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
God Examines Our Motives
1Good leadership is a channel of water controlled by God;
he directs it to whatever ends he chooses.
2We justify our actions by appearances;
God examines our motives.
3Clean living before God and justice with our neighbors
mean far more to God than religious performance.
4Arrogance and pride—distinguishing marks in the wicked—
are just plain sin.
5Careful planning puts you ahead in the long run;
hurry and scurry puts you further behind.
6Make it to the top by lying and cheating;
get paid with smoke and a promotion—to death!
7The wicked get buried alive by their loot
because they refuse to use it to help others.
8Mixed motives twist life into tangles;
pure motives take you straight down the road.
Do Your Best, Prepare for the Worst
9Better to live alone in a tumbledown shack
than share a mansion with a nagging spouse.
10Wicked souls love to make trouble;
they feel nothing for friends and neighbors.
11Simpletons only learn the hard way,
but the wise learn by listening.
12A God-loyal person will see right through the wicked
and undo the evil they’ve planned.
13If you stop your ears to the cries of the poor,
your cries will go unheard, unanswered.
14A quietly given gift soothes an irritable person;
a heartfelt present cools a hot temper.
15Good people celebrate when justice triumphs,
but for the workers of evil it’s a bad day.
16Whoever wanders off the straight and narrow
ends up in a congregation of ghosts.
17You’re addicted to thrills? What an empty life!
The pursuit of pleasure is never satisfied.
18What a bad person plots against the good, boomerangs;
the plotter gets it in the end.
19Better to live in a tent in the wild
than with a cross and petulant spouse.
20Valuables are safe in a wise person’s home;
fools put it all out for yard sales.
21Whoever goes hunting for what is right and kind
finds life itself—glorious life!
22One sage entered a whole city of armed soldiers—
their trusted defenses fell to pieces!
23Watch your words and hold your tongue;
you’ll save yourself a lot of grief.
24You know their names—Brash, Impudent, Blasphemer—
intemperate hotheads, every one.
25Lazy people finally die of hunger
because they won’t get up and go to work.
26Sinners are always wanting what they don’t have;
the God-loyal are always giving what they do have.
27Religious performance by the wicked stinks;
it’s even worse when they use it to get ahead.
28A lying witness is unconvincing;
a person who speaks truth is respected.
29Unscrupulous people fake it a lot;
honest people are sure of their steps.
30Nothing clever, nothing conceived, nothing contrived,
can get the better of God.
31Do your best, prepare for the worst—
then trust God to bring victory.
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THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson. All rights reserved. Used by permission of NavPress. Represented by Tyndale House Publishers.