Proverbs 21
Living Bible
21 Just as water is turned into irrigation ditches, so the Lord directs the king’s thoughts. He turns them wherever he wants to.
2 We can justify our every deed, but God looks at our motives.
3 God is more pleased when we are just and fair than when we give him gifts.
4 Pride, lust, and evil actions[a] are all sin.
5 Steady plodding brings prosperity; hasty speculation brings poverty.
6 Dishonest gain will never last, so why take the risk?
7 Because the wicked are unfair, their violence boomerangs and destroys them.
8 A man is known by his actions.[b] An evil man lives an evil life; a good man lives a godly life.
9 It is better to live in the corner of an attic than with a crabby woman in a lovely home.
10 An evil man loves to harm others; being a good neighbor is out of his line.
11 The wise man learns by listening; the simpleton can learn only by seeing scorners punished.
12 God, the Righteous One, knows what is going on in the homes of the wicked and will bring the wicked to judgment.
13 He who shuts his ears to the cries of the poor will be ignored in his own time of need.
14 An angry man is silenced by giving him a gift!
15 A good man loves justice, but it is a calamity to evildoers.
16 The man who strays away from common sense will end up dead!
17 A man who loves pleasure becomes poor; wine and luxury are not the way to riches!
18 The wicked will finally lose; the righteous will finally win.[c]
19 Better to live in the desert than with a quarrelsome, complaining woman.
20 The wise man saves for the future,[d] but the foolish man spends whatever he gets.
21 The man who tries to be good, loving, and kind finds life, righteousness, and honor.
22 The wise man conquers the strong man and levels his defenses.
23 Keep your mouth closed and you’ll stay out of trouble.
24 Mockers are proud, haughty, and arrogant.
25-26 The lazy man longs for many things, but his hands refuse to work. He is greedy to get, while the godly love to give!
27 God loathes the gifts of evil men, especially if they are trying to bribe him!
28 No one believes a liar, but everyone respects the words of an honest man.
29 An evil man is stubborn, but a godly man will reconsider.[e]
30 No one, regardless of how shrewd or well-advised he is, can stand against the Lord.
31 Go ahead and prepare for the conflict,[f] but victory comes from God.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 21:4 evil actions, literally, “the tillage of the wicked.”
- Proverbs 21:8 A man is known by his actions, implied.
- Proverbs 21:18 The wicked will finally lose; the righteous will finally win, literally, “The wicked is a ransom for the righteous.”
- Proverbs 21:20 The wise man saves for the future, literally, “There is precious treasure and oil in the dwelling of the wise.”
- Proverbs 21:29 An evil man is stubborn, but a godly man will reconsider, or “The wicked man is brazen; the godly man is thoughtful.”
- Proverbs 21:31 Go ahead and prepare for the conflict, literally, “The horse is prepared against the day of battle.”
Proverbs 21
Legacy Standard Bible
Salvation Belongs to Yahweh
21 The king’s heart is like channels of water in the hand of Yahweh;
He (A)turns it wherever He pleases.
2 (B)Every man’s way is right in his own eyes,
But Yahweh (C)weighs the hearts.
3 To do (D)righteousness and justice
Is chosen by Yahweh over sacrifice.
4 Haughty eyes and a proud heart—
The (E)fallow ground of the wicked—are sin.
5 The [a]thoughts of the (F)diligent lead surely to profit,
But everyone (G)who is hasty comes surely to poverty.
6 (H)Working for treasures by a lying tongue
Is a fleeting breath, by those who pursue (I)death.
7 The destruction of the wicked will drag them away,
Because they (J)refuse to do justice.
8 The way of a guilty man is (K)perverse,
But as for the pure, his work is upright.
9 It is better to live in a corner of a roof
Than [b]in a house shared with a contentious woman.
10 The soul of the wicked craves evil;
His (L)neighbor finds no favor in his eyes.
11 When the (M)scoffer is punished, the simple becomes wise;
And when one considers wisdom, he receives knowledge.
12 The righteous one considers the house of the wicked,
Turning the (N)wicked to ruin.
13 He who (O)shuts his ear to the outcry of the poor
Will himself also call and not be (P)answered.
14 A (Q)gift in secret subdues anger,
And a bribe in the bosom, strong wrath.
15 To do justice is [c]pleasure for the righteous,
But is (R)ruin to the workers of iniquity.
16 A man who wanders from the way of insight
Will (S)rest in the assembly of the [d]dead.
17 He who (T)loves [e]pleasure will become a poor man;
He who loves wine and oil will not become rich.
18 The wicked is a (U)ransom for the righteous,
And the (V)treacherous is in the place of the upright.
19 (W)It is better to live in a desert land
Than with a contentious and vexing woman.
20 There is desirable (X)treasure and oil in the abode of the wise,
But a foolish man (Y)swallows it up.
21 He who (Z)pursues righteousness and lovingkindness
Finds life, righteousness, and glory.
22 A (AA)wise man goes up to the city of the mighty
And brings down the [f]stronghold in which they trust.
23 He who (AB)keeps his mouth and his tongue,
Keeps his soul from troubles.
24 “Arrogant,” “Haughty,” “(AC)Scoffer,” are his names,
Who acts with (AD)arrogant fury.
25 The (AE)desire of the sluggard puts him to death,
For his hands refuse to work;
26 All day long he [g]is insatiably craving,
While the righteous (AF)gives and does not hold back.
27 The (AG)sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination,
How much more when he brings it with a wicked scheme!
28 A (AH)false witness will perish,
But the man who listens will speak forever.
29 A wicked man [h](AI)displays a brazen face,
But as for the (AJ)upright, he establishes his way.
30 There is (AK)no wisdom, there is no discernment
And there is no counsel against Yahweh.
31 The (AL)horse is set for the day of battle,
But (AM)salvation belongs to Yahweh.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 21:5 Or plans
- Proverbs 21:9 Lit with a woman of contentions and a house of association
- Proverbs 21:15 Lit gladness
- Proverbs 21:16 Lit departed spirits
- Proverbs 21:17 Lit gladness
- Proverbs 21:22 Lit strength of trust
- Proverbs 21:26 Lit desires desire
- Proverbs 21:29 Lit makes firm with his face
Proverbs 21
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 An high look, and a proud heart, and the plowing of the wicked, is sin.
5 The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness; but of every one that is hasty only to want.
6 The getting of treasures by a lying tongue is a vanity tossed to and fro of them that seek death.
7 The robbery 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 wide house.
10 The soul of the wicked desireth evil: his neighbour findeth no favour 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: but God overthroweth the wicked for their wickedness.
13 Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard.
14 A gift in secret pacifieth anger: and a reward in the bosom strong wrath.
15 It is joy to the just to do judgment: but destruction shall be 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 an 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 honour.
22 A wise man scaleth the city of the mighty, and casteth down the strength of the confidence thereof.
23 Whoso keepeth 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 labour.
26 He coveteth greedily all the day long: but the righteous giveth and spareth not.
27 The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination: how much more, 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 directeth his way.
30 There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the Lord.
31 The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the Lord.
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