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 departed spirits.

¹⁷He who loves pleasure will be a poor man.

He who loves wine and oil won’t 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 arrogant 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 don’t 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.

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.