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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© 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee. All rights reserved.
Proverbs 21
21
1 THE KING'S heart is in the hand of the Lord, as are the watercourses; He turns it whichever way He wills.
2 Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs and tries the hearts. [Prov. 24:12; Luke 16:15.]
3 To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice. [I Sam. 15:22; Prov. 15:8; Isa. 1:11; Hos. 6:6; Mic. 6:7, 8.]
4 Haughtiness of eyes and a proud heart, even the tillage of the wicked or the lamp [of joy] to them [whatever it may be], are sin [in the eyes of God].
5 The thoughts of the [steadily] diligent tend only to plenteousness, but everyone who is impatient and hasty hastens only to want.
6 Securing treasures by a lying tongue is a vapor driven to and fro; those who seek them seek death.
7 The violence of the wicked shall sweep them away, because they refuse to do justice.
8 The way of the guilty is exceedingly crooked, but as for the pure, his work is right and his conduct is straight.
9 It is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop [on the flat oriental roof, exposed to all kinds of weather] than in a house shared with a nagging, quarrelsome, and faultfinding woman.
10 The soul or life of the wicked craves and seeks evil; his neighbor finds no favor in his eyes. [James 2:16.]
11 When the scoffer is punished, the fool gets a lesson in being wise; but men of [godly] Wisdom and good sense learn by being instructed.
12 The [uncompromisingly] righteous man considers well the house of the wicked–how the wicked are cast down to ruin.
13 Whoever stops his ears at the cry of the poor will cry out himself and not be heard. [Matt. 18:30-34; James 2:13.]
14 A gift in secret pacifies and turns away anger, and a bribe in the lap, strong wrath.
15 When justice is done, it is a joy to the righteous (the upright, in right standing with God), but to the evildoers it is dismay, calamity, and ruin.
16 A man who wanders out of the way of understanding shall abide in the congregation of the spirits (of the dead).
17 He who loves pleasure will be a poor man; he who loves wine and oil will not be rich.
18 The wicked become a ransom for the [uncompromisingly] righteous, and the treacherous for the upright [because the wicked themselves fall into the traps and pits they have dug for the good].
19 It is better to dwell in a desert land than with a contentious woman and with vexation.
20 There are precious treasures and oil in the dwelling of the wise, but a self-confident and foolish man swallows it up and wastes it.
21 He who earnestly seeks after and craves righteousness, mercy, and loving-kindness will find life in addition to righteousness (uprightness and right standing with God) and honor. [Prov. 15:9; Matt. 5:6.]
22 A wise man scales the city walls of the mighty and brings down the stronghold in which they trust.
23 He who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself from troubles. [Prov. 12:13; 13:3; 18:21; James 3:2.]
24 The proud and haughty man–Scoffer is his name–deals and acts with overbearing pride.
25 The desire of the slothful kills him, for his hands refuse to labor.
26 He covets greedily all the day long, but the [uncompromisingly] righteous gives and does not withhold. [II Cor. 9:6-10.]
27 The sacrifice of the wicked is exceedingly disgusting and abhorrent [to the Lord]–how much more when he brings it with evil intention?
28 A false witness will perish, but the word of a man who hears attentively will endure and go unchallenged.
29 A wicked man puts on the bold, unfeeling face [of guilt], but as for the upright, he considers, directs, and establishes his way [with the confidence of integrity].
30 There is no [human] wisdom or understanding or counsel [that can prevail] against the Lord.
31 The horse is prepared for the day of battle, but deliverance and victory are of the Lord.
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