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 The Lord can control a king’s mind as he controls a river;
    he can direct it as he pleases.

You may believe you are doing right,
    but the Lord judges your reasons.

Doing what is right and fair
    is more important to the Lord than sacrifices.

Proud looks, proud thoughts,
    and evil actions are sin.

The plans of hard-working people earn a profit,
    but those who act too quickly become poor.

Wealth that comes from telling lies
    vanishes like a mist and leads to death.

The violence of the wicked will destroy them,
    because they refuse to do what is right.

Guilty people live dishonest lives,
    but honest people do right.

It is better to live in a corner on the roof[a]
    than inside the house with a quarreling wife.

10 Evil people only want to harm others.
    Their neighbors get no mercy from them.

11 If you punish those who make fun of wisdom, a foolish person may gain some wisdom.
    But if you teach the wise, they will get knowledge.

12 God, who is always right, watches the house of the wicked
    and brings ruin on every evil person.

13 Whoever ignores the poor when they cry for help
    will also cry for help and not be answered.

14 A secret gift will calm an angry person;
    a present given in secrecy will quiet great anger.

15 When justice is done, good people are happy,
    but evil people are ruined.

16 Whoever does not use good sense
    will end up among the dead.

17 Whoever loves pleasure will become poor;
    whoever loves wine and perfume will never be rich.

18 Wicked people will suffer instead of good people,
    and those who cannot be trusted will suffer instead of those who do right.

19 It is better to live alone in the desert
    than with a quarreling and complaining wife.

20 Wise people’s houses are full of the best foods and olive oil,
    but fools waste everything they have.

21 Whoever tries to live right and be loyal
    finds life, success, and honor.

22 A wise person can defeat a city full of warriors
    and tear down the defenses they trust in.

23 Those who are careful about what they say
    keep themselves out of trouble.

24 People who act with stubborn pride
    are called “proud,” “bragger,” and “mocker.”

25 Lazy people’s desire for sleep will kill them,
    because they refuse to work.
26 All day long they wish for more,
    but good people give without holding back.

27 The Lord hates sacrifices brought by evil people,
    particularly when they offer them for the wrong reasons.

28 A lying witness will be forgotten,
    but a truthful witness will speak on.

29 Wicked people are stubborn,
    but good people think carefully about what they do.

30 There is no wisdom, understanding, or advice
    that can succeed against the Lord.

31 You can get the horses ready for battle,
    but it is the Lord who gives the victory.

Footnotes

  1. 21:9 roof In Bible times houses were built with flat roofs. The roof was used for drying things such as flax and fruit. And it was used as an extra room, as a place for worship, and as a cool place to sleep in the summer.