"Where there is no vision, the people are unrestrained, but happy is he who keeps the law." (Proverbs 29:18)

This proverb is clear enough, once we understand what Solomon meant by "vision;" The parallelism in this verse gives us the answer. Hebrew poetry is often comprised of couplets of sentences which clarify or contradict each other. In this verse "vision" parallels "law." In the Old Testament a yision was a means of divine revelation. The "law" was the divine revelation. So the proverb means: without a direct revelation from God concerning his will for us now and in the future, a people, nation, community or society will be unrestrained and ungovernable, and will perish. A society cannot maintain order, peace and prosperity unless it is founded on the revelation of God's will in his 'law," whether that society is a family, church or nation.