Proverbs 21
Lexham English Bible
21 Streams of water are the heart[a] of a king in the hand of Yahweh;
wherever[b] he will desire, he will turn.
2 Every way of a man is upright in his own eyes,
but Yahweh weighs hearts.[c]
3 Doing righteousness and justice is more acceptable
to Yahweh than sacrifice.
4 Haughtiness of the eyes and pride of heart,
the lamp of the wicked are sin.
5 The plans of the diligent only lead to abundance,
but all who are hasty, only to want.
6 He who makes treasure by a lying tongue
is a fleeting vapor and seeker[d] of death.
7 The violence of the wicked will sweep them away,
for they refuse to do justice.
8 Crooked is the way of a man and a foreigner,
but the pure is upright in his conduct.
9 Better to dwell on the corner of a roof
than to share a house with a woman[e] of contention.
10 The soul[f] of the wicked desires evil;
his neighbor will not find mercy in his eyes.
11 With the punishment of a scoffer, the simple will become wise,
and with the instruction of the wise, he will obtain knowledge.
12 The righteous observes the house of the wicked;
he throws the wicked to ruin.
13 He who closes his ear from the cry of the poor,
he also will cry out and not be heard.
14 A gift in secret[g] will avert anger,[h]
and a concealed bribe,[i] strong wrath.
15 It is a joy to the righteous to do justice,
but dismay to those who do evil.
16 Whoever wanders from the way of understanding,
in the assembly of the dead[j] he will rest.
17 A man of want is he who loves pleasure;
he who loves wine and oil[k] will not become rich.
18 A ransom for the righteous is the wicked,
and the faithless instead of the upright.
19 Better to live in a land of wilderness
than with a wife of quarrels and provocation.
20 Precious treasure and oil are in the house of the wise,
but the foolish person[l] will devour them.[m]
21 He who pursues righteousness and kindness
will find life, righteousness, and honor.
22 To a city of warriors, the wise ascends,
and he will bring down the stronghold—its object of trust.
23 He who guards his mouth and his tongue,
he guards his life[n] from danger.
24 The proud, haughty one: “scoffer” is his name;
he acts with arrogance of pride.
25 The craving of a lazy person will kill him,
for his hands refuse to work.[o]
26 All day[p] he craves a craving,
but the righteous will give and not hold back.
27 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination;
how much more when he brings it in divisiveness!
28 A false witness will perish,
but a man who listens will testify with[q] success.
29 A wicked man is strong in his countenance,[r]
but the upright will appoint his paths.
30 There is no wisdom, nor understanding,
nor counsel to oppose Yahweh.
31 A horse is prepared for the day of battle,
but to Yahweh belongs the victory.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 21:1 Or “mind”
- Proverbs 21:1 Literally “upon all that”
- Proverbs 21:2 Or “minds”
- Proverbs 21:6 Hebrew “seekers”
- Proverbs 21:9 Or “wife”
- Proverbs 21:10 Or “soul, life, throat”
- Proverbs 21:14 Hebrew “the secret”
- Proverbs 21:14 Literally “nostril”
- Proverbs 21:14 Literally “bribe in the bosom”
- Proverbs 21:16 Or “Rephaim”
- Proverbs 21:17 Or “fat”
- Proverbs 21:20 Or “foolish of mankind”
- Proverbs 21:20 Literally “it”
- Proverbs 21:23 Or “soul,” or “inner self”
- Proverbs 21:25 Or “make”
- Proverbs 21:26 Literally “All the day”
- Proverbs 21:28 Hebrew “to the”
- Proverbs 21:29 Literally “his face”
Proverbs 21
American Standard Version
21 The king’s heart is in the hand of Jehovah as the watercourses:
He turneth it whithersoever he will.
2 Every way of a man is right in his own eyes;
But Jehovah weigheth the hearts.
3 To do righteousness and justice
Is more acceptable to Jehovah than sacrifice.
4 A high look, and a proud heart,
[a]Even the lamp of the wicked, is sin.
5 The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness;
But every one that is hasty hasteth only to want.
6 The getting of treasures by a lying tongue
Is a vapor driven to and fro by them that seek death.
7 The violence of the wicked shall sweep them away,
Because they refuse to do justice.
8 The way of him that is laden with guilt is exceeding crooked;
But as for the pure, his work is [b]right.
9 It is better to dwell in the corner of the housetop,
Than with a contentious woman in [c]a wide house.
10 The soul of the wicked desireth evil:
His neighbor findeth no favor in his eyes.
11 When the scoffer is punished, the simple is made wise;
And [d]when the wise is instructed, he receiveth knowledge.
12 [e]The righteous man considereth the house of the wicked,
How the wicked are overthrown to their ruin.
13 Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor,
He also shall cry, but shall not be heard.
14 A gift in secret [f]pacifieth anger;
And a present in the bosom, strong wrath.
15 It is joy to the righteous to do justice;
[g]But it is a destruction to the workers of iniquity.
16 The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding
Shall rest in the assembly of [h]the dead.
17 He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man:
He that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich.
18 The wicked is a ransom for the righteous;
And the treacherous cometh in the stead of the upright.
19 It is better to dwell in a desert land,
Than with [i]a contentious and fretful woman.
20 There is precious treasure and oil in the dwelling of the wise;
But a foolish man swalloweth it up.
21 He that followeth after righteousness and kindness
Findeth life, righteousness, and honor.
22 A wise man scaleth the city of the mighty,
And bringeth down the strength of the confidence thereof.
23 Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue
Keepeth his soul from troubles.
24 The proud and haughty man, scoffer is his name;
He worketh in the arrogance of pride.
25 The desire of the sluggard killeth him;
For his hands refuse to labor.
26 There is that coveteth greedily all the day long;
But the righteous giveth and withholdeth not.
27 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination;
How much more, when he bringeth it [j]with a wicked mind!
28 A false witness shall perish;
But the man that heareth shall speak so as to endure.
29 A wicked man hardeneth his face;
But as for the upright, [k]he establisheth his ways.
30 There is no wisdom nor understanding
Nor counsel against Jehovah.
31 The horse is prepared against the day of battle;
But [l]victory is of Jehovah.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 21:4 Or, And the tillage
- Proverbs 21:8 Or, straight
- Proverbs 21:9 Or, a house in common. Hebrew a house of society.
- Proverbs 21:11 Or, when one considereth the wise
- Proverbs 21:12 Or, One that is righteous . . . he overthroweth the wicked etc.
- Proverbs 21:14 Hebrew bendeth.
- Proverbs 21:15 Or, But destruction shall be to etc.
- Proverbs 21:16 Or, the shades. Hebrew Rephaim.
- Proverbs 21:19 Or, a contentious woman and vexation
- Proverbs 21:27 Or, to atone for wickedness
- Proverbs 21:29 Another reading is, he considereth his way.
- Proverbs 21:31 Or, deliverance
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