21 耶和华掌管君王的心,
    易如支配垄沟的流水。
人自以为行事正确,
    但耶和华衡量人心。
秉公行义比献祭更蒙耶和华喜悦。
高傲的眼,狂妄的心,恶人的灯,
    都是罪恶。
勤劳者的计划必致富足,
    行事急躁的人必致贫困。
骗来的财如过眼云雾,
    使人掉进死亡的陷阱。
恶人的暴力必毁灭自己,
    因为他们行事不公不义。
犯罪的人行径扭曲,
    纯洁的人行为正直。
宁愿住在房顶的一角,
    也不跟争闹之妻同屋。
10 恶人贪恋邪恶,
    对邻舍残忍无情。
11 惩罚嘲讽者,愚人得智慧;
    训诫智者,他便长见识。
12 公义的上帝鉴察恶人的家,
    祂必使他们灭亡。
13 掩耳不听穷人呼求的,
    他将来求救也无人管。
14 暗中送的礼物能平息愤怒,
    塞进怀里的贿赂止息盛怒。
15 正义得到伸张,
    义人喜、恶人怕。
16 人偏离明智之道,
    终必与阴魂为伍。
17 贪图享受必穷困,
    奢华宴乐难富足。
18 恶人作义人的赎价,
    奸徒替正直人受苦。
19 宁愿独居旷野,
    不跟吵闹易怒的女子同住。
20 智者家中积存宝物和油,
    愚人将所有的挥霍一空。
21 追求公义与慈爱的,
    必寻得生命、公义和尊荣。
22 智者攀上勇士的城池,
    摧毁他们倚仗的坚垒。
23 管住口舌,免遭祸患。
24 嘲讽者狂妄自大,
    行事骄横无比。
25 懒人的欲望害死自己,
    因为他的手不肯做工。
26 懒人整天贪得无厌,
    义人施舍毫不吝啬。
27 恶人的祭物已经可憎,
    何况他怀着恶意来献!
28 作伪证的终灭亡,
    道实情的常发言。
29 恶人虚张声势,
    正直人谨慎行事。
30 任何智慧、悟性和谋略,
    都不能对抗耶和华。
31 马为争战之日预备,
    胜败由耶和华决定。

21 A king’s heart is like channelled water in the Lord’s hand:
He directs it wherever he chooses.(A)

All a person’s ways seem right to him,
but the Lord weighs hearts.(B)

Doing what is righteous and just
is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.(C)

The lamp that guides the wicked –
haughty eyes and an arrogant heart(D) – is sin.

The plans of the diligent certainly lead to profit,
but anyone who is reckless certainly becomes poor.(E)

Making a fortune through a lying tongue
is a vanishing mist,[a] a pursuit of death.[b][c](F)

The violence of the wicked sweeps them away
because they refuse to act justly.

A guilty one’s conduct is crooked,(G)
but the behaviour of the innocent is upright.(H)

Better to live on the corner of a roof
than to share a house with a nagging wife.(I)

10 A wicked person desires evil;
he has no consideration[d] for his neighbour.(J)

11 When a mocker is punished,
the inexperienced become wiser;
when one teaches a wise man,
he acquires knowledge.(K)

12 The Righteous One[e] considers the house of the wicked;
he brings the wicked to ruin.

13 The one who shuts his ears to the cry of the poor
will himself also call out and not be answered.(L)

14 A secret gift soothes anger,
and a covert bribe, fierce rage.(M)

15 Justice executed is a joy to the righteous
but a terror to evildoers.(N)

16 The person who strays from the way of prudence
will come to rest in the assembly of the departed spirits.(O)

17 The one who loves pleasure will become poor;
whoever loves wine and oil will not get rich.(P)

18 The wicked are a ransom for the righteous,
and the treacherous, for[f] the upright.(Q)

19 Better to live in a wilderness
than with a nagging and hot-tempered wife.(R)

20 Precious treasure and oil are in the dwelling of a wise person,
but a fool consumes them.[g](S)

21 The one who pursues righteousness and faithful love
will find life, righteousness, and honour.(T)

22 A wise person went up against a city of warriors
and brought down its secure fortress.(U)

23 The one who guards his mouth and tongue
keeps himself out of trouble.(V)

24 The arrogant and proud person, named ‘Mocker,’
acts with excessive arrogance.(W)

25 A slacker’s craving will kill him
because his hands refuse to work.(X)
26 He is filled with craving[h] all day long,
but the righteous give and don’t hold back.(Y)

