Proverbs 21

1The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord ;

he turns it wherever he will.

2Every way of a man is right in his own eyes,[#16:2; 12:15]

but the Lord weighs the heart.

3To do righteousness and justice[#15:8; 1 Sam. 15:22]

is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.

4Haughty eyes and a proud heart,[#6:17; Ps. 101:5]

the lamp of the wicked, are sin.

5The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance,[#10:4]

but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty.

6The getting of treasures by a lying tongue[#20:21; 10:2]

is a fleeting vapor and a snare of death.

7The violence of the wicked will sweep them away,[#Jer. 30:23]

because they refuse to do what is just.

8The way of the guilty is crooked,[#2:15]

but the conduct of the pure is upright.

9It is better to live in a corner of the housetop[#25:24; 19; 19:13; 27:15]

than in a house shared with a quarrelsome wife.

10The soul of the wicked desires evil;

his neighbor finds no mercy in his eyes.

11When a scoffer is punished, the simple becomes wise;[#19:25; Ps. 1:1]

when a wise man is instructed, he gains knowledge.

12The Righteous One observes the house of the wicked;[#Ps. 37:35, 36]

he throws the wicked down to ruin.

13Whoever closes his ear to the cry of the poor[#James 2:13]

will himself call out and not be answered.

14A gift in secret averts anger,[#17:8; 18:16]

and a concealed bribe, strong wrath.

15When justice is done, it is a joy to the righteous

but terror to evildoers.

16One who wanders from the way of good sense

will rest in the assembly of the dead.

17Whoever loves pleasure will be a poor man;

he who loves wine and oil will not be rich.

18The wicked is a ransom for the righteous,[#11:8; #Isa. 43:3]

and the traitor for the upright.

19It is better to live in a desert land[#9]

than with a quarrelsome and fretful woman.

20Precious treasure and oil are in a wise man’s dwelling,[#Ps. 112:3]

but a foolish man devours it.

21Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness[#15:9; Matt. 5:6; 3:3]

will find life, righteousness, and honor.

22A wise man scales the city of the mighty[#24:5; Eccles. 7:19]

and brings down the stronghold in which they trust.

23Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue[#13:3]

keeps himself out of trouble.

24“Scoffer” is the name of the arrogant, haughty man[#1:22; Ps. 1:1]

who acts with arrogant pride.

25The desire of the sluggard kills him,[#13:4]

for his hands refuse to labor.

26All day long he craves and craves,

but the righteous gives and does not hold back.

27The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination;[#Isa. 66:3; 15:8]

how much more when he brings it with evil intent.

28A false witness will perish,[#19:5, 9]

but the word of a man who hears will endure.

29A wicked man puts on a bold face,

but the upright gives thought to his ways.

30No wisdom, no understanding, no counsel[#Isa. 8:9, 10; 1 Cor. 3:19, 20; 19:21]

can avail against the Lord .

31The horse is made ready for the day of battle,[#Ps. 20:7; 33:17; Isa. 31:1]

but the victory belongs to the Lord .

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Published by: Crossway / Good News Publishers