Proverbs 21
1 Yahweh controls what kings do [MTY] [like] he controls how streams flow; he causes kings to do just what he wants them to do.
Kongens hjerte er som bekker i Herrens hånd, han bøier det dit han vil.
2 People always think that what they do is right, but Yahweh judges our (motives/reasons [for doing things)] [MTY].
Alle en manns veier er rette i hans egne øine, men Herren veier hjertene.
3 Doing what is right and fair is more acceptable to Yahweh than [bringing] sacrifices [to him].
Å gjøre rett og skjel er mere verdt for Herren enn offer.
4 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).
Stolte øine og overmodig hjerte - de ugudeliges lampe blir dem til synd.
5 People who plan carefully will surely have plenty [of what they need]; those who act too quickly [to become rich] will become poor.
Den flittiges tanker fører bare til vinning, men hastverk bare til tap.
6 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.
Rikdom som vinnes ved svikefull tunge, er et pust som blir borte i luften, og den fører til døden.
7 Wicked [people] refuse to do what is right/just, but they will be ruined because of the violent things [PRS] that they do.
De ugudeliges vold skal rykke dem selv bort, fordi de ikke vilde gjøre det som rett er.
8 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.
Skyldtynget manns vei er kroket, men den renes ferd er ærlig.
9 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.
Bedre å bo i et hjørne på taket enn med trettekjær kvinne i felles hus.
10 Wicked [people] [SYN] are always wanting [to do what is] evil; they never act mercifully toward anyone.
Den ugudeliges sjel har lyst til det onde; hans næste finner ikke barmhjertighet hos ham.
11 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.
Når du straffer en spotter, blir den uforstandige vis, og når du lærer en vis, tar han imot kunnskap.
12 [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.
Den Rettferdige gir akt på den ugudeliges hus; han styrter de ugudelige i ulykke.
13 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.
Den som lukker sitt øre for den fattiges skrik, han skal selv rope, men ikke få svar.
14 When someone is angry [with you], if you secretly give him a gift, he will stop being angry.
En gave i lønndom stiller vrede, og en hemmelig foræring stiller stor harme.
15 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].
Det er en glede for den rettferdige å gjøre rett, men en redsel for dem som gjør urett.
16 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.
Det menneske som forviller sig fra klokskaps vei, skal havne blandt dødningene.
17 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.
Fattig blir den som elsker glade dager; den som elsker vin og olje, blir ikke rik.
18 Wicked [people] bring on themselves the sufferings that they were trying to cause righteous [people] to experience [DOU].
Den ugudelige blir løsepenge for den rettferdige, og den troløse kommer i de opriktiges sted.
19 It is better to live [alone] in a desert than [to live] with a wife who is [always] nagging and complaining.
Bedre å bo i et øde land enn hos en arg og trettekjær kvinne.
20 Wise people have many valuable things in their houses, but foolish people [quickly] spend/waste [all their money].
Kostelige skatter og olje er det i den vises hus, men dåren gjør ende på det.
21 Those who [always] try to act in a fair and kind way [toward others] will live [a long time] and be honored/respected.
Den som jager efter rettferdighet og miskunnhet, han skal finne liv, rettferdighet og ære.
22 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].
Den vise inntar de veldiges by og river ned det vern som den satte sin lit til.
23 Those who are very careful about what they say [MTY] are [able to] avoid trouble.
Den som varer sin munn og sin tunge, frir sitt liv fra trengsler.
24 Those who make fun of [everything that is good] are proud and conceited [DOU]; they [always] act in an inconsiderate way [toward others].
Den som er overmodig og opblåst, kalles en spotter; han farer frem i ustyrlig overmot.
25 Lazy people, who refuse to work, [will] die [of hunger] because they [SYN] do not earn [money to buy food].
Den lates attrå dreper ham, fordi hans hender nekter å arbeide.
26 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.
Hele dagen attrår og attrår han, men den rettferdige gir og sparer ikke.
27 [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.
De ugudeliges offer er en vederstyggelighet, og enda mere når de bærer det frem og har ondt i sinne!
28 Those who tell lies in court will be punished; no one stops/silences witnesses who say what is truthful/reliable.
Et løgnaktig vidne skal omkomme, men en mann som hører efter, skal alltid få tale.
29 Wicked people pretend [that they know everything], but righteous people think carefully about [what will happen because of] what they do.
En ugudelig mann ter sig frekt, men den opriktige går sin vei rett frem.
30 [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.
Det finnes ingen visdom og ingen forstand og intet råd mot Herren.
31 We [can] get horses ready to fight in a battle, but Yahweh is the one who enables us to (win victories/defeat our enemies).
Hesten gjøres ferdig for stridens dag, men seieren hører Herren til.
