Proverbs 21
21
1The king’s heart is in the hand of Jehovah as the watercourses:
He turneth it whithersoever he will.
2Every way of a man is right in his own eyes;
But Jehovah weigheth the hearts.
3To do righteousness and justice
Is more acceptable to Jehovah than sacrifice.
4A high look, and a proud heart,
Even the lamp of the wicked, is sin.
5The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness;
But every one that is hasty hasteth only to want.
6The getting of treasures by a lying tongue
Is a vapor driven to and fro by them that seek death.
7The violence of the wicked shall sweep them away,
Because they refuse to do justice.
8The way of him that is laden with guilt is exceeding crooked;
But as for the pure, his work is right.
9It is better to dwell in the corner of the housetop,
Than with a contentious woman in a wide house.
10The soul of the wicked desireth evil:
His neighbor findeth no favor in his eyes.
11When the scoffer is punished, the simple is made wise;
And when the wise is instructed, he receiveth knowledge.
12The righteous man considereth the house of the wicked,
How the wicked are overthrown to their ruin.
13Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor,
He also shall cry, but shall not be heard.
14A gift in secret pacifieth anger;
And a present in the bosom, strong wrath.
15It is joy to the righteous to do justice;
But it is a destruction to the workers of iniquity.
16The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding
Shall rest in the assembly of the dead.
17He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man:
He that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich.
18The wicked is a ransom for the righteous;
And the treacherous cometh in the stead of the upright.
19It is better to dwell in a desert land,
Than with a contentious and fretful woman.
20There is precious treasure and oil in the dwelling of the wise;
But a foolish man swalloweth it up.
21He that followeth after righteousness and kindness
Findeth life, righteousness, and honor.
22A wise man scaleth the city of the mighty,
And bringeth down the strength of the confidence thereof.
23Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue
Keepeth his soul from troubles.
24The proud and haughty man, scoffer is his name;
He worketh in the arrogance of pride.
25The desire of the sluggard killeth him;
For his hands refuse to labor.
26There is that coveteth greedily all the day long;
But the righteous giveth and withholdeth not.
27The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination;
How much more, when he bringeth it with a wicked mind!
28A false witness shall perish;
But the man that heareth shall speak so as to endure.
29A wicked man hardeneth his face;
But as for the upright, he establisheth his ways.
30There is no wisdom nor understanding
Nor counsel against Jehovah.
31The horse is prepared against the day of battle;
But victory is of Jehovah.
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Proverbs 21: ASV
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Proverbs 21
21
1A king’s heart is like streams of water in the Lord’s hand:
He directs it wherever He chooses. # Ezr 6:22
2All a man’s ways seem right to him,
but the Lord evaluates the motives. # Lit Lord weighs the hearts # Pr 12:15; 16:2; 17:3; 24:12; Lk 16:15
3Doing what is righteous and just
is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice. # 1Sm 15:22; Pr 15:8; Hs 6:6; Mc 6:7-8; Mt 9:13
4The lamp # Some Hb mss, ancient versions read tillage that guides the wicked —
haughty eyes and an arrogant heart # Ps 101:5; Pr 6:16-17; 30:13 — is sin.
5The plans of the diligent certainly lead to profit,
but anyone who is reckless certainly becomes poor. # Pr 10:4; 14:23; 21:20; 28:22
6Making a fortune through a lying tongue
is a vanishing mist, # Or a breath blown away a pursuit of death. # Some Hb mss, LXX, Vg read a snare of death # Lit is vanity, ones seeking death # Pr 8:36; 13:11; 20:21
7The violence of the wicked sweeps them away
because they refuse to act justly.
8A guilty man’s conduct is crooked, # Pr 2:15
but the behavior of the innocent is upright. # Pr 20:11
9Better to live on the corner of a roof
than to share a house with a nagging wife. # Pr 15:16-17; 17:1; 21:19; 25:24
10A wicked person desires evil;
he has no consideration # Or favor for his neighbor. # Pr 14:21
11When a mocker is punished,
the inexperienced become wiser;
when one teaches a wise man,
he acquires knowledge. # Pr 19:25
12The Righteous One considers the house of the wicked;
He brings the wicked to ruin.
13The one who shuts his ears to the cry of the poor
will himself also call out and not be answered. # Pr 14:31; 17:5; Mt 18:30-34; Jms 2:13; 1Jn 3:17
14A secret gift soothes anger,
and a covert bribe, # Lit a bribe in the bosom fierce rage. # Pr 17:8; 18:16; 19:6
15Justice executed is a joy to the righteous
but a terror to those who practice iniquity. # Pr 10:29; Rm 13:13
16The man who strays from the way of wisdom
will come to rest
in the assembly of the departed spirits. # Ps 49:14; Pr 2:18; 9:18
17The one who loves pleasure will become a poor man;
whoever loves wine and oil will not get rich. # Ec 2:1-3,10-11
18The wicked are a ransom for the righteous,
and the treacherous, for # Or in place of the upright. # Pr 11:8; Is 43:3
19Better to live in a wilderness
than with a nagging and hot-tempered wife. # Pr 21:9
20Precious treasure and oil are in the dwelling of a wise person,
but a foolish man consumes them. # Lit it # Jb 20:15,18; Ps 112:3; Pr 10:4; 28:20; Mt 25:1-13
21The one who pursues righteousness and faithful love
will find life, righteousness, and honor. # Pr 3:16; 8:18; 15:9; Mt 5:6; 6:33
22A wise person went up against a city of warriors
and brought down its secure fortress. # 2Sm 5:6-9; Pr 14:26; 24:5; Ec 7:19; 9:14-18
23The one who guards his mouth and tongue
keeps himself out of trouble. # Pr 12:13; 13:3; Jms 3:2
24The proud and arrogant person, named “Mocker,”
acts with excessive pride. # Ps 1:1; Pr 1:22; 21:11
25A slacker’s craving will kill him
because his hands refuse to work. # Pr 10:4; 12:24; 13:4; 19:15,24
26He is filled with craving # Lit He craves a craving all day long,
but the righteous give and don’t hold back. # Ps 37:26; Pr 11:24-25
27The sacrifice of a wicked person is detestable —
how much more so
when he brings it with ulterior motives! # Pr 15:8; 28:9; Is 66:3
28A lying witness will perish, # Pr 19:5,9
but the one who listens will speak successfully.
29A wicked man puts on a bold face, # Pr 7:13
but the upright man considers his way.
30No wisdom, no understanding, and no counsel
will prevail against the Lord. # Is 8:9-10; 1Co 3:19-20
31A horse is prepared for the day of battle, # Ps 20:7; 33:17; 108:10-13; Is 31:1
but victory comes from the Lord. # Jr 3:23; 1Co 15:57
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