Chapter 21
The Lord Weighs the Heart
1 A king’s heart is like a stream of water in the hand of the Lord;
he directs it wherever he pleases.
2 A man’s ways may seem right to him,
but the Lord weighs the heart.
3 To do what is right and just
is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.
4 Haughty eyes and a proud heart—
the lamp of the wicked—are nothing but sin.
5 The plans of the diligent will ensure profit,
but rash haste will surely lead to poverty.
6 One who amasses a fortune by means of a lying tongue
is pursuing a fleeting vapor that leads to death.
7 The violence of the wicked will sweep them away
because they refuse to do what is right.
8 The way of the guilty is crooked,
but the conduct of the innocent is straightforward.
9 It is better to live on the corner of a roof
than to share a spacious house with a nagging wife.
10 The soul of the wicked man is intent on evil;
his neighbor beholds no pity in his countenance.
11 When the scoffer is punished, the simple become wiser;
when the wise man is instructed, he increases in knowledge.
12 The Righteous One watches the house of the evildoer
and brings the evildoer to destruction.
13 One who shuts his ears to the cries of the poor
will himself also cry out and not be heard.
14 A gift given secretly appeases anger,
and a gift concealed in the cloak will avert violent wrath.
15 When justice is done, the upright rejoice,
but evildoers are filled with terror.
16 Anyone who strays from the way of prudence
will rest in the company of the shades.
17 Whoever craves pleasure will end up in want;
whoever loves wine and oil will never grow rich.
18 The wicked man serves as a ransom for the righteous,
as does the faithless man for the upright.
19 It is better to live alone in the wilderness
than with a nagging and irritable wife.
20 The house of the wise man is filled with precious treasure and oil,
but the fool squanders all he has.
21 Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness
will find life and honor too.
22 A wise man can storm a city of warriors
and overthrow the stronghold upon which they relied.
23 One who guards his mouth and his tongue
will preserve himself from trouble.
24 A scoffer is a proud and insolent man
who is haughty in everything he does.
25 The cravings of the idler will prove fatal,
since his hands will do no work.
26 All day long the godless man continues to covet,
whereas the righteous man gives unsparingly.
27 The sacrifice of the wicked is abhorrent,
and more so when it is offered for evil motives.
28 A false witness will perish,
but a truthful witness will never be silenced.
29 A wicked man puts up a bold front,
but an upright man amends his ways.
30 Neither wisdom nor understanding nor counsel
can be of avail against the Lord.
31 The horse is prepared for the day of battle,
but victory rests with the Lord.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 21:1
- Proverbs 21:3
- Proverbs 21:4
- Proverbs 21:9
- Proverbs 21:11
- Proverbs 21:16
- Proverbs 21:18
- Proverbs 21:21
- Proverbs 21:22
- Proverbs 21:24
- Proverbs 21:25
- Proverbs 21:27
- Proverbs 21:31
