Proverbs 11:29 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Whoever troubles his own household will inherit the wind, and the fool will be servant to the wise of heart.

NIV: Whoever brings ruin on their family will inherit only wind, and the fool will be servant to the wise.

NASB: One who troubles his own house will inherit wind, And the foolish will be servant to the wise-hearted.

CSB: The one who brings ruin on his household will inherit the wind, and a fool will be a slave to someone whose heart is wise.

NLT: Those who bring trouble on their families inherit the wind. The fool will be a servant to the wise.

KJV: He that troubleth his own house shall inherit the wind: and the fool shall be servant to the wise of heart.

NKJV: He who troubles his own house will inherit the wind, And the fool will be servant to the wise of heart.

Many verses in the book of Proverbs are warnings about the natural consequences of sin and stupidity. Truth and wisdom come from pursuit of God (Proverbs 1:7). Those who ignore truth set themselves up for failure (Proverbs 10:24, 27). In this passage, Solomon has noted several ways in which selfishness and evil lead to ruin, particularly in relationships with neighbors (Proverbs 11:10, 17). A key emphasis of this is selfishness, in contrast to generosity (Proverbs 11:24–26).

Here, the stress is on one's relationship to family. To "trouble" in this instance might mean to be disagreeable or unkind. Other related proverbs stick to the theme of greed (Proverbs 15:27) and the consequences it brings. What Solomon seems to have in mind is not merely a person who is offensive to their family, but a person whose actions bring risks or consequences into the home.

To "inherit the wind" implies that there will be nothing left of the family; rather than having something to pass along it will be consumed. Along the same lines, those who act foolishly will lose the advantages they would have had. Those who are wise, in contrast, have a better chance to maintain or grow their success.

Exodus 20:5 refers to God bringing consequences for sin on "the third and fourth generation of those who hate [Him]." Often, children copy the bad behavior of their parents and contract the same trouble as they encountered. Saying "I was raised that way" is no excuse in God's eyes. Herod's family illustrates this truth. Herod the Great slaughtered Hebrew children in and around Bethlehem. His hope was to kill an infant Jesus. Herod Antipas killed John the Baptist. Herod Agrippa I, Herod the Great's grandson, killed James and imprisoned Peter. Herod Agrippa II wanted to hear the apostle Paul, and after hearing him, sent him to Caesar. This family line was filled with trouble, and the end results were death and ruin.

This continues a long passage filled with Solomon's general, common-sense observations. As in chapter 10, Solomon presents a variety of contrasts. We see distinctions such as those between integrity and dishonesty, trust in wealth and trust in the Lord, wise and foolish talk, true riches and false riches, the blessing of the righteous and the harm caused by the wicked, and the respective rewards of the godly and those who are evil.

Proverbs is best understood in context with the books of Ecclesiastes and Job. In Proverbs, “wisdom” is given in short, simple, general terms. Ecclesiastes represents wisdom based on observation and experience. This often shows how the general principles of the book of Proverbs don’t apply in absolutely every circumstance. Job represents wisdom based on the experience of suffering and injustice. All three come to the conclusion that God does indeed know best, and the most sensible course of action is to follow His will.