Proverbs 21:12-22:16

English Standard Version

¹² The Righteous One ^(A)observes the house of the wicked;
    he throws the wicked down to ruin.
^13 (B)Whoever closes his ear to the cry of the poor
    will himself call out and not be answered.
^14 (C)A gift in secret averts anger,
    and a concealed bribe,^[a] strong wrath.
¹⁵ When justice is done, it is a joy to the righteous
    ^(D)but terror to evildoers.
¹⁶ One who wanders from the way of good sense
    ^(E)will rest in the assembly of the dead.
¹⁷ Whoever loves pleasure will be a poor man;
    he who loves wine and oil will not be rich.
^18 (F)The wicked is a ^(G)ransom for the righteous,
    and the traitor for the upright.
¹⁹ It is ^(H)better to live in a desert land
    than with a quarrelsome and fretful woman.
^20 (I)Precious treasure and oil are in a wise man's dwelling,
    but a foolish man ^(J)devours it.
²¹ Whoever ^(K)pursues righteousness and kindness
    will find ^(L)life, righteousness, and honor.
^22 (M)A wise man scales the city of the mighty
    and brings down the stronghold in which they trust.
^23 (N)Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue
    ^(O)keeps himself out of ^(P)trouble.
^24 (Q)“Scoffer” is the name of the arrogant, haughty man
    who acts with arrogant pride.
²⁵ The desire of ^(R)the sluggard kills him,
    for his hands refuse to labor.
²⁶ All day long he craves and craves,
    but the righteous ^(S)gives and does not hold back.
^27 (T)The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination;
    how much more ^(U)when he brings it with evil intent.
^28 (V)A false witness will perish,
    but the word of a man who hears will endure.
²⁹ A wicked man puts on a bold face,
    but the upright ^(W)gives thought to^[b] his ways.
^30 (X)No wisdom, no understanding, no counsel
    can avail against the Lord.
^31 (Y)The horse is made ready for the day of battle,
    but ^(Z)the victory belongs to the Lord.
22 ^(AA)A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches,
    and favor is better than silver or gold.
^2 (AB)The rich and the poor meet together;
    the Lord is ^(AC)the Maker of them all.
^3 (AD)The prudent sees danger and hides himself,
    but the simple go on and suffer for it.
⁴ The reward for humility and fear of the Lord
    is ^(AE)riches and honor and life.^[c]
5 (AF)Thorns and snares are in the way of the crooked;
    whoever ^(AG)guards his soul will keep far from them.
^6 (AH)Train up a child in the way he should go;
    even when he is old he will not depart from it.
^7 (AI)The rich rules over the poor,
    and the borrower is the slave of the lender.
⁸ Whoever ^(AJ)sows injustice will reap calamity,
    and ^(AK)the rod of his fury will fail.
^9 (AL)Whoever has a bountiful^[d] eye will be blessed,
    for he ^(AM)shares his bread with the poor.
^10 (AN)Drive out a scoffer, ^(AO)and strife will go out,
    and ^(AP)quarreling and abuse will cease.
¹¹ He who ^(AQ)loves purity of heart,
    and whose ^(AR)speech is gracious, ^(AS)will have the king as his friend.
¹² The eyes of the Lord keep watch over knowledge,
    but he ^(AT)overthrows the words of the traitor.
^13 (AU)The sluggard says, “There is a lion outside!
    I shall be killed in the streets!”
¹⁴ The mouth of ^(AV)forbidden^[e] women is ^(AW)a deep pit;
    ^(AX)he with whom the Lord is angry will fall into it.
¹⁵ Folly is bound up in the heart of a child,
    but ^(AY)the rod of discipline drives it far from him.
¹⁶ Whoever oppresses the poor to increase his own wealth,
    or gives to the rich, ^(AZ)will only come to poverty.