Proverbs 21
1 The king's heart in the hands of the Lord is like the water streams, and by him it is turned in any direction at his pleasure.
The king’s heart is a waterway in the hand of the LORD; He directs it where He pleases.
2 Every way of a man seems right to himself, but the Lord is the tester of hearts.
All a man’s ways seem right to him, but the LORD weighs the heart.
3 To do what is right and true is more pleasing to the Lord than an offering.
To do righteousness and justice is more desirable to the LORD than sacrifice.
4 A high look and a heart of pride, of the evil-doer is sin.
Haughty eyes and a proud heart— the guides of the wicked—are sin.
5 The purposes of the man of industry have their outcome only in wealth; but one who is over-quick in acting will only come to be in need.
The plans of the diligent bring plenty, as surely as haste leads to poverty.
6 He who gets stores of wealth by a false tongue, is going after what is only breath, and searching for death.
Making a fortune by a lying tongue is a vanishing mist, a deadly pursuit.
7 By their violent acts the evil-doers will be pulled away, because they have no desire to do what is right.
The violence of the wicked will sweep them away because they refuse to do what is just.
8 Twisted is the way of him who is full of crime; but as for him whose heart is clean, his work is upright.
The way of a guilty man is crooked, but the conduct of the innocent is upright.
9 It is better to be living in an angle of the house-top, than with a bitter-tongued woman in a wide house.
Better to live on a corner of the roof than to share a house with a quarrelsome wife.
10 The desire of the evil-doer is fixed on evil: he has no kind feeling for his neighbour.
The soul of the wicked man craves evil; his neighbor finds no favor in his eyes.
11 When the man of pride undergoes punishment, the simple man gets wisdom; and by watching the wise he gets knowledge.
When a mocker is punished, the simple gain wisdom; and when a wise man is instructed, he acquires knowledge.
12 The Upright One, looking on the house of the evil-doer, lets sinners be overturned to their destruction.
The Righteous One considers the house of the wicked and brings the wicked to ruin.
13 He whose ears are stopped at the cry of the poor, will himself get no answer to his cry for help.
Whoever shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too shall cry out and receive no answer.
14 By a secret offering wrath is turned away, and the heat of angry feelings by money in the folds of the robe.
A gift in secret soothes anger, and a covert bribe pacifies great wrath.
15 It is a joy to the good man to do right, but it is destruction to the workers of evil.
Justice executed is a joy to the righteous, but a terror to the workers of iniquity.
16 The wanderer from the way of knowledge will have his resting-place among the shades.
The man who strays from the path of understanding will rest in the assembly of the dead.
17 The lover of pleasure will be a poor man: the lover of wine and oil will not get wealth.
He who loves pleasure will become poor; the one who loves wine and oil will never be rich.
18 The evil-doer will be given as a price for the life of the good man, and the worker of deceit in the place of the upright.
The wicked become a ransom for the righteous, and the faithless for the upright.
19 It is better to be living in a waste land, than with a bitter-tongued and angry woman.
Better to live in the desert than with a contentious and ill-tempered wife.
20 There is a store of great value in the house of the wise, but it is wasted by the foolish man.
Precious treasures and oil are in the dwelling of the wise, but a foolish man consumes them.
21 He who goes after righteousness and mercy will get life, righteousness, and honour.
He who pursues righteousness and loving devotion finds life, righteousness, and honor.
22 A wise man goes up into the town of the strong ones, and overcomes its strength in which they put their faith.
A wise man scales the city of the mighty and pulls down the stronghold in which they trust.
23 He who keeps watch over his mouth and his tongue keeps his soul from troubles.
He who guards his mouth and tongue keeps his soul from distress.
24 The man of pride, lifted up in soul, is named high-hearted; he is acting in an outburst of pride.
Mocker is the name of the proud and arrogant man— of him who acts with excessive pride.
25 The desire of the hater of work is death to him, for his hands will do no work.
The craving of the slacker kills him because his hands refuse to work.
26 All the day the sinner goes after his desire: but the upright man gives freely, keeping nothing back.
All day long he covets more, but the righteous give without restraint.
27 The offering of evil-doers is disgusting: how much more when they give it with an evil purpose!
The sacrifice of the wicked is detestable— how much more so when brought with ill intent!
28 A false witness will be cut off, ...
A lying witness will perish, but the man who listens to truth will speak forever.
29 The evil-doer makes his face hard, but as for the upright, he gives thought to his way.
A wicked man hardens his face, but the upright man makes his way sure.
30 Wisdom and knowledge and wise suggestions are of no use against the Lord.
There is no wisdom, no understanding, no counsel that can prevail against the LORD.
31 The horse is made ready for the day of war, but power to overcome is from the Lord.
A horse is prepared for the day of battle, but victory is of the LORD.
