Proverbs 21

CHAPTER 21

Salvation Belongs to Yahweh

¹The king’s heart is like channels of water in the hand of Yahweh;

He ^aturns it wherever He pleases.

^2aEvery man’s way is right in his own eyes,

But Yahweh ^bweighs the hearts.

³To do ^arighteousness and justice

Is chosen by Yahweh over sacrifice.

⁴Haughty eyes and a proud heart—

The ^afallow ground of the wicked—are sin.

⁵The ¹thoughts of the ^adiligent lead surely to profit,

But everyone ^bwho is hasty comes surely to poverty.

^6aWorking for treasures by a lying tongue

Is a fleeting breath, by those who pursue ^bdeath.

⁷The destruction of the wicked will drag them away,

Because they ^arefuse to do justice.

⁸The way of a guilty man is ^aperverse,

But as for the pure, his work is upright.

⁹It is better to live in a corner of a roof

Than ¹in a house shared with a contentious woman.

¹⁰The soul of the wicked craves evil;

His ^aneighbor finds no favor in his eyes.

¹¹When the ^ascoffer is punished, the simple becomes wise;

And when one considers wisdom, he receives knowledge.

¹²The righteous one considers the house of the wicked,

Turning the ^awicked to ruin.

¹³He who ^ashuts his ear to the outcry of the poor

Will himself also call and not be ^banswered.

¹⁴A ^agift in secret subdues anger,

And a bribe in the bosom, strong wrath.

¹⁵To do justice is ¹pleasure for the righteous,

But is ^aruin to the workers of iniquity.

¹⁶A man who wanders from the way of insight

Will ^arest in the assembly of the ¹dead.

¹⁷He who ^aloves ¹pleasure will become a poor man;

He who loves wine and oil will not become rich.

¹⁸The wicked is a ^aransom for the righteous,

And the ^btreacherous is in the place of the upright.

^19aIt is better to live in a desert land

Than with a contentious and vexing woman.

²⁰There is desirable ^atreasure and oil in the abode of the wise,

But a foolish man ^bswallows it up.

²¹He who ^apursues righteousness and lovingkindness

Finds life, righteousness, and glory.

²²A ^awise man goes up to the city of the mighty

And brings down the ¹stronghold in which they trust.

²³He who ^akeeps his mouth and his tongue,

Keeps his soul from troubles.

²⁴“Arrogant,” “Haughty,” “^aScoffer,” are his names,

Who acts with ^barrogant fury.

²⁵The ^adesire of the sluggard puts him to death,

For his hands refuse to work;

²⁶All day long he ¹is insatiably craving,

While the righteous ^agives and does not hold back.

²⁷The ^asacrifice of the wicked is an abomination,

How much more when he brings it with a wicked scheme!

²⁸A ^afalse witness will perish,

But the man who listens will speak forever.

²⁹A wicked man ^1adisplays a brazen face,

But as for the ^bupright, he establishes his way.

³⁰There is ^ano wisdom, there is no discernment

And there is no counsel against Yahweh.

³¹The ^ahorse is set for the day of battle,

But ^bsalvation belongs to Yahweh.