Proverbs 21
21
The LORD Controls Wise and Foolish People
1The king’s heart is like streams of water.
Both are under the Lord’s control.
He turns them in any direction he chooses.
2A person thinks everything he does is right,
but the Lord weighs hearts.
3Doing what is right and fair
is more acceptable to the Lord than offering a sacrifice.
4A conceited look and an arrogant attitude,
which are the lamps of wicked people, are sins.
5The plans of a hard-working person lead to prosperity,
but everyone who is ⌞always⌟ in a hurry ends up in poverty.
6Those who gather wealth by lying are wasting time.
They are looking for death.
7The violence of wicked people will drag them away
since they refuse to do what is just.
8The way of a guilty person is crooked,
but the behavior of those who are pure is moral.
9Better to live on a corner of a roof
than to share a home with a quarreling woman.
10The mind of a wicked person desires evil
and has no consideration for his neighbor.
11When a mocker is punished, a gullible person becomes wise,
and when a wise person is instructed, he gains knowledge.
12A righteous person wisely considers the house of a wicked person.
He throws wicked people into disasters.
13Whoever shuts his ear to the cry of the poor will call and not be answered.
14A gift ⌞given⌟ in secret calms anger,
and a secret bribe calms great fury.
15When justice is done, a righteous person is delighted,
but troublemakers are terrified.
16A person who wanders from the way of wise behavior
will rest in the assembly of the dead.
17Whoever loves pleasure will become poor.
Whoever loves wine and expensive food will not become rich.
18Wicked people become a ransom for righteous people,
and treacherous people will take the place of decent people.
19Better to live in a desert
than with a quarreling and angry woman.
20Costly treasure and wealth are in the home of a wise person,
but a fool devours them.
21Whoever pursues righteousness and mercy
will find life, righteousness, and honor.
22A wise man attacks a city of warriors
and pulls down the strong defenses in which they trust.
23Whoever guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself out of trouble.
24An arrogant, conceited person is called a mocker.
His arrogance knows no limits.
25The desire of a lazy person will kill him
because his hands refuse to work.
26All day long he feels greedy,
but a righteous person gives and does not hold back.
27The sacrifice of wicked people is disgusting,
especially if they bring it with evil intent.
28A lying witness will die,
but a person who listens to advice will continue to speak.
29A wicked person puts up a bold front,
but a decent person’s way of life is his own security.
30No wisdom, no understanding, and no advice
⌞can stand up⌟ against the Lord.
31The horse is made ready for the day of battle,
but the victory belongs to the Lord.
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Proverbs 21: GW
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GOD'S WORD® Translation ©1995, 2003, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020 by God's Word to the Nations Mission Society. All rights reserved.
Proverbs 21
21
1The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord,
as the rivers of water:
he turneth it whithersoever he will.
2Every way of a man is right in his own eyes:
but the Lord pondereth the hearts.
3To do justice and judgment
is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.
4A high look, and a proud heart,
and the plowing of the wicked, is sin.
5The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness;
but of every one that is hasty only to want.
6The getting of treasures by a lying tongue
is a vanity tossed to and fro of them that seek death.
7The robbery of the wicked shall destroy them;
because they refuse to do judgment.
8The way of man is froward and strange:#21.8 The way of man is froward and strange: or The way of him that is laden with guilt is exceeding crooked.
but as for the pure, his work is right.
9 It is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop,
than with a brawling woman in a wide house.
10The soul of the wicked desireth evil:
his neighbor findeth no favor in his eyes.
11When the scorner is punished,
the simple is made wise:
and when the wise is instructed,
he receiveth knowledge.
12The righteous man wisely considereth the house of the wicked:
but God overthroweth the wicked for their wickedness.
13Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor,
he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard.
14A gift in secret pacifieth anger:
and a reward in the bosom, strong wrath.
15 It is joy to the just to do judgment:
but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity.
16The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding
shall remain in the congregation of the dead.
17He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man:
he that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich.
18The wicked shall be a ransom for the righteous,
and the transgressor for the upright.
19 It is better to dwell in the wilderness,
than with a contentious and an angry woman.
20 There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise;
but a foolish man spendeth it up.
21He that followeth after righteousness and mercy
findeth life, righteousness, and honor.
22A wise man scaleth the city of the mighty,
and casteth down the strength of the confidence thereof.
23Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue,
keepeth his soul from troubles.
24Proud and haughty scorner is his name,#21.24 Proud and haughty scorner is his name, or The proud and haughty man, scoffer is his name.
who dealeth in proud wrath.
25The desire of the slothful killeth him;
for his hands refuse to labor.
26He coveteth greedily all the day long:
but the righteous giveth and spareth not.
27The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination:
how much more, when he bringeth it with a wicked mind?
28A false witness shall perish:
but the man that heareth speaketh constantly.
29A wicked man hardeneth his face:
but as for the upright, he directeth his way.
30 There is no wisdom nor understanding
nor counsel against the Lord.
31The horse is prepared against the day of battle:
but safety is of the Lord.
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King James Version 1611, spelling, punctuation and text formatting modernized by ABS in 1962; typesetting © 2010 American Bible Society.