Proverbs 29:25

The fear of people ¹  becomes ²  a snare, ³  but whoever trusts in the Lord will be set on high. ⁴ 

Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is kept safe.

The fear of man brings a snare, But he who trusts in the LORD will be exalted.

Fearing people is a dangerous trap, but to trust the LORD means safety.

The fear of human opinion disables; trusting in GOD protects you from that.

The fear of man is a cause of danger: but whoever puts his faith in the Lord will have a safe place on high.

The fear of others lays a snare, but one who trusts in the LORD is secure.

The fear of man brings a snare, But whoever trusts in the LORD shall be safe.

The fear of people ¹  becomes ²  a snare, ³  but whoever trusts in the Lord will be set on high. ⁴ 

¹ tn Heb “the fear of man.” This uses an objective genitive to describe a situation where fearing what people might do or think controls one’s life. There is no indication in the immediate context that this should be limited only to males, so the translation uses the more generic “people” here.

² tn Heb “gives [or yields, or produces]”; NIV “will prove to be.”

³ sn “Snare” is an implied comparison; fearing people is like being in a trap – there is no freedom of movement or sense of security.

⁴ sn The image of being set on high comes from the military experience of finding a defensible position, a place of safety and security, such as a high wall or a mountain. Trusting in the Lord sets people free and gives them a sense of safety and security (e.g, Prov 10:27; 12:2).