Proverbs 21-23

New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition

21 The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord;
    he turns it wherever he will.
² All deeds are right in the sight of the doer,
    but the Lord weighs the heart.^(A)
3 To do righteousness and justice
    is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.^(B)
4 Haughty eyes and a proud heart—
    the lamp of the wicked—are sin.^(C)
5 The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance,
    but everyone who is hasty comes only to want.^(D)
6 The getting of treasures by a lying tongue
    is a fleeting vapor and a snare^[a] of death.^(E)
7 The violence of the wicked will sweep them away
    because they refuse to do what is just.^(F)
8 The way of the guilty is crooked,
    but the conduct of the pure is right.
⁹ It is better to live in a corner of the housetop
    than in a house shared with a contentious wife.^(G)
10 The souls of the wicked desire evil;
    their neighbors find no mercy in their eyes.^(H)
11 When a scoffer is punished, the simple become wiser;
    when the wise are instructed, they increase in knowledge.^(I)
12 The Righteous One observes the house of the wicked;
    he casts the wicked down to ruin.^(J)
13 If you close your ear to the cry of the poor,
    you will cry out and not be heard.^(K)
14 A gift in secret averts anger,
    and a concealed bribe, strong wrath.^(L)
15 When justice is done, it is a joy to the righteous
    but dismay to evildoers.
¹⁶ Whoever wanders from the way of understanding
    will rest in the assembly of the dead.^(M)
17 Whoever loves pleasure will suffer want;
    whoever loves wine and oil will not be rich.
¹⁸ The wicked is a ransom for the righteous
    and the faithless for the upright.^(N)
19 It is better to live in a desert land
    than with a contentious and fretful wife.
²⁰ Precious treasure remains^[b] in the house of the wise,
    but the fool devours it.^(O)
21 Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness
    will find life^[c] and honor.^(P)
22 One wise person went up against a city of warriors
    and brought down the stronghold in which they trusted.^(Q)
23 To watch over mouth and tongue
    is to keep out of trouble.^(R)
24 The proud, haughty person, named Scoffer,
    acts with arrogant pride.^(S)
25 The craving of the lazy person is fatal,
    for lazy hands refuse to labor.^(T)
26 All day long the wicked covet,^[d]
    but the righteous give and do not hold back.^(U)
27 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination;
    how much more when brought with evil intent.^(V)
28 A false witness will perish,
    but a good listener will testify successfully.
²⁹ The wicked put on a bold face,
    but the upright give thought to^[e] their ways.^(W)
30 No wisdom, no understanding, no counsel
    can avail against the Lord.^(X)
31 The horse is made ready for the day of battle,
    but the victory belongs to the Lord.^(Y)

22 A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches,
    and favor is better than silver or gold.^(Z)
2 The rich and the poor have this in common:
    the Lord is the maker of them all.
³ The clever see danger and hide,
    but the simple go on and suffer for it.
⁴ The reward for humility and fear of the Lord
    is riches and honor and life.
⁵ Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse;
    the cautious will keep far from them.^(AA)
6 Train children in the right way,
    and when old, they will not stray.^(AB)
7 The rich rule over the poor,
    and the borrower is the slave of the lender.^(AC)
8 Whoever sows injustice will reap calamity,
    and the rod of anger will fail.^(AD)
9 Those who are generous are blessed,
    for they share their bread with the poor.^(AE)
10 Drive out a scoffer, and strife goes out;
    quarreling and abuse will cease.^(AF)
11 Those who love a pure heart and are gracious in speech
    will have the king as a friend.^(AG)
12 The eyes of the Lord keep watch over knowledge,
    but he overthrows the words of the faithless.^(AH)
13 The lazy person says, “There is a lion outside!
    I shall be killed in the streets!”^(AI)
14 The mouth of a loose woman^[f] is a deep pit;
    he with whom the Lord is angry falls into it.
¹⁵ Folly is bound up in the heart of a child,
    but the rod of discipline drives it far away.^(AJ)
16 Oppressing the poor in order to enrich oneself,
    and giving to the rich, will lead only to loss.

