Proverbs 21

¹The king's heart in the hands of the Lord is like the water streams, and by him it is turned in any direction at his pleasure.

²Every way of a man seems right to himself, but the Lord is the tester of hearts.

³To do what is right and true is more pleasing to the Lord than an offering.

⁴A high look and a heart of pride, *** of the evil-doer is sin.

⁵The purposes of the man of industry have their outcome only in wealth; but one who is over-quick in acting will only come to be in need.

⁶He who gets stores of wealth by a false tongue, is going after what is only breath, and searching for death.

⁷By their violent acts the evil-doers will be pulled away, because they have no desire to do what is right.

⁸Twisted is the way of him who is full of crime; but as for him whose heart is clean, his work is upright.

⁹It is better to be living in an angle of the house-top, than with a bitter-tongued woman in a wide house.

¹⁰The desire of the evil-doer is fixed on evil: he has no kind feeling for his neighbour.

¹¹When the man of pride undergoes punishment, the simple man gets wisdom; and by watching the wise he gets knowledge.

¹²The Upright One, looking on the house of the evil-doer, lets sinners be overturned to their destruction.

¹³He whose ears are stopped at the cry of the poor, will himself get no answer to his cry for help.

¹⁴By a secret offering wrath is turned away, and the heat of angry feelings by money in the folds of the robe.

¹⁵It is a joy to the good man to do right, but it is destruction to the workers of evil.

¹⁶The wanderer from the way of knowledge will have his resting-place among the shades.

¹⁷The lover of pleasure will be a poor man: the lover of wine and oil will not get wealth.

¹⁸The evil-doer will be given as a price for the life of the good man, and the worker of deceit in the place of the upright.

¹⁹It is better to be living in a waste land, than with a bitter-tongued and angry woman.

²⁰There is a store of great value in the house of the wise, but it is wasted by the foolish man.

²¹He who goes after righteousness and mercy will get life, righteousness, and honour.

²²A wise man goes up into the town of the strong ones, and overcomes its strength in which they put their faith.

²³He who keeps watch over his mouth and his tongue keeps his soul from troubles.

²⁴The man of pride, lifted up in soul, is named high-hearted; he is acting in an outburst of pride.

²⁵The desire of the hater of work is death to him, for his hands will do no work.

²⁶All the day the sinner goes after his desire: but the upright man gives freely, keeping nothing back.

²⁷The offering of evil-doers is disgusting: how much more when they give it with an evil purpose!

²⁸A false witness will be cut off, ...

²⁹The evil-doer makes his face hard, but as for the upright, he gives thought to his way.

³⁰Wisdom and knowledge and wise suggestions are of no use against the Lord.

³¹The horse is made ready for the day of war, but power to overcome is from the Lord.

Proverbs 21

¹The king's heart is in the Lord's hand like the watercourses. He turns it wherever he desires.

²Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the hearts.

³To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.

⁴A high look, and a proud heart, the lamp of the wicked, is sin.

⁵The plans of the diligent surely lead to profit; and everyone who is hasty surely rushes to poverty.

⁶Getting treasures by a lying tongue is a fleeting vapor for those who seek death.

⁷The violence of the wicked will drive them away, because they refuse to do what is right.

⁸The way of the guilty is devious, but the conduct of the innocent is upright.

⁹It is better to dwell in the corner of the housetop, than to share a house with a contentious woman.

¹⁰The soul of the wicked desires evil; his neighbor finds no mercy in his eyes.

¹¹When the mocker is punished, the simple gains wisdom. When the wise is instructed, he receives knowledge.

¹²The Righteous One considers the house of the wicked, and brings the wicked to ruin.

¹³Whoever stops his ears at the cry of the poor, he will also cry out, but shall not be heard.

¹⁴A gift in secret pacifies anger; and a bribe in the cloak, strong wrath.

¹⁵It is joy to the righteous to do justice; but it is a destruction to the workers of iniquity.

¹⁶The man who wanders out of the way of understanding shall rest in the assembly of the dead.

¹⁷He who loves pleasure shall be a poor man. He who loves wine and oil shall not be rich.

¹⁸The wicked is a ransom for the righteous; the treacherous for the upright.

¹⁹It is better to dwell in a desert land, than with a contentious and fretful woman.

²⁰There is precious treasure and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man swallows it up.

²¹He who follows after righteousness and kindness finds life, righteousness, and honor.

²²A wise man scales the city of the mighty, and brings down the strength of its confidence.

²³Whoever guards his mouth and his tongue keeps his soul from troubles.

²⁴The proud and haughty man, "scoffer" is his name; he works in the arrogance of pride.

²⁵The desire of the sluggard kills him, for his hands refuse to labor.

²⁶There are those who covet greedily all day long; but the righteous give and do not withhold.

²⁷The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination: how much more, when he brings it with a wicked mind!

²⁸A false witness will perish, and a man who listens speaks to eternity.

²⁹A wicked man hardens his face; but as for the upright, he establishes his ways.

³⁰There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the Lord.

³¹The horse is prepared for the day of battle; but victory is with the Lord.