Proverbs 21-22

Holman Christian Standard Bible

21 A king’s heart is like streams of water in the Lord’s hand:
He directs it wherever He chooses.^(A)

² All a man’s ways seem right to him,
but the Lord evaluates the motives.^[a](B)

³ Doing what is righteous and just
is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.^(C)

⁴ The lamp^[b] that guides the wicked—
haughty eyes and an arrogant heart^(D)—is sin.

⁵ The plans of the diligent certainly lead to profit,
but anyone who is reckless certainly becomes poor.^(E)

⁶ Making a fortune through a lying tongue
is a vanishing mist,^[c] a pursuit of death.^[d][e](F)

⁷ The violence of the wicked sweeps them away
because they refuse to act justly.

⁸ A guilty man’s conduct is crooked,^(G)
but the behavior of the innocent is upright.^(H)

⁹ Better to live on the corner of a roof
than to share a house with a nagging wife.^(I)

¹⁰ A wicked person desires evil;
he has no consideration^[f] for his neighbor.^(J)

¹¹ When a mocker is punished,
the inexperienced become wiser;
when one teaches a wise man,
he acquires knowledge.^(K)

¹² The Righteous One considers the house of the wicked;
He brings the wicked to ruin.

¹³ The one who shuts his ears to the cry of the poor
will himself also call out and not be answered.^(L)

¹⁴ A secret gift soothes anger,
and a covert bribe,^[g] fierce rage.^(M)

¹⁵ Justice executed is a joy to the righteous
but a terror to those who practice iniquity.^(N)

¹⁶ The man who strays from the way of wisdom
will come to rest
in the assembly of the departed spirits.^(O)

¹⁷ The one who loves pleasure will become a poor man;
whoever loves wine and oil will not get rich.^(P)

¹⁸ The wicked are a ransom for the righteous,
and the treacherous, for^[h] the upright.^(Q)

¹⁹ Better to live in a wilderness
than with a nagging and hot-tempered wife.^(R)

²⁰ Precious treasure and oil are in the dwelling of a wise person,
but a foolish man consumes them.^[i](S)

²¹ The one who pursues righteousness and faithful love
will find life, righteousness, and honor.^(T)

²² A wise person went up against a city of warriors
and brought down its secure fortress.^(U)

²³ The one who guards his mouth and tongue
keeps himself out of trouble.^(V)

²⁴ The proud and arrogant person, named “Mocker,”
acts with excessive pride.^(W)

²⁵ A slacker’s craving will kill him
because his hands refuse to work.^(X)
26 He is filled with craving^[j] all day long,
but the righteous give and don’t hold back.^(Y)

²⁷ The sacrifice of a wicked person is detestable—
how much more so
when he brings it with ulterior motives!^(Z)

²⁸ A lying witness will perish,^(AA)
but the one who listens will speak successfully.

²⁹ A wicked man puts on a bold face,^(AB)
but the upright man considers his way.

³⁰ No wisdom, no understanding, and no counsel
will prevail against the Lord.^(AC)

³¹ A horse is prepared for the day of battle,^(AD)
but victory comes from the Lord.^(AE)

22 A good name is to be chosen over great wealth;
favor is better than silver and gold.^(AF)

² The rich and the poor have this in common:^[k]
the Lord made them both.^[l](AG)

³ A sensible person sees danger and takes cover,
but the inexperienced keep going and are punished.^(AH)

⁴ The result of humility is fear of the Lord,
along with wealth, honor, and life.^(AI)

⁵ There are thorns and snares on the path of the crooked;^(AJ)
the one who guards himself stays far from them.

⁶ Teach a youth about the way he should go;^(AK)
even when he is old he will not depart from it.

⁷ The rich rule over the poor,^(AL)
and the borrower is a slave to the lender.^(AM)

⁸ The one who sows injustice will reap disaster,^(AN)
and the rod of his fury will be destroyed.

⁹ A generous person^[m] will be blessed,^(AO)
for he shares his food with the poor.^(AP)

¹⁰ Drive out a mocker,^(AQ) and conflict goes too;
then quarreling and dishonor will cease.^(AR)

¹¹ The one who loves a pure heart
and gracious lips—the king is his friend.^(AS)

¹² The Lord’s eyes keep watch over knowledge,
but He overthrows the words of the treacherous.

¹³ The slacker says, “There’s a lion outside!
I’ll be killed in the public square!”^(AT)

¹⁴ The mouth of the forbidden woman is a deep pit;
a man cursed by the Lord will fall into it.^(AU)

¹⁵ Foolishness is tangled up in the heart of a youth;
the rod of discipline will drive it away from him.^(AV)

¹⁶ Oppressing the poor to enrich oneself,
and giving to the rich—both lead only to poverty.^(AW)

²² Don’t rob a poor man because he is poor,
and don’t crush the oppressed^(BA) at the gate,^(BB)
23 for the Lord will take up their case^(BC)
and will plunder those who plunder them.

²⁴ Don’t make friends with an angry man,^[r]
and don’t be a companion of a hot-tempered man,^(BD)
25 or you will learn his ways^(BE)
and entangle yourself in a snare.

²⁶ Don’t be one of those who enter agreements,^[s]
who put up security for loans.^(BF)
27 If you have no money to pay,
even your bed will be taken from under you.^(BG)

²⁸ Don’t move an ancient boundary marker
that your fathers set up.^(BH)

²⁹ Do you see a man skilled in his work?
He will stand in the presence of kings.
He will not stand in the presence of unknown men.^(BI)