Proverbs 21

Legacy Standard Bible

21 The king’s heart is like channels of water in the hand of Yahweh;
He ^(A)turns it wherever He pleases.
^2 (B)Every man’s way is right in his own eyes,
But Yahweh ^(C)weighs the hearts.
³ To do ^(D)righteousness and justice
Is chosen by Yahweh over sacrifice.
⁴ Haughty eyes and a proud heart—
The ^(E)fallow ground of the wicked—are sin.
⁵ The ^[a]thoughts of the ^(F)diligent lead surely to profit,
But everyone ^(G)who is hasty comes surely to poverty.
^6 (H)Working for treasures by a lying tongue
Is a fleeting breath, by those who pursue ^(I)death.
⁷ The destruction of the wicked will drag them away,
Because they ^(J)refuse to do justice.
⁸ The way of a guilty man is ^(K)perverse,
But as for the pure, his work is upright.
⁹ It is better to live in a corner of a roof
Than ^[b]in a house shared with a contentious woman.
¹⁰ The soul of the wicked craves evil;
His ^(L)neighbor finds no favor in his eyes.
¹¹ When the ^(M)scoffer is punished, the simple becomes wise;
And when one considers wisdom, he receives knowledge.
¹² The righteous one considers the house of the wicked,
Turning the ^(N)wicked to ruin.
¹³ He who ^(O)shuts his ear to the outcry of the poor
Will himself also call and not be ^(P)answered.
¹⁴ A ^(Q)gift in secret subdues anger,
And a bribe in the bosom, strong wrath.
¹⁵ To do justice is ^[c]pleasure for the righteous,
But is ^(R)ruin to the workers of iniquity.
¹⁶ A man who wanders from the way of insight
Will ^(S)rest in the assembly of the ^[d]dead.
¹⁷ He who ^(T)loves ^[e]pleasure will become a poor man;
He who loves wine and oil will not become rich.
¹⁸ The wicked is a ^(U)ransom for the righteous,
And the ^(V)treacherous is in the place of the upright.
^19 (W)It is better to live in a desert land
Than with a contentious and vexing woman.
²⁰ There is desirable ^(X)treasure and oil in the abode of the wise,
But a foolish man ^(Y)swallows it up.
²¹ He who ^(Z)pursues righteousness and lovingkindness
Finds life, righteousness, and glory.
²² A ^(AA)wise man goes up to the city of the mighty
And brings down the ^[f]stronghold in which they trust.
²³ He who ^(AB)keeps his mouth and his tongue,
Keeps his soul from troubles.
²⁴ “Arrogant,” “Haughty,” “^(AC)Scoffer,” are his names,
Who acts with ^(AD)arrogant fury.
²⁵ The ^(AE)desire of the sluggard puts him to death,
For his hands refuse to work;
²⁶ All day long he ^[g]is insatiably craving,
While the righteous ^(AF)gives and does not hold back.
²⁷ The ^(AG)sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination,
How much more when he brings it with a wicked scheme!
²⁸ A ^(AH)false witness will perish,
But the man who listens will speak forever.
²⁹ A wicked man ^[h](AI)displays a brazen face,
But as for the ^(AJ)upright, he establishes his way.
³⁰ There is ^(AK)no wisdom, there is no discernment
And there is no counsel against Yahweh.
³¹ The ^(AL)horse is set for the day of battle,
But ^(AM)salvation belongs to Yahweh.