Proverbs 21
World English Bible
21 The king’s heart is in Yahweh’s hand like the watercourses.
He turns it wherever he desires.
2 Every way of a man is right in his own eyes,
but Yahweh weighs the hearts.
3 To do righteousness and justice
is more acceptable to Yahweh than sacrifice.
4 A high look and a proud heart,
the lamp of the wicked, is sin.
5 The plans of the diligent surely lead to profit;
and everyone who is hasty surely rushes to poverty.
6 Getting treasures by a lying tongue
is a fleeting vapor for those who seek death.
7 The violence of the wicked will drive them away,
because they refuse to do what is right.
8 The way of the guilty is devious,
but the conduct of the innocent is upright.
9 It is better to dwell in the corner of the housetop
than to share a house with a contentious woman.
10 The soul of the wicked desires evil;
his neighbor finds no mercy in his eyes.
11 When the mocker is punished, the simple gains wisdom.
When the wise is instructed, he receives knowledge.
12 The Righteous One considers the house of the wicked,
and brings the wicked to ruin.
13 Whoever stops his ears at the cry of the poor,
he will also cry out, but shall not be heard.
14 A gift in secret pacifies anger,
and a bribe in the cloak, strong wrath.
15 It is joy to the righteous to do justice;
but it is a destruction to the workers of iniquity.
16 The man who wanders out of the way of understanding
shall rest in the assembly of the departed spirits.
17 He who loves pleasure will be a poor man.
He who loves wine and oil won’t be rich.
18 The wicked is a ransom for the righteous,
the treacherous for the upright.
19 It is better to dwell in a desert land,
than with a contentious and fretful woman.
20 There is precious treasure and oil in the dwelling of the wise;
but a foolish man swallows it up.
21 He who follows after righteousness and kindness
finds life, righteousness, and honor.
22 A wise man scales the city of the mighty,
and brings down the strength of its confidence.
23 Whoever guards his mouth and his tongue
keeps his soul from troubles.
24 The proud and arrogant man—“Scoffer” is his name—
he works in the arrogance of pride.
25 The desire of the sluggard kills him,
for his hands refuse to labor.
26 There are those who covet greedily all day long;
but the righteous give and don’t withhold.
27 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination—
how much more, when he brings it with a wicked mind!
28 A false witness will perish.
A man who listens speaks to eternity.
29 A wicked man hardens his face;
but as for the upright, he establishes his ways.
30 There is no wisdom nor understanding
nor counsel against Yahweh.
31 The horse is prepared for the day of battle;
but victory is with Yahweh.
Proverbs 21
Amplified Bible, Classic Edition
21 The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, as are the watercourses; He turns it whichever way He wills.
2 Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs and tries the hearts.(A)
3 To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.(B)
4 Haughtiness of eyes and a proud heart, even the tillage of the wicked or the lamp [of joy] to them [whatever it may be], are sin [in the eyes of God].
5 The thoughts of the [steadily] diligent tend only to plenteousness, but everyone who is impatient and hasty hastens only to want.
6 Securing treasures by a lying tongue is a vapor driven to and fro; those who seek them seek death.
7 The violence of the wicked shall sweep them away, because they refuse to do justice.
8 The way of the guilty is exceedingly crooked, but as for the pure, his work is right and his conduct is straight.
9 It is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop [on the flat oriental roof, exposed to all kinds of weather] than in a house shared with a nagging, quarrelsome, and faultfinding woman.
10 The soul or life of the wicked craves and seeks evil; his neighbor finds no favor in his eyes.(C)
11 When the scoffer is punished, the fool gets a lesson in being wise; but men of [godly] Wisdom and good sense learn by being instructed.
12 The [uncompromisingly] righteous man considers well the house of the wicked—how the wicked are cast down to ruin.
13 Whoever stops his ears at the cry of the poor will cry out himself and not be heard.(D)
14 A gift in secret pacifies and turns away anger, and a bribe in the lap, strong wrath.
15 When justice is done, it is a joy to the righteous (the upright, in right standing with God), but to the evildoers it is dismay, calamity, and ruin.
16 A man who wanders out of the way of understanding shall abide in the congregation of the spirits (of the dead).
17 He who loves pleasure will be a poor man; he who loves wine and oil will not be rich.
18 The wicked become a ransom for the [uncompromisingly] righteous, and the treacherous for the upright [because the wicked themselves fall into the traps and pits they have dug for the good].
19 It is better to dwell in a desert land than with a contentious woman and with vexation.
20 There are precious treasures and oil in the dwelling of the wise, but a self-confident and foolish man swallows it up and wastes it.
21 He who earnestly seeks after and craves righteousness, mercy, and loving-kindness will find life in addition to righteousness (uprightness and right standing with God) and honor.(E)
22 A wise man scales the city walls of the mighty and brings down the stronghold in which they trust.
23 He who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself from troubles.(F)
24 The proud and haughty man—Scoffer is his name—deals and acts with overbearing pride.
25 The desire of the slothful kills him, for his hands refuse to labor.
26 He covets greedily all the day long, but the [uncompromisingly] righteous gives and does not withhold.(G)
27 The sacrifice of the wicked is exceedingly disgusting and abhorrent [to the Lord]—how much more when he brings it with evil intention?
28 A false witness will perish, but the word of a man who hears attentively will endure and go unchallenged.
29 A wicked man puts on the bold, unfeeling face [of guilt], but as for the upright, he considers, directs, and establishes his way [with the confidence of integrity].
30 There is no [human] wisdom or understanding or counsel [that can prevail] against the Lord.
31 The horse is prepared for the day of battle, but deliverance and victory are of the Lord.
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