Proverbs 21:1–6
The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord;
he yturns it wherever he will.
2 zEvery way of a man is right in his own eyes,
but the Lord aweighs the heart.
3 bTo do righteousness and justice
is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.
4 cHaughty eyes and a proud heart,
dthe lamp1 of the wicked, are sin.
5 The plans of ethe diligent lead surely to abundance,
but everyone who is fhasty comes gonly to poverty.
6 hThe getting of treasures by a lying tongue
Proverbs 21:1–6 — The New International Version (NIV)
1 In the Lord’s hand the king’s heart is a stream of water
that he channels toward all who please him.
2 A person may think their own ways are right,
but the Lord weighs the heart.
3 To do what is right and just
is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.
4 Haughty eyes and a proud heart—
the unplowed field of the wicked—produce sin.
5 The plans of the diligent lead to profit
as surely as haste leads to poverty.
6 A fortune made by a lying tongue
is a fleeting vapor and a deadly snare.
Proverbs 21:1–6 — King James Version (KJV 1900)
1 The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water:
He turneth it whithersoever he will.
2 Every way of a man is right in his own eyes:
But the Lord pondereth the hearts.
3 To do justice and judgment
Is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.
4 An high look, and a proud heart,
And the plowing of the wicked, is sin.
5 The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness;
But of every one that is hasty only to want.
6 The getting of treasures by a lying tongue
Is a vanity tossed to and fro of them that seek death.
Proverbs 21:1–6 — New Living Translation (NLT)
1 The king’s heart is like a stream of water directed by the Lord;
he guides it wherever he pleases.
2 People may be right in their own eyes,
but the Lord examines their heart.
3 The Lord is more pleased when we do what is right and just
than when we offer him sacrifices.
4 Haughty eyes, a proud heart,
and evil actions are all sin.
5 Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity,
but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty.
6 Wealth created by a lying tongue
is a vanishing mist and a deadly trap.
Proverbs 21:1–6 — The New King James Version (NKJV)
1 The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord,
Like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes.
2 Every way of a man is right in his own eyes,
But the Lord weighs the hearts.
3 To do righteousness and justice
Is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.
4 A haughty look, a proud heart,
And the plowing of the wicked are sin.
5 The plans of the diligent lead surely to plenty,
But those of everyone who is hasty, surely to poverty.
6 Getting treasures by a lying tongue
Is the fleeting fantasy of those who seek death.
Proverbs 21:1–6 — New Century Version (NCV)
1 The Lord can control a king’s mind as he controls a river;
he can direct it as he pleases.
2 You may believe you are doing right,
but the Lord judges your reasons.
3 Doing what is right and fair
is more important to the Lord than sacrifices.
4 Proud looks, proud thoughts,
and evil actions are sin.
5 The plans of hard-working people earn a profit,
but those who act too quickly become poor.
6 Wealth that comes from telling lies
vanishes like a mist and leads to death.
Proverbs 21:1–6 — American Standard Version (ASV)
1 The king’s heart is in the hand of Jehovah as the watercourses:
He turneth it whithersoever he will.
2 Every way of a man is right in his own eyes;
But Jehovah weighteth the hearts.
3 To do righteousness and justice
Is more acceptable to Jehovah than sacrifice.
4 A high look, and a proud heart,
Even the lamp of the wicked, is sin.
5 The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness;
But every one that is hasty hasteth only to want.
6 The getting of treasures by a lying tongue
Is a vapor driven to and fro by them that seek death.
Proverbs 21:1–6 — 1890 Darby Bible (DARBY)
1 The king’s heart in the hand of Jehovah is as brooks of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.
2 Every way of a man is right in his own eyes; but Jehovah weigheth the hearts.
3 To exercise justice and judgment is more acceptable to Jehovah than sacrifice.
4 Lofty eyes, and a proud heart, the lamp of the wicked, is sin.
5 The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness; but of every one that is hasty, only to want.
6 The getting of treasures by a lying tongue is a fleeting breath of them that seek death.
Proverbs 21:1–6 — GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)
1 The king’s heart is like streams of water.
Both are under the Lord’s control.
He turns them in any direction he chooses.
2 A person thinks everything he does is right,
but the Lord weighs hearts.
3 Doing what is right and fair
is more acceptable to the Lord than offering a sacrifice.
4 A conceited look and an arrogant attitude,
which are the lamps of wicked people, are sins.
5 The plans of a hard-working person lead to prosperity,
but everyone who is ⸤always⸥ in a hurry ends up in poverty.
6 Those who gather wealth by lying are wasting time.
They are looking for death.
Proverbs 21:1–6 — The Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
1 A king’s heart is like streams of water in the Lord’s hand:
He directs it wherever He chooses.
2 All a man’s ways seem right to him,
but the Lord evaluates the motives.
3 Doing what is righteous and just
is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.
4 The lamp that guides the wicked—
haughty eyes and an arrogant heart —is sin.
5 The plans of the diligent certainly lead to profit,
but anyone who is reckless certainly becomes poor.
6 Making a fortune through a lying tongue
is a vanishing mist, a pursuit of death.
Proverbs 21:1–6 — The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
1 The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord;
he turns it wherever he will.
2 All deeds are right in the sight of the doer,
but the Lord weighs the heart.
3 To do righteousness and justice
is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.
4 Haughty eyes and a proud heart—
the lamp of the wicked—are sin.
5 The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance,
but everyone who is hasty comes only to want.
6 The getting of treasures by a lying tongue
is a fleeting vapor and a snare of death.
Proverbs 21:1–6 — The Lexham English Bible (LEB)
1 Streams of water are the heart of a king in the hand of Yahweh;
wherever he will desire, he will turn.
2 Every way of a man is upright in his own eyes,
but Yahweh weighs hearts.
3 Doing righteousness and justice is more acceptable
to Yahweh than sacrifice.
4 Haughtiness of the eyes and pride of heart,
the lamp of the wicked are sin.
5 The plans of the diligent only lead to abundance,
but all who are hasty, only to want.
6 He who makes treasure by a lying tongue
is a fleeting vapor and seeker of death.
Proverbs 21:1–6 — New International Reader’s Version (1998) (NIrV)
1 The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord.
He directs it like a stream of water anywhere he pleases.
2 Everything a man does might seem right to him.
But the Lord knows what he is thinking.
3 Do what is right and fair.
The Lord accepts that more than sacrifices.
4 Proud eyes and a proud heart are the lamp of sinful people.
But those things are evil.
5 The plans of people who work hard succeed.
You can be sure that those in a hurry will become poor.
6 A fortune made by people who tell lies
amounts to nothing and leads to death.
Proverbs 21:1–6 — New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (NASB95)
1 The king’s heart is like channels of water in the hand of the Lord;
He turns it wherever He wishes.
2 Every man’s way is right in his own eyes,
But the Lord weighs the hearts.
3 To do righteousness and justice
Is desired by the Lord more than sacrifice.
4 Haughty eyes and a proud heart,
The lamp of the wicked, is sin.
5 The plans of the diligent lead surely to advantage,
But everyone who is hasty comes surely to poverty.
6 The acquisition of treasures by a lying tongue
Is a fleeting vapor, the pursuit of death.