Incline your ear and hear my words^[g]
    and apply your mind to my teaching,
¹⁸ for it will be pleasant if you keep them within you,
    if all of them are ready on your lips.
¹⁹ So that your trust may be in the Lord,
    I have made them known to you today, yes, to you.^(AK)
20 Have I not written for you thirty^[h] sayings
    of admonition and knowledge,^(AL)
21 to show you what is right and true,
    so that you may give a true answer to those who sent you?^(AM)

²² Do not rob the poor because they are poor
    or crush the afflicted at the gate,^(AN)
23 for the Lord pleads their cause
    and despoils of life those who despoil them.^(AO)
24 Make no friends with those given to anger,
    and do not associate with hotheads,
²⁵ lest you learn their ways
    and entangle yourself in a snare.
²⁶ Do not be one of those who give pledges,
    who become surety for debts.^(AP)
27 If you have nothing with which to pay,
    why should your bed be taken from under you?
²⁸ Do not remove the ancient landmark
    that your ancestors set up.^(AQ)
29 Do you see those who are skillful in their work?
    They will serve kings;
    they will not serve common people.^(AR)

23 When you sit down to eat with an official,
    observe carefully what^[i] is before you,
² and put a knife to your throat
    if you have a big appetite.
³ Do not desire an official’s^[j] delicacies,
    for they are deceptive food.^(AS)
4 Do not wear yourself out to get rich;
    be wise enough to desist.^(AT)
5 When your eyes light upon it, it is gone,
    for suddenly it takes wings to itself,
    flying like an eagle toward heaven.
⁶ Do not eat the bread of the stingy;
    do not desire their delicacies,^(AU)
7 for like a hair in the throat, so are they.^[k]
    “Eat and drink!” they say to you,
    but they do not mean it.^(AV)
8 You will vomit up the little you have eaten,
    and you will waste your pleasant words.
⁹ Do not speak in the hearing of a fool,
    who will only despise the wisdom of your words.^(AW)
10 Do not remove an ancient landmark
    or encroach on the fields of orphans,^(AX)
11 for their vindicator^[l] is strong;
    he will plead their cause against you.^(AY)
12 Apply your mind to instruction
    and your ear to words of knowledge.^(AZ)
13 Do not withhold discipline from your children;
    if you beat them with a rod, they will not die.^(BA)
14 If you beat them with the rod,
    you will save their lives from Sheol.
¹⁵ My child, if your heart is wise,
    my heart also will be glad.
¹⁶ My soul will rejoice
    when your lips speak what is right.
¹⁷ Do not let your heart envy sinners,
    but always continue in the fear of the Lord.^(BB)
18 Surely there is a future,
    and your hope will not be cut off.

¹⁹ Hear, my child, and be wise,
    and direct your mind in the way.
²⁰ Do not be among winebibbers
    or among gluttonous eaters of meat,^(BC)
21 for the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty,
    and drowsiness will clothe them with rags.^(BD)

²² Listen to your father who begot you,
    and do not despise your mother when she is old.^(BE)
23 Buy truth, and do not sell it;
    buy wisdom, instruction, and understanding.^(BF)
24 The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice;
    he who fathers a wise son will be glad in him.^(BG)
25 Let your father and mother be glad;
    let her who bore you rejoice.

²⁶ My child, give me your heart,
    and let your eyes observe^[m] my ways.^(BH)
27 For a prostitute is a deep pit;
    an adulteress^[n] is a narrow well.^(BI)
28 She lies in wait like a robber
    and increases the number of the faithless.^(BJ)

²⁹ Who has woe? Who has sorrow?
    Who has strife? Who has complaining?
Who has wounds without cause?
    Who has redness of eyes?^(BK)
30 Those who linger late over wine,
    those who keep trying mixed wines.^(BL)
31 Do not look at wine when it is red,
    when it sparkles in the cup
    and goes down smoothly.
³² At the last it bites like a serpent
    and stings like an adder.
³³ Your eyes will see strange things,
    and your mind utter perverse things.^(BM)
34 You will be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea,
    like one who lies on the top of a mast.^[o]
35 “They struck me,” you will say,^[p] “but I was not hurt;
    they beat me, but I did not feel it.
When shall I awake?
    I will seek another drink.”^(BN)