Proverbs 21-22

Amplified Bible

21 The king’s heart is like channels of water in the hand of the Lord;
He turns it whichever way He wishes.^(A)
2 
Every man’s way is right in his own eyes,
But the Lord weighs and examines the hearts [of people and their motives].^(B)
3 
To do righteousness and justice
Is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice [for wrongs repeatedly committed].^(C)
4 
Haughty and arrogant eyes and a proud heart,
The lamp of the wicked [their self-centered pride], is sin [in the eyes of God].
⁵ 
The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance and advantage,
But everyone who acts in haste comes surely to poverty.
⁶ 
Acquiring treasures by a lying tongue
Is a fleeting vapor, the seeking and pursuit of death.
⁷ 
The violence of the wicked will [return to them and] drag them away [like fish caught in a net],
Because they refuse to act with justice.
⁸ 
The way of the guilty is [exceedingly] crooked,
But as for the pure, his conduct is upright.
⁹ 
It is better to live in a corner of the housetop [on the flat roof, exposed to the weather]
Than in a house shared with a quarrelsome (contentious) woman.
¹⁰ 
The soul of the wicked desires evil [like an addictive substance];
His neighbor finds no compassion in his eyes.^(D)
11 
When the scoffer is punished, the naive [observes the lesson and] becomes wise;
But when the wise and teachable person is instructed, he receives knowledge.^(E)
12 
The righteous one keeps an eye on the house of the wicked—
How the wicked are cast down to ruin.
¹³ 
Whoever shuts his ears at the cry of the poor
Will cry out himself and not be answered.^(F)
14 
A gift in secret subdues anger,
And a bribe [hidden] in the pocket, strong wrath.
¹⁵ 
When justice is done, it is a joy to the righteous (the upright, the one in right standing with God),
But to the evildoers it is disaster.
¹⁶ 
A man who wanders from the way of understanding (godly wisdom)
Will remain in the assembly of the dead.
¹⁷ 
He who loves [only selfish] pleasure will become a poor man;
He who loves and is devoted to ^[a]wine and [olive] oil will not become rich.
¹⁸ 
The wicked become a ransom for the righteous,
And the treacherous in the place of the upright [for they fall into their own traps].
¹⁹ 
It is better to dwell in a desert land
Than with a contentious and troublesome woman.
²⁰ 
There is precious treasure and oil in the house of the wise [who prepare for the future],
But a short-sighted and foolish man swallows it up and wastes it.
²¹ 
He who earnestly seeks righteousness and loyalty
Finds life, righteousness, and honor.^(G)
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
Guards himself from troubles.^(H)
24 
“Proud,” “Haughty,” “Scoffer,” are his names
Who acts with overbearing and insolent pride.
²⁵ 
The desire of the lazy kills him,
For his hands refuse to labor;
²⁶ 
He craves all the day long [and does no work],
But the righteous [willingly] gives and does not withhold [what he has].^(I)
27 
The sacrifice of the wicked is detestable and offensive [to the Lord].
How much more [unacceptable and insulting can it be] when he brings it with evil intention?
²⁸ 
A false witness will perish,
But a man who listens to the truth will speak forever and go unchallenged.
²⁹ 
A wicked man puts on a bold face,
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 belong to the Lord.

22 A good name [earned by honorable behavior, godly wisdom, moral courage, and personal integrity] is more desirable than great riches;
And favor is better than silver and gold.
² 
The rich and poor have a common bond;
The Lord is the Maker of them all.^(J)
3 
A prudent and far-sighted person sees the evil [of sin] and hides himself [from it],
But the naive continue on and are punished [by suffering the consequences of sin].
⁴ 
The reward of humility [that is, having a realistic view of one’s importance] and the [reverent, worshipful] fear of the Lord
Is riches, honor, and life.^(K)
5 
Thorns and snares are in the way of the obstinate [for their lack of honor and their wrong-doing traps them];
He who guards himself [with godly wisdom] will be far from them and avoid the consequences they suffer.
⁶ 
Train up a child in the way he should go [teaching him to seek God’s wisdom and will for his abilities and talents],
Even when he is old he will not depart from it.^(L)
7 
The rich rules over the poor,
And the borrower is servant to the lender.
⁸ 
He who sows injustice will reap [a harvest of] trouble,
And the rod of his wrath [with which he oppresses others] will fail.
⁹ 
He who is generous will be blessed,
For he gives some of his food to the poor.^(M)
10 
Drive out the scoffer, and contention will go away;
Even strife and dishonor will cease.
¹¹ 
He who loves purity of heart
And whose speech is gracious will have the king as his friend.
¹² 
The eyes of the Lord keep guard over knowledge and the one who has it,
But He overthrows the words of the treacherous.
¹³ 
The lazy one [manufactures excuses and] says, “There is a lion outside!
I will be killed in the streets [if I go out to work]!”
¹⁴ 
The mouth of an immoral woman is a deep pit [deep and inescapable];
He who is cursed by the Lord [because of his adulterous sin] will fall into it.
¹⁵ 
Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child;
The rod of discipline [correction administered with godly wisdom and lovingkindness] will remove it far from him.
¹⁶ 
He who oppresses or exploits the poor to get more for himself
Or who gives to the rich [to gain influence and favor], will only come to poverty.