
Greek–English (G)
G 29:10
Men sharing in bloodshed will hate a holy person,
but the upright will seek his life.
Comparison and reception
Similar. Text: Both final clauses literally seek his life. Whether this means seeking his welfare, avenging him, or a different relation is contextual and not settled by an inserted save or kill.
29:11–29:20 — Anger and correction
Verse H 29:11 Different
Hebrew–English (H)
H 29:11
A fool lets out all his spirit,
but a wise person holds it back.
Greek–English (G)
G 29:11
A fool brings out all his anger,
but a wise person stores it up portion by portion.
Comparison and reception
Different. Text: H’s spirit can denote temper; its backward/afterward phrase is rendered as restraint. G explicitly names anger and describes measured storing, not an added instruction to release it later.
Verse H 29:12 Similar
Hebrew–English (H)
H 29:12
When a ruler listens to a lying word,
all his attendants are wicked.
Greek–English (G)
G 29:12
When a king listens to an unjust word,
all those under him are lawless.
Comparison and reception
Similar. Text: G specifies king and injustice; H ruler and falsehood.
Verse H 29:13 Different
Hebrew–English (H)
H 29:13
A poor person and a man of oppression meet together;
YHWH gives light to the eyes of both.
Greek–English (G)
G 29:13
When lender and debtor come together,
the Lord makes an inspection of both.
Comparison and reception
Different. Text: G identifies economic roles and divine oversight; H’s man of oppressions is not explicitly called a lender, and its divine action is illuminating their eyes.
Verse H 29:14 Different
Hebrew–English (H)
H 29:14
A king who judges the poor in truth—
his throne will be established forever.
Greek–English (G)
G 29:14
When a king judges the poor in truth,
his throne will be established as a testimony.
Comparison and reception
Different. Text: G’s eis martyrion is as/for a testimony, not forever.
Verse H 29:15 Different
Hebrew–English (H)
H 29:15
A rod and reproof give wisdom,
but a youth left loose shames his mother.
Greek–English (G)
G 29:15
Blows and reproofs give wisdom,
but a wandering child shames his parents.
Comparison and reception
Different. Text: G names blows and both parents; H has a rod and the mother. The ancient disciplinary language is translated as written.
Verse H 29:16 Different
Hebrew–English (H)
H 29:16
When the wicked increase, transgression increases,
but the righteous will see their downfall.
Greek–English (G)
G 29:16
When the impious are many, sins become many,
but the righteous become terrified when those people fall.
Comparison and reception
Different. Text: G explicitly makes the righteous fearful at the impious people’s fall; H only says they see the downfall.
Verse H 29:17 Different
Hebrew–English (H)
H 29:17
Discipline your son, and he will give you rest
and give delights to your life.
Greek–English (G)
G 29:17
Discipline your son, and he will give you rest
and give adornment to your life.
Comparison and reception
Different. Text: G has adornment where H has delights. Life renders nephesh/psyche without resolving later philosophical questions.
Verse H 29:18 Different
Hebrew–English (H)
H 29:18
Where there is no vision, a people runs loose,
but happy is one who keeps instruction.
Greek–English (G)
G 29:18
There will certainly be no interpreter for a lawless nation,
but one who keeps the law is blessed.
Comparison and reception
Different. Text: G concerns absence of an interpreter for a lawless nation; H concerns unrestrained conduct without vision.
Verse H 29:19 Different
Hebrew–English (H)
H 29:19
A servant is not disciplined by words,
for though he understands, there is no response.
Greek–English (G)
G 29:19
A harsh household servant will not be disciplined by words;
for even if he understands, he will not obey.
Comparison and reception
Different. Text: G adds harsh and explicitly states refusal to obey; H says there is no answer/response.
Verse H 29:20 Similar
Hebrew–English (H)
H 29:20
Have you seen a man hasty in his words?
There is more hope for a fool than for him.
Greek–English (G)
G 29:20
If you see a man swift in words,
know that a fool has more hope than he.
Comparison and reception
Similar. Text: G frames the observation as a condition and an instruction to recognize its conclusion.
29:21–29:27 — Humility, testimony, and trust
Verse H 29:21 Divergent
Hebrew–English (H)
H 29:21
One who pampers his servant from youth—
in the end he will become a son.
Greek–English (G)
G 29:21
One who lives extravagantly from childhood will become a household servant,
and in the end he will grieve over himself.
Comparison and reception
Divergent. Text: H’s rare manon is provisionally rendered son, with the final subject probably the pampered servant; its precise sense remains unresolved. G instead makes childhood extravagance lead to servitude and sorrow.
Verse H 29:22 Similar
Hebrew–English (H)
H 29:22
An angry man stirs up strife,
and a hot-tempered person has much transgression.
Greek–English (G)
G 29:22
A wrathful man digs up strife,
and an angry man dug out sins.
Comparison and reception
Similar. Text: G preserves a digging metaphor and shifts the second clause into a completed action; H states abundance of transgression.
Verse H 29:23 Different
Hebrew–English (H)
H 29:23
A person’s pride brings him low,
but one lowly in spirit will hold honor.
Greek–English (G)
G 29:23
Insolence brings a man low,
but the Lord supports the humble-minded with glory.
Comparison and reception
Different. Text: G explicitly names the Lord as the agent supporting the humble; H does not name a divine agent in this verse.
Verse H 29:24 Similar
Hebrew–English (H)
H 29:24
One who shares with a thief hates his own life;
he hears an oath-curse but does not report.
Greek–English (G)
G 29:24
One who shares with a thief hates his own life;
but if, when an oath is set before them, those who heard do not report,
Comparison and reception
Similar. Text: G changes to plural hearers and continues its conditional sentence into verse 25. H’s alah is a binding oath with a curse, not merely an insult.
Verse H 29:25 Divergent
Hebrew–English (H)
H 29:25
Fear of people sets a snare,
but one who trusts in YHWH will be set on high.
Greek–English (G)
G 29:25
having feared and felt shame before people, they were tripped up;
but one who trusts in the Lord will rejoice.
Impiety gives a man a fall;
but one who trusts in the Master will be saved.
Comparison and reception
Divergent. Text: G’s first clause completes verse 24, then adds a second contrast involving impiety and trust in the Master. H has security on high rather than rejoicing.
Verse H 29:26 Similar
Hebrew–English (H)
H 29:26
Many seek a ruler’s face,
but a person’s judgment comes from YHWH.
Greek–English (G)
G 29:26
Many court the faces of leaders,
but what is just for a man comes from the Lord.
Comparison and reception
Similar. Text: Seeking a ruler’s face and courting leaders describe access or favor; the concluding divine judgment is retained.
Verse H 29:27 Different
Hebrew–English (H)
H 29:27
An unjust man is an abomination to the righteous,
and one upright in way is an abomination to the wicked.
Greek–English (G)
G 29:27
An unjust man is an abomination to the righteous,
but a straightening way is an abomination to a lawless person.
Comparison and reception
Different. Text: G’s final subject is a way that directs straight, not explicitly the person walking it.