< Proverbs 21 >

1 The Lord directs the king's decisions like a stream of water that he sends whichever way he wants.
פַּלְגֵי־מַ֣יִם לֶב־מֶ֭לֶךְ בְּיַד־יְהוָ֑ה עַֽל־כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֖ר יַחְפֹּ֣ץ יַטֶּֽנּוּ׃
2 People think that whatever they do is fine, but the Lord looks at their motives.
כָּֽל־דֶּרֶךְ־אִ֭ישׁ יָשָׁ֣ר בְּעֵינָ֑יו וְתֹכֵ֖ן לִבּ֣וֹת יְהוָֽה׃
3 Doing what's right and fair pleases the Lord more than sacrifices.
עֲ֭שֹׂה צְדָקָ֣ה וּמִשְׁפָּ֑ט נִבְחָ֖ר לַיהוָ֣ה מִזָּֽבַח׃
4 Pride and arrogance are the sins the wicked live by.
רוּם־עֵ֭ינַיִם וּרְחַב־לֵ֑ב נִ֖ר רְשָׁעִ֣ים חַטָּֽאת׃
5 Those who plan ahead and work hard will have plenty, while those who act rashly end up poor.
מַחְשְׁב֣וֹת חָ֭רוּץ אַךְ־לְמוֹתָ֑ר וְכָל־אָ֝֗ץ אַךְ־לְמַחְסֽוֹר׃
6 Money made by lies is like smoke in the wind—a chase that ends in death.
פֹּ֣עַל א֭וֹצָרוֹת בִּלְשׁ֣וֹן שָׁ֑קֶר הֶ֥בֶל נִ֝דָּ֗ף מְבַקְשֵׁי־מָֽוֶת׃
7 The destruction caused by the wicked will destroy them, for they refuse to do what's right.
שֹׁד־רְשָׁעִ֥ים יְגוֹרֵ֑ם כִּ֥י מֵ֝אֲנ֗וּ לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת מִשְׁפָּֽט׃