27 The sacrifice of a wicked person is detestable –
how much more so
when he brings it with ulterior motives!(Z)

28 A lying witness will perish,(AA)
but the one who listens will speak successfully.

29 A wicked person puts on a bold face,(AB)
but the upright one considers his way.

30 No wisdom, no understanding, and no counsel
will prevail against the Lord.(AC)

31 A horse is prepared for the day of battle,(AD)
but victory comes from the Lord.(AE)

Footnotes

  1. 21:6 Or a breath blown away
  2. 21:6 Some Hb mss, LXX, Vg read a snare of death
  3. 21:6 Lit is vanity, ones seeking death
  4. 21:10 Orfavour
  5. 21:12 Or righteous one
  6. 21:18 Or in place of
  7. 21:20 Lit it
  8. 21:26 Lit He craves a craving

The Lord Considers the Heart

21 The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord,
Like the [a]rivers of water;
He turns it wherever He wishes.

(A)Every way of a man is right in his own eyes,
(B)But the Lord weighs the hearts.

(C)To do righteousness and justice
Is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.

(D)A haughty look, a proud heart,
And the [b]plowing of the wicked are sin.

(E)The plans of the diligent lead surely to plenty,
But those of everyone who is hasty, surely to poverty.

(F)Getting treasures by a lying tongue
[c]Is the fleeting fantasy of those who seek death.

The violence of the wicked will [d]destroy them,
Because they refuse to do justice.

The way of [e]a guilty man is perverse;
But as for the pure, his work is right.

Better to dwell in a corner of a housetop,
Than in a house shared with (G)a contentious woman.

10 (H)The soul of the wicked desires evil;
His neighbor finds no favor in his eyes.

11 When the scoffer is punished, the simple is made wise;
But when the (I)wise is instructed, he receives knowledge.

12 The righteous God wisely considers the house of the wicked,
Overthrowing the wicked for their wickedness.

13 (J)Whoever shuts his ears to the cry of the poor
Will also cry himself and not be heard.

14 A gift in secret pacifies anger,
And a bribe [f]behind the back, strong wrath.

15 It is a joy for the just to do justice,
But destruction will come to the workers of iniquity.

16 A man who wanders from the way of understanding
Will rest in the assembly of the (K)dead.

17 He who loves pleasure will be a poor man;
He who loves wine and oil will not be rich.

18 The wicked shall be a ransom for the righteous,
And the unfaithful for the upright.

19 Better to dwell [g]in the wilderness,
Than with a contentious and angry woman.

20 (L)There is desirable treasure,
And oil in the dwelling of the wise,
But a foolish man squanders it.

21 (M)He who follows righteousness and mercy
Finds life, righteousness, and honor.

22 A (N)wise man [h]scales the city of the mighty,
And brings down the trusted stronghold.

23 (O)Whoever guards his mouth and tongue
Keeps his soul from troubles.

24 A proud and haughty man—“Scoffer” is his name;
He acts with arrogant pride.

25 The (P)desire of the lazy man kills him,
For his hands refuse to labor.
26 He covets greedily all day long,
But the righteous (Q)gives and does not spare.

27 (R)The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination;
How much more when he brings it with wicked intent!

28 A false witness shall perish,
But the man who hears him will speak endlessly.

29 A wicked man hardens his face,
But as for the upright, he [i]establishes his way.

30 (S)There is no wisdom or understanding
Or counsel against the Lord.

31 The horse is prepared for the day of battle,
But (T)deliverance is of the Lord.

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 21:1 channels
  2. Proverbs 21:4 Or lamp
  3. Proverbs 21:6 LXX Pursue vanity on the snares of death; Vg. Is vain and foolish, and shall stumble on the snares of death; Tg. They shall be destroyed, and they shall fall who seek death
  4. Proverbs 21:7 Lit. drag them away
  5. Proverbs 21:8 Or The way of a man is perverse and strange;
  6. Proverbs 21:14 Under cover, lit. in the bosom
  7. Proverbs 21:19 Lit. in the land of the desert
  8. Proverbs 21:22 Climbs over the walls of
  9. Proverbs 21:29 Qr., LXX understands