Proverbs 16:29 (DRB)

Passage

An unjust man allureth his friend: and leadeth him into a way that is not good.

Nearby Context

Proverbs 16:27 The wicked man diggeth evil, and in his lips is a burning fire.

Proverbs 16:28 A perverse man stirreth up quarrels: and one full of words separateth princes.

Proverbs 16:29 An unjust man allureth his friend: and leadeth him into a way that is not good.

Proverbs 16:30 He that with fixed eyes deviseth wicked things, biting his lips, bringeth evil to pass.

Proverbs 16:31 Old age is a crown of dignity, when it is found in the ways of justice.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "unjust", "allureth", "friend", "leadeth", and "good". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "unjust" and "allureth", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 28's "A perverse man stirreth up quarrels and..." into verse 30's "He that with fixed eyes deviseth wicked...", so "unjust" and "allureth" belong inside that flow. In Proverbs context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "unjust" and "allureth" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.