Proverbs 21
Names of God Bible
The Lord Controls Wise and Foolish People
21 The king’s heart is like streams of water.
Both are under Yahweh’s control.
He turns them in any direction he chooses.
2 A person thinks everything he does is right,
but Yahweh weighs hearts.
3 Doing what is right and fair
is more acceptable to Yahweh than offering a sacrifice.
4 A conceited look and an arrogant attitude,
which are the lamps of wicked people, are sins.
5 The plans of a hard-working person lead to prosperity,
but everyone who is always in a hurry ends up in poverty.
6 Those who gather wealth by lying are wasting time.
They are looking for death.
7 The violence of wicked people will drag them away
since they refuse to do what is just.
8 The way of a guilty person is crooked,
but the behavior of those who are pure is moral.[a]
9 Better to live on a corner of a roof
than to share a home with a quarreling woman.
10 The mind of a wicked person desires evil
and has no consideration for his neighbor.
11 When a mocker is punished, a gullible person becomes wise,
and when a wise person is instructed, he gains knowledge.
12 A righteous person wisely considers the house of a wicked person.
He throws wicked people into disasters.
13 Whoever shuts his ear to the cry of the poor will call and not be answered.
14 A gift given in secret calms anger,
and a secret bribe calms great fury.
15 When justice is done, a righteous person is delighted,
but troublemakers are terrified.
16 A person who wanders from the way of wise behavior
will rest in the assembly of the dead.
17 Whoever loves pleasure will become poor.
Whoever loves wine and expensive food will not become rich.
18 Wicked people become a ransom for righteous people,
and treacherous people will take the place of decent people.
19 Better to live in a desert
than with a quarreling and angry woman.
20 Costly treasure and wealth are in the home of a wise person,
but a fool devours them.
21 Whoever pursues righteousness and mercy
will find life, righteousness, and honor.
22 A wise man attacks a city of warriors
and pulls down the strong defenses in which they trust.
23 Whoever guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself out of trouble.
24 An arrogant, conceited person is called a mocker.
His arrogance knows no limits.
25 The desire of a lazy person will kill him
because his hands refuse to work.
26 All day long he feels greedy,
but a righteous person gives and does not hold back.
27 The sacrifice of wicked people is disgusting,
especially if they bring it with evil intent.
28 A lying witness will die,
but a person who listens to advice will continue to speak.
29 A wicked person puts up a bold front,
but a decent person’s way of life is his own security.
30 No wisdom, no understanding, and no advice
can stand up against Yahweh.
31 The horse is made ready for the day of battle,
but the victory belongs to Yahweh.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 21:8 Hebrew meaning of this verse uncertain.
Proverbs 21
Amplified Bible, Classic Edition
21 The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, as are the watercourses; He turns it whichever way He wills.
2 Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs and tries the hearts.(A)
3 To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.(B)
4 Haughtiness of eyes and a proud heart, even the tillage of the wicked or the lamp [of joy] to them [whatever it may be], are sin [in the eyes of God].
5 The thoughts of the [steadily] diligent tend only to plenteousness, but everyone who is impatient and hasty hastens only to want.
6 Securing treasures by a lying tongue is a vapor driven to and fro; those who seek them seek death.
7 The violence of the wicked shall sweep them away, because they refuse to do justice.
8 The way of the guilty is exceedingly crooked, but as for the pure, his work is right and his conduct is straight.
9 It is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop [on the flat oriental roof, exposed to all kinds of weather] than in a house shared with a nagging, quarrelsome, and faultfinding woman.
10 The soul or life of the wicked craves and seeks evil; his neighbor finds no favor in his eyes.(C)
11 When the scoffer is punished, the fool gets a lesson in being wise; but men of [godly] Wisdom and good sense learn by being instructed.
12 The [uncompromisingly] righteous man considers well the house of the wicked—how the wicked are cast down to ruin.
13 Whoever stops his ears at the cry of the poor will cry out himself and not be heard.(D)
14 A gift in secret pacifies and turns away anger, and a bribe in the lap, strong wrath.
15 When justice is done, it is a joy to the righteous (the upright, in right standing with God), but to the evildoers it is dismay, calamity, and ruin.
16 A man who wanders out of the way of understanding shall abide in the congregation of the spirits (of the dead).
17 He who loves pleasure will be a poor man; he who loves wine and oil will not be rich.
18 The wicked become a ransom for the [uncompromisingly] righteous, and the treacherous for the upright [because the wicked themselves fall into the traps and pits they have dug for the good].
19 It is better to dwell in a desert land than with a contentious woman and with vexation.
20 There are precious treasures and oil in the dwelling of the wise, but a self-confident and foolish man swallows it up and wastes it.
21 He who earnestly seeks after and craves righteousness, mercy, and loving-kindness will find life in addition to righteousness (uprightness and right standing with God) and honor.(E)
22 A wise man scales the city walls of the mighty and brings down the stronghold in which they trust.
23 He who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself from troubles.(F)
24 The proud and haughty man—Scoffer is his name—deals and acts with overbearing pride.
25 The desire of the slothful kills him, for his hands refuse to labor.
26 He covets greedily all the day long, but the [uncompromisingly] righteous gives and does not withhold.(G)
27 The sacrifice of the wicked is exceedingly disgusting and abhorrent [to the Lord]—how much more when he brings it with evil intention?
28 A false witness will perish, but the word of a man who hears attentively will endure and go unchallenged.
29 A wicked man puts on the bold, unfeeling face [of guilt], but as for the upright, he considers, directs, and establishes his way [with the confidence of integrity].
30 There is no [human] wisdom or understanding or counsel [that can prevail] against the Lord.
31 The horse is prepared for the day of battle, but deliverance and victory are of the Lord.
The Names of God Bible (without notes) © 2011 by Baker Publishing Group.
Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation
