Proverbs 21

21A king’s heart is like channeled water in the Lord’s hand:

He directs it wherever he chooses.^y

²All a person’s ways seem right to him,

but the Lord weighs hearts.^z

³Doing what is righteous and just

is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.^aa

⁴The lamp that guides the wicked—

haughty eyes and an arrogant heart^ab —is sin.

⁵The plans of the diligent certainly lead to profit,

but anyone who is reckless certainly becomes poor.^ac

⁶Making a fortune through a lying tongue

is a vanishing mist,^A a pursuit of death.^BCad

⁷The violence of the wicked sweeps them away

because they refuse to act justly.

⁸A guilty one’s conduct is crooked,^a

but the behavior of the innocent is upright.^b

⁹Better to live on the corner of a roof

than to share a house with a nagging wife.^c

¹⁰A wicked person desires evil;

he has no consideration^D for his neighbor.^d

¹¹When a mocker is punished,

the inexperienced become wiser;

when one teaches a wise man,

he acquires knowledge.^e

¹²The Righteous One^E 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.^f

¹⁴A secret gift soothes anger,

and a covert bribe, fierce rage.^g

¹⁵Justice executed is a joy to the righteous

but a terror to evildoers.^h

¹⁶The person who strays from the way of prudence

will come to rest in the assembly of the departed spirits.ⁱ

¹⁷The one who loves pleasure will become poor;

whoever loves wine and oil will not get rich.^j

¹⁸The wicked are a ransom for the righteous,

and the treacherous, for^F the upright.^k

¹⁹Better to live in a wilderness

than with a nagging and hot-tempered wife.^l

²⁰Precious treasure and oil are in the dwelling of a wise person,

but a fool consumes them.^Am

²¹The one who pursues righteousness and faithful love

will find life, righteousness, and honor.ⁿ

²²A wise person went up against a city of warriors

and brought down its secure fortress.^o

²³The one who guards his mouth and tongue

keeps himself out of trouble.^p

²⁴The arrogant and proud person, named “Mocker,”

acts with excessive arrogance.^q

²⁵A slacker’s craving will kill him

because his hands refuse to work.^r

²⁶He is filled with craving^B all day long,

but the righteous give and don’t hold back.^s

²⁷The sacrifice of a wicked person is detestable—

how much more so

when he brings it with ulterior motives!^t

²⁸A lying witness will perish,^u

but the one who listens will speak successfully.

²⁹A wicked person puts on a bold face,^v

but the upright one considers his way.

³⁰No wisdom, no understanding, and no counsel

will prevail against the Lord.^w

³¹A horse is prepared for the day of battle,^x

but victory comes from the Lord.^y