Proverbios 21
1 El Señor dirige las decisiones del rey como si fuera una corriente de agua, enviándola en la dirección que él quiere.
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 La gente cree que lo que hace es lo correcto, pero el Señor mira sus motivos.
People always think that what they do is right, but Yahweh judges our (motives/reasons [for doing things)] [MTY].
3 Hacer lo recto y justo agrada al Señor más que los sacrificios.
Doing what is right and fair is more acceptable to Yahweh than [bringing] sacrifices [to him].
4 El orgullo y la arrogancia son los pecados que guían la vida de los malvados.
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 Los que hacen planes con anticipación y trabajan arduamente tendrán abundancia. Mientras que los que actúan precipitadamente terminarán en la pobreza.
People who plan carefully will surely have plenty [of what they need]; those who act too quickly [to become rich] will become poor.
6 El dinero que se obtiene con mentiras es como el humo en el viento. Su búsqueda terminará en muerte.
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 La destrucción causada por los malvados los destruirá, y será por negarse a hacer lo correcto.
Wicked [people] refuse to do what is right/just, but they will be ruined because of the violent things [PRS] that they do.
8 Los culpables viven vidas torcidas, pero los inocentes siguen caminos rectos.
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 Es mejor vivir en un rincón del terrado, que compartir toda una casa con una esposa conflictiva.
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 Los malvados se alegran haciendo el mal, y no les importa el mal que le causan a los demás.
Wicked [people] [SYN] are always wanting [to do what is] evil; they never act mercifully toward anyone.
11 Cuando un burlador es castigado, un inmaduro puede aprender sabiduría. Cuando los sabios son educados, obtienen conocimiento.
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 El Dios de justicia ve lo que sucede en las casas de los malvados, y los derriba hasta el desastre.
[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 Si te rehúsas a escuchar el lamento de los pobres, tampoco tus lamentos serán oídos.
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 Un regalo dado en secreto calma la ira, y un botín oculto apacigua el furor.
When someone is angry [with you], if you secretly give him a gift, he will stop being angry.
15 Cuando se hace justicia, los justos se alegran; pero los que hacen el mal se espantan.
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 El que se desvía del camino del entendimiento termina con los muertos.
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 Si amas el placer, te volverás pobre. Si amas el vino y el aceite, nunca llegarás a ser rico.
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 Los que pagan el precio son los malvados y no los justos; también pagan los mentirosos y no los que viven en rectitud.
Wicked [people] bring on themselves the sufferings that they were trying to cause righteous [people] to experience [DOU].
19 Es mejor vivir en un desierto que con una esposa conflictiva y de mal temperamento.
It is better to live [alone] in a desert than [to live] with a wife who is [always] nagging and complaining.
20 Los sabios retienen su riqueza y el aceite que poseen, pero los tontos gastan todo lo que tienen.
Wise people have many valuable things in their houses, but foolish people [quickly] spend/waste [all their money].
21 Si procuras la bondad y el amor fiel, hallarás vida, prosperidad y honra.
Those who [always] try to act in a fair and kind way [toward others] will live [a long time] and be honored/respected.
22 Los sabios pueden conquistar la ciudad de los guerreros fuertes, y derribar las fortalezas que creen que los protegen.
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 Si cuidas tus palabras, te librarás de muchos problemas.
Those who are very careful about what they say [MTY] are [able to] avoid trouble.
24 Burlador orgulloso y presumido es el nombre del que actúa con arrogancia insolente.
Those who make fun of [everything that is good] are proud and conceited [DOU]; they [always] act in an inconsiderate way [toward others].
25 Los holgazanes morirán de hombre por negarse a trabajar.
Lazy people, who refuse to work, [will] die [of hunger] because they [SYN] do not earn [money to buy food].
26 Hay quienes solo quieren tener más, pero los justos dan con generosidad.
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 Los sacrificios de los malvados son detestables, y peor aún es cuando los traen con motivaciones malvadas.
[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 Las mentiras de los testigos falsos se desvanecen, pero las palabras del testigo fiel permanecerán.
Those who tell lies in court will be punished; no one stops/silences witnesses who say what is truthful/reliable.
29 Los malvados actúan sin vergüenza alguna, pero los justos cuidan cada cosa que hacen.
Wicked people pretend [that they know everything], but righteous people think carefully about [what will happen because of] what they do.
30 Toda la sabiduría, entendimiento e instrucción que puedas lograr no son nada delante del Señor.
[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 Puedes alistar tu caballo para la batalla, pero la victoria es del Señor.
We [can] get horses ready to fight in a battle, but Yahweh is the one who enables us to (win victories/defeat our enemies).
