Proverbs 21
New King James Version
The Lord Considers the Heart
21 The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord,
Like the [a]rivers of water;
He turns it wherever He wishes.
3 (C)To do righteousness and justice
Is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.
5 (E)The plans of the diligent lead surely to plenty,
But those of everyone who is hasty, surely to poverty.
7 The violence of the wicked will [d]destroy them,
Because they refuse to do justice.
8 The way of [e]a guilty man is perverse;
But as for the pure, his work is right.
9 Better to dwell in a corner of a housetop,
Than in a house shared with (G)a contentious woman.
10 (H)The soul of the wicked desires evil;
His neighbor finds no favor in his eyes.
11 When the scoffer is punished, the simple is made wise;
But when the (I)wise is instructed, he receives knowledge.
12 The righteous God wisely considers the house of the wicked,
Overthrowing the wicked for their wickedness.
13 (J)Whoever shuts his ears to the cry of the poor
Will also cry himself and not be heard.
14 A gift in secret pacifies anger,
And a bribe [f]behind the back, strong wrath.
15 It is a joy for the just to do justice,
But destruction will come to the workers of iniquity.
16 A man who wanders from the way of understanding
Will rest in the assembly of the (K)dead.
17 He who loves pleasure will be a poor man;
He who loves wine and oil will not be rich.
18 The wicked shall be a ransom for the righteous,
And the unfaithful for the upright.
19 Better to dwell [g]in the wilderness,
Than with a contentious and angry woman.
20 (L)There is desirable treasure,
And oil in the dwelling of the wise,
But a foolish man squanders it.
21 (M)He who follows righteousness and mercy
Finds life, righteousness, and honor.
23 (O)Whoever guards his mouth and tongue
Keeps his soul from troubles.
24 A proud and haughty man—“Scoffer” is his name;
He acts with arrogant pride.
25 The (P)desire of the lazy man kills him,
For his hands refuse to labor.
26 He covets greedily all day long,
But the righteous (Q)gives and does not spare.
27 (R)The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination;
How much more when he brings it with wicked intent!
28 A false witness shall perish,
But the man who hears him will speak endlessly.
29 A wicked man hardens his face,
But as for the upright, he [i]establishes his way.
30 (S)There is no wisdom or understanding
Or counsel against the Lord.
31 The horse is prepared for the day of battle,
But (T)deliverance is of the Lord.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 21:1 channels
- Proverbs 21:4 Or lamp
- Proverbs 21:6 LXX Pursue vanity on the snares of death; Vg. Is vain and foolish, and shall stumble on the snares of death; Tg. They shall be destroyed, and they shall fall who seek death
- Proverbs 21:7 Lit. drag them away
- Proverbs 21:8 Or The way of a man is perverse and strange;
- Proverbs 21:14 Under cover, lit. in the bosom
- Proverbs 21:19 Lit. in the land of the desert
- Proverbs 21:22 Climbs over the walls of
- Proverbs 21:29 Qr., LXX understands
Proverbs 21
Complete Jewish Bible
21 The king’s heart in Adonai’s hand is like streams of water —
he directs it wherever he pleases.
2 All a person’s ways are right in his own view,
but Adonai weighs the heart.
3 To do what is right and just
is more pleasing to Adonai than sacrifice.
4 Haughty looks, a proud heart —
what the wicked plow is sin.
5 The plans of the diligent lead only to abundance;
but all who rush in arrive only at want.
6 A fortune gained by a lying tongue
is vapor dispersed [by] seekers of death.
7 The violence of the wicked will sweep them away,
because they refuse to act justly.
8 A criminal’s conduct is crooked,
but the work of the pure is right.
9 It is better to live on a corner of the roof
than to share the house with a nagging wife.
10 The wicked is set on evil;
he doesn’t pity even his neighbor.
11 When a scorner is punished, the simple become wiser;
and when the wise is instructed, he takes hold of knowledge.
12 The Righteous One observes the house of the wicked;
he overthrows the wicked to their ruin.
13 Whoever stops up his ears at the cry of the poor
will himself cry, but not be answered.
14 A secret gift allays anger,
and a bribe under the cloak the strongest fury.
15 Acting justly is a joy for the righteous
but it terrifies evildoers.
16 The person who strays from the way of common sense
will come to rest in the company of the dead.
17 Pleasure-lovers will suffer want;
he who loves wine and oil won’t get rich.
18 The wicked serve as a ransom for the righteous,
and likewise the perfidious for the upright.
19 It is better to live in the desert
than with a nagging, irritable wife.
20 In the home of the wise are fine treasures and oil,
but a fool quickly devours it.
21 He who pursues righteousness and kindness
finds life, prosperity and honor.
22 A wise man can go up into a city of warriors
and undermine the strength in which it trusts.
23 Whoever guards his mouth and tongue
keeps himself out of trouble.
24 “Scoffer” is what you call a proud, insolent person
who acts with overweening conceit.
25 A lazy man’s craving will kill him,
because his hands refuse to work —
26 he covets greedily all day long;
but a righteous person gives without holding back.
27 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination;
how much more when he brings it with vile motives.
28 A lying witness is doomed,
but one who heard [what was said] will testify successfully.
29 A wicked man puts on a bold face,
whereas the upright prepares his ways.
30 No wisdom, discernment or counsel
succeeds against Adonai.
31 A horse may be prepared for the day of battle,
but victory comes from Adonai.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 1998 by David H. Stern. All rights reserved.