Proverbs 21
International Children’s Bible
21 The Lord can control a king’s mind as easily as he controls a river.
He can direct it as he pleases.
2 A person may believe he is doing right.
But the Lord judges his reasons.
3 Do what is right and fair.
That is more important to the Lord than animal sacrifices.
4 Proud looks, proud thoughts
and evil actions are sin.
5 Those who plan and work hard earn a profit.
But those who act too quickly become poor.
6 Wealth that comes from telling lies
vanishes like a mist and leads to death.
7 The violence of the wicked will destroy them
because they refuse to do what is right.
8 Guilty people live dishonest lives.
But honest people do what is right.
9 It is better to live in a corner on the roof[a]
than inside the house with a quarreling wife.
10 An evil person only wants to harm others.
His neighbor will get no mercy from him.
11 Punish a person who makes fun of wisdom, and he will become wise.
But just teach a wise person, and he will get knowledge.
12 God, who is always right, sees the house of the wicked.
And he brings about the ruin of every evil person.
13 If you ignore the poor when they cry for help,
you also will cry for help and not be answered.
14 A gift given secretly will calm an angry man.
A present given in secrecy will calm even great anger.
15 When things are done fairly, good people are happy,
but evil people are frightened.
16 A person who does not use understanding
will join the dead.
17 Whoever loves pleasure will become poor.
Whoever loves wine and rich food will never be wealthy.
18 Wicked people will suffer instead of good people.
And those who cannot be trusted will suffer instead of those who can.
19 It is better to live alone in the desert
than with a quarreling and complaining wife.
20 Wise people store up the best foods and olive oil.
But a foolish person eats up everything he has.
21 A person who tries to live right and be loyal
finds life, success and honor.
22 A wise person can defeat a city full of strong men.
He can tear down the defenses they trust.
23 A person who is careful about what he says
keeps himself out of trouble.
24 People who act with stubborn pride
are called “proud” and “bragger.”
25 The lazy person’s desire for sleep will kill him
because he refuses to work.
26 All day long the lazy person wishes for more.
But the good person gives without holding back.
27 The Lord hates sacrifices made by evil people,
particularly when they make them for the wrong reasons.
28 The words of a lying witness will die.
But the words of an obedient man will always be remembered.
29 A wicked person is stubborn.
But an honest person thinks carefully about what he does.
30 There is no wisdom, understanding or advice
that can succeed against the Lord.
31 You can get the horses ready for battle.
But it is the Lord who gives the victory.
Footnotes
- 21:9 roof In Bible times houses were built with flat roofs. The roof was used for drying things such as flax and fruit. And it was used as an extra room, as a place for worship and as a place to sleep in the summer.
Proverbs 21
English Standard Version
21 The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord;
he (A)turns it wherever he will.
2 (B)Every way of a man is right in his own eyes,
but the Lord (C)weighs the heart.
3 (D)To do righteousness and justice
is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.
4 (E)Haughty eyes and a proud heart,
(F)the lamp[a] of the wicked, are sin.
5 The plans of (G)the diligent lead surely to abundance,
but everyone who is (H)hasty comes (I)only to poverty.
6 (J)The getting of treasures by a lying tongue
is a (K)fleeting (L)vapor and a (M)snare of death.[b]
7 The violence of the wicked will (N)sweep them away,
because they refuse to do what is just.
8 The way of the guilty (O)is crooked,
but the conduct of the pure is upright.
9 It is (P)better to live in a corner of the housetop
than in a house shared with a quarrelsome wife.
10 The soul of the wicked desires evil;
his neighbor finds no mercy in his eyes.
11 When (Q)a scoffer is punished, the simple becomes wise;
when a wise man is instructed, he gains knowledge.
12 The Righteous One (R)observes the house of the wicked;
he throws the wicked down to ruin.
13 (S)Whoever closes his ear to the cry of the poor
will himself call out and not be answered.
14 (T)A gift in secret averts anger,
and a concealed bribe,[c] strong wrath.
15 When justice is done, it is a joy to the righteous
(U)but terror to evildoers.
16 One who wanders from the way of good sense
(V)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 (W)The wicked is a (X)ransom for the righteous,
and the traitor for the upright.
19 It is (Y)better to live in a desert land
than with a quarrelsome and fretful woman.
20 (Z)Precious treasure and oil are in a wise man's dwelling,
but a foolish man (AA)devours it.
21 Whoever (AB)pursues righteousness and kindness
will find (AC)life, righteousness, and honor.
22 (AD)A wise man scales the city of the mighty
and brings down the stronghold in which they trust.
23 (AE)Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue
(AF)keeps himself out of (AG)trouble.
24 (AH)“Scoffer” is the name of the arrogant, haughty man
who acts with arrogant pride.
25 The desire of (AI)the sluggard kills him,
for his hands refuse to labor.
26 All day long he craves and craves,
but the righteous (AJ)gives and does not hold back.
27 (AK)The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination;
how much more (AL)when he brings it with evil intent.
28 (AM)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 (AN)gives thought to[d] his ways.
30 (AO)No wisdom, no understanding, no counsel
can avail against the Lord.
31 (AP)The horse is made ready for the day of battle,
but (AQ)the victory belongs to the Lord.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 21:4 Or the plowing
- Proverbs 21:6 Some Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint, Latin; most Hebrew manuscripts vapor for those who seek death
- Proverbs 21:14 Hebrew a bribe in the bosom
- Proverbs 21:29 Or establishes
The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
