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Proverbs 21
New American Standard Bible
Proverbs 21
New American Standard Bible
On Life and Conduct
21 The king’s heart is like channels of water in the hand of the Lord;
He (A)turns it wherever He pleases.
2 (B)Every person’s way is right in his own eyes,
But the Lord (C)examines the hearts.
3 To do (D)righteousness and justice
Is preferred by the Lord more than sacrifice.
4 Haughty eyes and a proud heart,
The (E)lamp of the wicked, is sin.
5 The plans of the (F)diligent certainly lead to advantage,
But everyone (G)who is in a hurry certainly comes to poverty.
6 The (H)acquisition of treasures by a lying tongue
Is a fleeting vapor, the [a]pursuit of (I)death.
7 The violence of the wicked will sweep them away,
Because they (J)refuse to act with justice.
8 The way of a guilty person is (K)crooked,
But as for the pure, his conduct is upright.
9 It is better to live on a corner of a roof
Than [b]in a house shared with a contentious woman.
10 The soul of the wicked desires evil;
His (L)neighbor is shown no compassion in his eyes.
11 When the (M)scoffer is punished, the naive becomes wise;
But when the wise is instructed, he receives knowledge.
12 The [c]righteous one considers the house of the wicked,
Bringing the (N)wicked to ruin.
13 One who (O)shuts his ear to the outcry of the poor
Will also call out himself, and not be (P)answered.
14 A (Q)gift in secret subdues anger,
And a bribe [d]in an inside pocket, strong wrath.
15 The exercise of justice is joy for the righteous,
But (R)terror to those who practice injustice.
16 A person who wanders from the way of understanding
Will (S)rest in the assembly of the [e]dead.
17 One who (T)loves pleasure will become a poor person;
One who loves wine and oil will not become rich.
18 The wicked is a (U)ransom for the righteous,
And the (V)treacherous is in the place of the upright.
19 (W)It is better to live in a desert land
Than with a contentious and irritating woman.
20 There is precious (X)treasure and oil in the home of the wise,
But a foolish person (Y)swallows it up.
21 One who (Z)pursues righteousness and loyalty
Finds life, righteousness, and honor.
22 A (AA)wise person scales the city of the mighty
And brings down the [f]stronghold in which they trust.
23 One who (AB)guards his mouth and his tongue,
Guards his soul from troubles.
24 “Proud,” “Arrogant,” “(AC)Scoffer,” are his names,
One who acts with (AD)insolent pride.
25 The (AE)desire of the [g]lazy one puts him to death,
For his hands refuse to work;
26 All day long he [h]is craving,
While the righteous (AF)gives and does not hold back.
27 The (AG)sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination,
How much more when he brings it with evil intent!
28 A (AH)false witness will perish,
But a person who listens will speak forever.
29 A wicked person [i](AI)displays a bold face,
But as for the (AJ)upright, he makes his way sure.
30 There is (AK)no wisdom, no understanding,
And no [j]plan against the Lord.
31 The (AL)horse is prepared for the day of battle,
But the (AM)victory belongs to the Lord.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 21:6 Lit seekers
- Proverbs 21:9 Lit with a woman of contentions and a house of association
- Proverbs 21:12 Or Righteous One
- Proverbs 21:14 Lit a fold in a robe; i.e., secretly
- Proverbs 21:16 Lit departed spirits
- Proverbs 21:22 Lit strength of trust
- Proverbs 21:25 Lit idle
- Proverbs 21:26 Lit desires desire
- Proverbs 21:29 Lit makes firm with his face
- Proverbs 21:30 Or advice
Proverbs 21
New International Version
Proverbs 21
New International Version
21 In the Lord’s hand the king’s heart is a stream of water
that he channels toward all who please him.(A)
2 A person may think their own ways are right,
but the Lord weighs the heart.(B)
3 To do what is right and just
is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.(C)
4 Haughty eyes(D) and a proud heart—
the unplowed field of the wicked—produce sin.
5 The plans of the diligent lead to profit(E)
as surely as haste leads to poverty.
7 The violence of the wicked will drag them away,(G)
for they refuse to do what is right.
8 The way of the guilty is devious,(H)
but the conduct of the innocent is upright.
9 Better to live on a corner of the roof
than share a house with a quarrelsome wife.(I)
10 The wicked crave evil;
their neighbors get no mercy from them.
11 When a mocker is punished, the simple gain wisdom;
by paying attention to the wise they get knowledge.(J)
14 A gift given in secret soothes anger,
and a bribe concealed in the cloak pacifies great wrath.(N)
15 When justice is done, it brings joy to the righteous
but terror to evildoers.(O)
16 Whoever strays from the path of prudence
comes to rest in the company of the dead.(P)
17 Whoever loves pleasure will become poor;
whoever loves wine and olive oil will never be rich.(Q)
18 The wicked become a ransom(R) for the righteous,
and the unfaithful for the upright.
19 Better to live in a desert
than with a quarrelsome and nagging wife.(S)
20 The wise store up choice food and olive oil,
but fools gulp theirs down.
22 One who is wise can go up against the city of the mighty(V)
and pull down the stronghold in which they trust.
24 The proud and arrogant person(Y)—“Mocker” is his name—
behaves with insolent fury.
25 The craving of a sluggard will be the death of him,(Z)
because his hands refuse to work.
26 All day long he craves for more,
but the righteous(AA) give without sparing.(AB)
27 The sacrifice of the wicked is detestable(AC)—
how much more so when brought with evil intent!(AD)
29 The wicked put up a bold front,
but the upright give thought to their ways.(AG)
31 The horse is made ready for the day of battle,
but victory rests with the Lord.(AJ)
Footnotes
- Proverbs 21:6 Some Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint and Vulgate; most Hebrew manuscripts vapor for those who seek death
- Proverbs 21:12 Or The righteous person
- Proverbs 21:21 Or righteousness
New American Standard Bible (NASB) 
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New International Version (NIV) 
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.