Proverbs 21
1 The king’s heart is a waterway in the hand of the LORD; He directs it where He pleases.
Yahweh controls what kings do [MTY] [like] he controls how streams flow; he causes kings to do just what he wants them to do.
2 All a man’s ways seem right to him, but the LORD weighs the heart.
People always think that what they do is right, but Yahweh judges our (motives/reasons [for doing things)] [MTY].
3 To do righteousness and justice is more desirable to the LORD than sacrifice.
Doing what is right and fair is more acceptable to Yahweh than [bringing] sacrifices [to him].
4 Haughty eyes and a proud heart— the guides of the wicked—are sin.
Being proud and arrogant [DOU] is [like] a lamp [MTY] [that guides] wicked people; being proud and arrogant characterizes (wicked people’s whole behavior/everything that wicked people do).
5 The plans of the diligent bring plenty, as surely as haste leads to poverty.
People who plan carefully will surely have plenty [of what they need]; those who act too quickly [to become rich] will become poor.
6 Making a fortune by a lying tongue is a vanishing mist, a deadly pursuit.
Money that people acquire [by cheating others] by lying [MTY] to them will soon disappear [like] a mist, and doing that will [soon] lead to their death.
7 The violence of the wicked will sweep them away because they refuse to do what is just.
Wicked [people] refuse to do what is right/just, but they will be ruined because of the violent things [PRS] that they do.
8 The way of a guilty man is crooked, but the conduct of the innocent is upright.
Guilty [people continually do what is evil; it is as though] [MET] they are walking on a crooked road; but righteous/innocent people [always] do what is right.
9 Better to live on a corner of the roof than to share a house with a quarrelsome wife.
It is better to live in the corner of an attic/housetop [by yourself] than to live inside the house with a wife who is always nagging.
10 The soul of the wicked man craves evil; his neighbor finds no favor in his eyes.
Wicked [people] [SYN] are always wanting [to do what is] evil; they never act mercifully toward anyone.
11 When a mocker is punished, the simple gain wisdom; and when a wise man is instructed, he acquires knowledge.
When those who ridicule [others] are punished, [even] those who do not have good sense [see that, and] they become wise, and when those who are wise are taught, they become wiser.
12 The Righteous One considers the house of the wicked and brings the wicked to ruin.
[God], the one [who is completely] righteous, knows [what happens inside] the houses of wicked [people], and [he will cause] those people to be completely ruined/destroyed.
13 Whoever shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too shall cry out and receive no answer.
There are people who refuse to listen when poor people cry out [for help]; [but some day] they themselves will cry out [for help], and no one will hear them.
14 A gift in secret soothes anger, and a covert bribe pacifies great wrath.
When someone is angry [with you], if you secretly give him a gift, he will stop being angry.
15 Justice executed is a joy to the righteous, but a terror to the workers of iniquity.
Good/Righteous [people] are happy when they [see others do] what is just/fair, but those who do what is evil are terrified [when they think about what may happen to them].
16 The man who strays from the path of understanding will rest in the assembly of the dead.
Those who stop behaving like those who have good sense behave will [soon] discover that they have gone to the place where dead people are.
17 He who loves pleasure will become poor; the one who loves wine and oil will never be rich.
Those who spend their money to buy (things that give them pleasure/things that cause them to feel happy) will become poor; those who love [to spend money to buy] wine and nice/fancy food [MTY] will never become rich.
18 The wicked become a ransom for the righteous, and the faithless for the upright.
Wicked [people] bring on themselves the sufferings that they were trying to cause righteous [people] to experience [DOU].
19 Better to live in the desert than with a contentious and ill-tempered wife.
It is better to live [alone] in a desert than [to live] with a wife who is [always] nagging and complaining.
20 Precious treasures and oil are in the dwelling of the wise, but a foolish man consumes them.
Wise people have many valuable things in their houses, but foolish people [quickly] spend/waste [all their money].
21 He who pursues righteousness and loving devotion finds life, righteousness, and honor.
Those who [always] try to act in a fair and kind way [toward others] will live [a long time] and be honored/respected.
22 A wise man scales the city of the mighty and pulls down the stronghold in which they trust.
A wise army commander [helps his troops] climb over a wall [to attack] a city that is defended by a strong army, with the result that they are able to (get over/destroy) the high walls that their enemies trusted [would protect them].
23 He who guards his mouth and tongue keeps his soul from distress.
Those who are very careful about what they say [MTY] are [able to] avoid trouble.
24 Mocker is the name of the proud and arrogant man— of him who acts with excessive pride.
Those who make fun of [everything that is good] are proud and conceited [DOU]; they [always] act in an inconsiderate way [toward others].
25 The craving of the slacker kills him because his hands refuse to work.
Lazy people, who refuse to work, [will] die [of hunger] because they [SYN] do not earn [money to buy food].
26 All day long he covets more, but the righteous give without restraint.
All during the day [wicked people] desire to obtain things, but righteous [people] have plenty, [with the result that] they [are able to] give things generously to others.
27 The sacrifice of the wicked is detestable— how much more so when brought with ill intent!
[Yahweh] detests the sacrifices that wicked [people] offer [to him]; [but he] detests it even more when they [think that they will escape being punished for] their evil deeds because of the sacrifices that they bring.
28 A lying witness will perish, but the man who listens to truth will speak forever.
Those who tell lies in court will be punished; no one stops/silences witnesses who say what is truthful/reliable.
29 A wicked man hardens his face, but the upright man makes his way sure.
Wicked people pretend [that they know everything], but righteous people think carefully about [what will happen because of] what they do.
30 There is no wisdom, no understanding, no counsel that can prevail against the LORD.
[Thinking that we are] wise, and that we understand many things, and that we have good insight, does not help us if Yahweh is (acting against/not pleased with) us.
31 A horse is prepared for the day of battle, but victory is of the LORD.
We [can] get horses ready to fight in a battle, but Yahweh is the one who enables us to (win victories/defeat our enemies).
