Proverbs 21
New King James Version
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.
3 (C)To do righteousness and justice
Is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.
5 (E)The plans of the diligent lead surely to plenty,
But those of everyone who is hasty, surely to poverty.
7 The violence of the wicked will [d]destroy them,
Because they refuse to do justice.
8 The way of [e]a guilty man is perverse;
But as for the pure, his work is right.
9 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.
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
- Proverbs 21:1 channels
- Proverbs 21:4 Or lamp
- 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
- Proverbs 21:7 Lit. drag them away
- Proverbs 21:8 Or The way of a man is perverse and strange;
- Proverbs 21:14 Under cover, lit. in the bosom
- Proverbs 21:19 Lit. in the land of the desert
- Proverbs 21:22 Climbs over the walls of
- Proverbs 21:29 Qr., LXX understands
Proverbs 21
21st Century King James Version
21 The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord; as the rivers of water, He turneth it whithersoever He will.
2 Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the Lord pondereth the hearts.
3 To do justice and judgment is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.
4 A haughty look and a proud heart, and the plowing of the wicked, are sin.
5 The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness, but of everyone that is hasty, only to want.
6 The getting of treasures by a lying tongue is a vanity which is tossed to and fro by them that seek death.
7 The robberies of the wicked shall destroy them, because they refuse to do judgment.
8 The way of man is froward and strange, but as for the pure, his work is right.
9 It is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop than with a brawling woman in a large house.
10 The soul of the wicked desireth evil; his neighbor findeth no favor in his eyes.
11 When the scorner is punished, the simple is made wise; and when the wise is instructed, he receiveth knowledge.
12 The righteous man wisely considereth the house of the wicked, how God overthroweth the wicked for their wickedness.
13 Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall himself cry, but shall not be heard.
14 A gift in secret pacifieth anger, and a bribe in the bosom, strong wrath.
15 It is a joy to the just to do judgment, but destruction shall come to the workers of iniquity.
16 The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding shall remain in the congregation of 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 shall be a ransom for the righteous, and the transgressor for the upright.
19 It is better to dwell in the wilderness than with a contentious and angry woman.
20 There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise, but a foolish man spendeth it up.
21 He that followeth after righteousness and mercy findeth life, righteousness and honor.
22 A wise man scaleth the city of the mighty, and casteth down the strength of their confidence.
23 Whoso guardeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles.
24 Proud and haughty scorner is his name, who dealeth in proud wrath.
25 The desire of the slothful killeth him, for his hands refuse to labor;
26 he coveteth greedily all the day long, but the righteous giveth and spareth not.
27 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination; how much more so when he bringeth it with a wicked mind!
28 A false witness shall perish, but the man that heareth speaketh constantly.
29 A wicked man hardeneth his face, but as for the upright, he considereth his ways.
30 There is no wisdom, nor understanding, nor counsel against the Lord.
31 The horse is prepared for the day of battle, but safety is from the Lord.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 1994 by Deuel Enterprises, Inc.