Proverbs 21

¹The king’s heart is like channels of water in the hand of the Lord;
He turns it wherever He wishes.
² Every man’s way is right in his own eyes,
But the Lord weighs the hearts.
³ To do righteousness and justice
Is desired by the Lord more than sacrifice.
⁴ Haughty eyes and a proud heart,
The lamp of the wicked, is sin.
⁵ The plans of the diligent lead surely to advantage,
But everyone who is hasty comes surely to poverty.
⁶ The acquisition of treasures by a lying tongue
Is a fleeting vapor, the ^[a]pursuit of death.
⁷ The violence of the wicked will drag them away,
Because they refuse to act with justice.
⁸ The way of a guilty man is crooked,
But as for the pure, his conduct is upright.
⁹ It is better to live in a corner of a roof
Than ^[b]in a house shared with a contentious woman.
¹⁰ The soul of the wicked desires evil;
His neighbor finds no favor in his eyes.
¹¹ When the scoffer is punished, the ^[c]naive becomes wise;
But when the wise is instructed, he receives knowledge.
¹² The righteous one considers the house of the wicked,
Turning the wicked to ruin.
¹³ He who shuts his ear to the cry of the poor
Will also cry himself and not be answered.
¹⁴ A gift in secret subdues anger,
And a bribe in the bosom, strong wrath.
¹⁵ The exercise of justice is joy for the righteous,
But is terror to the workers of iniquity.
¹⁶ A man who wanders from the way of understanding
Will rest in the assembly of the ^[d]dead.
¹⁷ He who loves pleasure will become a poor man;
He who loves wine and oil will not become rich.
¹⁸ The wicked is a ransom for the righteous,
And the treacherous is in the place of the upright.
¹⁹ It is better to live in a desert land
Than with a contentious and vexing woman.
²⁰ There is precious treasure and oil in the dwelling of the wise,
But a foolish man swallows it up.
²¹ He who pursues righteousness and loyalty
Finds life, righteousness and honor.
²² A wise man scales the city of the mighty
And brings down the ^[e]stronghold in which they trust.
²³ He who guards his mouth and his tongue,
Guards his soul from troubles.
²⁴ “Proud,” “Haughty,” “Scoffer,” are his names,
Who acts with insolent pride.
²⁵ The desire of the sluggard puts him to death,
For his hands refuse to work;
²⁶ All day long he ^[f]is craving,
While the righteous gives and does not hold back.
²⁷ The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination,
How much more when he brings it with evil intent!
²⁸ A false witness will perish,
But the man who listens to the truth will speak forever.
²⁹ A wicked man ^[g]displays a bold face,
But as for the upright, he makes his way sure.
³⁰ There is no wisdom and no understanding
And no counsel against the Lord.
³¹ The horse is prepared for the day of battle,
But victory belongs to the Lord.