8 Guilty people live crooked lives, but the innocent follow straight paths.
הֲפַכְפַּ֬ךְ דֶּ֣רֶךְ אִ֣ישׁ וָזָ֑ר וְ֝זַ֗ךְ יָשָׁ֥ר פָּעֳלֽוֹ׃
9 It's better to live in a corner of a housetop than to share a whole house with an argumentative wife.
ט֗וֹב לָשֶׁ֥בֶת עַל־פִּנַּת־גָּ֑ג מֵאֵ֥שֶׁת מִ֝דְיָנִ֗ים וּבֵ֥ית חָֽבֶר׃
10 Evil people love to do wrong, they don't care what pain they cause anyone.
נֶ֣פֶשׁ רָ֭שָׁע אִוְּתָה־רָ֑ע לֹא־יֻחַ֖ן בְּעֵינָ֣יו רֵעֵֽהוּ׃
11 When a mocker is punished, an immature person can learn wisdom. When the wise are educated, they gain knowledge.
בַּעְנָשׁ־לֵ֭ץ יֶחְכַּם־פֶּ֑תִי וּבְהַשְׂכִּ֥יל לְ֝חָכָ֗ם יִקַּח־דָּֽעַת׃
12 The God of justice sees what happens in the homes of the wicked, and brings the wicked down in disaster.
מַשְׂכִּ֣יל צַ֭דִּיק לְבֵ֣ית רָשָׁ֑ע מְסַלֵּ֖ף רְשָׁעִ֣ים לָרָֽע׃
13 If you refuse to hear the cries of the poor, your cries won't be heard either.
אֹטֵ֣ם אָ֭זְנוֹ מִזַּעֲקַת־דָּ֑ל גַּֽם־ה֥וּא יִ֝קְרָ֗א וְלֹ֣א יֵעָנֶֽה׃
14 A gift given in secret calms down anger, and a hidden bribe soothes furious rage.
מַתָּ֣ן בַּ֭סֵּתֶר יִכְפֶּה־אָ֑ף וְשֹׁ֥חַד בַּ֝חֵ֗ק חֵמָ֥ה עַזָּֽה׃
15 When justice is done, the good are happy, but it brings terror to those who do evil.
שִׂמְחָ֣ה לַ֭צַּדִּיק עֲשׂ֣וֹת מִשְׁפָּ֑ט וּ֝מְחִתָּ֗ה לְפֹ֣עֲלֵי אָֽוֶן׃
16 Anyone who wanders away from the path of understanding ends up with the dead.
אָדָ֗ם תּ֭וֹעֶה מִדֶּ֣רֶךְ הַשְׂכֵּ֑ל בִּקְהַ֖ל רְפָאִ֣ים יָנֽוּחַ׃
17 If you love pleasure you'll become poor; if you love wine and olive oil you won't ever be rich.
אִ֣ישׁ מַ֭חְסוֹר אֹהֵ֣ב שִׂמְחָ֑ה אֹהֵ֥ב יַֽיִן־וָ֝שֶׁ֗מֶן לֹ֣א יַעֲשִֽׁיר׃
18 The wicked pay the price and not the good; those who are deceitful and not those who live right.
כֹּ֣פֶר לַצַּדִּ֣יק רָשָׁ֑ע וְתַ֖חַת יְשָׁרִ֣ים בּוֹגֵֽד׃
19 It's better to live in a desert than with an argumentative and bad-tempered wife.
ט֗וֹב שֶׁ֥בֶת בְּאֶֽרֶץ־מִדְבָּ֑ר מֵאֵ֖שֶׁת מדונים וָכָֽעַס׃
20 The wise hold on to their wealth and olive oil, but stupid people use up everything they have.
אוֹצָ֤ר ׀ נֶחְמָ֣ד וָ֭שֶׁמֶן בִּנְוֵ֣ה חָכָ֑ם וּכְסִ֖יל אָדָ֣ם יְבַלְּעֶֽנּוּ׃
21 If you pursue goodness and trustworthy love, you'll find life, prosperity, and honor.
רֹ֭דֵף צְדָקָ֣ה וָחָ֑סֶד יִמְצָ֥א חַ֝יִּ֗ים צְדָקָ֥ה וְכָבֽוֹד׃
22 The wise can overcome a city belonging to strong warriors, and tear down the fortress they trusted to protect them.
עִ֣יר גִּ֭בֹּרִים עָלָ֣ה חָכָ֑ם וַ֝יֹּ֗רֶד עֹ֣ז מִבְטֶחָֽה׃
23 If you watch what you say, you can save yourself a lot of trouble.
שֹׁמֵ֣ר פִּ֭יו וּלְשׁוֹנ֑וֹ שֹׁמֵ֖ר מִצָּר֣וֹת נַפְשֽׁוֹ׃
24 A proud, conceited, mocker—that's the name of those who act with insolent arrogance.
זֵ֣ד יָ֭הִיר לֵ֣ץ שְׁמ֑וֹ ע֝וֹשֶׂ֗ה בְּעֶבְרַ֥ת זָדֽוֹן׃
25 Slackers die hungry because they refuse to work.
תַּאֲוַ֣ת עָצֵ֣ל תְּמִיתֶ֑נּוּ כִּֽי־מֵאֲנ֖וּ יָדָ֣יו לַעֲשֽׂוֹת׃
26 Some people only want more and more all the time, but the good give generously.
כָּל־הַ֭יּוֹם הִתְאַוָּ֣ה תַאֲוָ֑ה וְצַדִּ֥יק יִ֝תֵּ֗ן וְלֹ֣א יַחְשֹֽׂךְ׃
27 The sacrifices given by the wicked are obnoxious, worse still when they're offered with evil motives.
זֶ֣בַח רְ֭שָׁעִים תּוֹעֵבָ֑ה אַ֝֗ף כִּֽי־בְזִמָּ֥ה יְבִיאֶֽנּוּ׃
28 The lies of a false witness vanish away, but the words of a reliable witness will stand.
עֵד־כְּזָבִ֥ים יֹאבֵ֑ד וְאִ֥ישׁ שׁ֝וֹמֵ֗עַ לָנֶ֥צַח יְדַבֵּֽר׃
29 The wicked act as bold as brass, but those who live right consider carefully what they're doing.
הֵעֵ֬ז אִ֣ישׁ רָשָׁ֣ע בְּפָנָ֑יו וְ֝יָשָׁ֗ר ה֤וּא ׀ יכין דרכיו׃
30 Whatever wisdom, understanding, or guidance you may have is nothing before the Lord.
אֵ֣ין חָ֭כְמָה וְאֵ֣ין תְּבוּנָ֑ה וְאֵ֥ין עֵ֝צָ֗ה לְנֶ֣גֶד יְהוָֽה׃ פ
31 You can get your horse ready for battle, but the victory is the Lord's.
ס֗וּס מ֭וּכָן לְי֣וֹם מִלְחָמָ֑ה וְ֝לַֽיהוָ֗ה הַתְּשׁוּעָֽה׃

< Proverbs 21 >