Proverbs 21

¹Just as with the dividing of the waters, so also is the heart of the king in the hand of the Lord. He shall bend it whichever way he wills.

²Every way of a man seems right to himself. But the Lord weighs hearts.

³To do mercy and judgment is more pleasing to the Lord than sacrifices.

⁴To lift up the eyes is to enlarge the heart. The lamp of the impious is sin.

⁵The intentions of the robust continually bring forth abundance. But all the lazy are continually in need.

⁶Whoever gathers treasures by a lying tongue is vain and heartless. And he will stumble into the snares of death.

⁷The robberies of the impious will drag them down, because they were not willing to do judgment.

⁸The perverse way of a man is foreign. But whoever is pure: his work is upright.

⁹It is better to sit in a corner of the attic, than with a contentious woman and in a shared house.

¹⁰The soul of the impious desires evil; he will not take pity on his neighbor.

¹¹When the pestilent is punished, a little one will become wiser. And if he pursues what is wise, he will receive knowledge.

¹²The just thinks carefully about the house of the impious, so that he may draw the impious away from evil.

¹³Whoever blocks his ears to the outcry of the poor shall also cry out himself, and he will not be heeded.

¹⁴A surprise gift extinguishes anger. And a gift concealed in the bosom extinguishes the greatest indignation.

¹⁵It is gladness for the just to do judgment; and it is dread for those who work iniquity.

¹⁶A man who wanders astray from the way of doctrine will linger in the company of the giants.

¹⁷Whoever loves a feast will be in deprivation. Whoever loves wine and fatness will not be enriched.

¹⁸The impious is given over instead of the just, and the iniquitous is given over in place of the upright.

¹⁹It is better to live in a deserted land, than with a quarrelsome and emotional woman.

²⁰There is desirable treasure, as well as oil, in the habitations of the just. And the imprudent man will waste it.

²¹Whoever follows justice and mercy shall discover life, justice, and glory.

²²The wise has ascended the city of the strong, and he has torn down the bulwark of its confidence.

²³Whoever guards his mouth and his tongue guards his soul from anguish.

²⁴A proud and arrogant one is also called ignorant, if he, in anger, acts according to pride.

²⁵Desires kill the lazy, for his hands are not willing to work at all.

²⁶He covets and desires all day long. But whoever is just shall distribute and shall not cease.

²⁷The sacrifices of the impious are abominable, because they are offered out of wickedness.

²⁸A lying witness will perish. An obedient man shall speak of victory.

²⁹The impious man insolently hardens his face. But whoever is upright corrects his own way.

³⁰There is no wisdom, there is no prudence, there is no counsel, which is against the Lord.

³¹The horse is prepared for the day of battle. But the Lord bestows salvation.

Proverbs 21

¹As the divisions of waters, so the heart of the king is in the hand of the Lord: whithersoever he will, he shall turn it.

²Every way of a man seemeth right to himself: but the Lord weigheth the hearts.

³To do mercy and judgment, pleaseth the Lord more than victims.

⁴Haughtiness of the eyes is the enlarging of the heart: the lamp of the wicked is sin.

⁵The thoughts of the industrious always bring forth abundance: but every sluggard is always in want.

⁶He that gathereth treasures by a lying tongue, is vain and foolish, and shall stumble upon the snares of death.

⁷The robberies of the wicked shall be their downfall, because they would not do judgment.

⁸The perverse way of a man is strange: but as for him that is pure, his work is right.

⁹It is better to sit in a corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman, and in a common house.

¹⁰The soul of the wicked desireth evil, he will not have pity on his neighbour.

¹¹When a pestilent man is punished, the little one will be wiser: and if he follow the wise, he will receive knowledge.

¹²The just considereth seriously the house of the wicked, that he may withdraw the wicked from evil.

¹³He that stoppeth his ear against the cry of the poor, shall also cry himself, and shall not be heard.

¹⁴A secret present quencheth anger: and a gift in the bosom, the greatest wrath.

¹⁵It is joy to the just to do judgment: and dread to them that work iniquity.

¹⁶A man that shall wander out of the way of doctrine, shall abide in the company of the giants.

¹⁷He that loveth good cheer, shall be in want: he that loveth wine, and fat things, shall not be rich.

¹⁸The wicked is delivered up for the just: and the unjust for the righteous.

¹⁹It is better to dwell in a wilderness, than with a quarrelsome and passionate woman.

²⁰There is a treasure to be desired, and oil in the dwelling of the just: and the foolish man shall spend it.

²¹He that followeth justice and mercy, shall find life, justice, and glory.

²²The wise man hath scaled the city of the strong, and hath cast down the strength of the confidence thereof.

²³He that keepeth his mouth and his tongue, keepeth his soul from distress.

²⁴The proud and the arrogant is called ignorant, who in anger worketh pride.

²⁵Desires kill the slothful: for his hands have refused to work at all.

²⁶He longeth and desireth all the day: but he that is just, will give, and will not cease.

²⁷The sacrifices of the wicked are abominable, because they are offered of wickedness.

²⁸A lying witness shall perish: an obedient man shall speak of victory.

²⁹The wicked man impudently hardeneth his face: but he that is righteous, correcteth his way.

³⁰There is no wisdom, there is no prudence, there is no counsel against the Lord.

³¹The horse is prepared for the day of battle: but the Lord giveth safety.