Proverbs 20:26–21:1

26 A wise king winnows the wicked

and drives the wheel over them.

27 The spirit of man is the lamp of the Lord,

searching all his innermost parts.

28 Steadfast love and faithfulness preserve the king,

and by steadfast love his throne is upheld.

29 The glory of young men is their strength,

but the splendor of old men is their gray hair.

30 Blows that wound cleanse away evil;

strokes make clean the innermost parts.

1 The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord;

he turns it wherever he will.

26 A wise king scattereth the wicked,

And bringeth the wheel over them.

27 The spirit of man is the candle of the Lord,

Searching all the inward parts of the belly.

28 Mercy and truth preserve the king:

And his throne is upholden by mercy.

29 The glory of young men is their strength:

And the beauty of old men is the gray head.

30 The blueness of a wound cleanseth away evil:

So do stripes the inward parts of the belly.

1 The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water:

He turneth it whithersoever he will.

26 A wise king scatters the wicked like wheat,

then runs his threshing wheel over them.

27 The Lord’s light penetrates the human spirit,

exposing every hidden motive.

28 Unfailing love and faithfulness protect the king;

his throne is made secure through love.

29 The glory of the young is their strength;

the gray hair of experience is the splendor of the old.

30 Physical punishment cleanses away evil;

such discipline purifies the heart.

1 The king’s heart is like a stream of water directed by the Lord;

he guides it wherever he pleases.

26 A wise king sifts out the wicked,

And brings the threshing wheel over them.

27 The spirit of a man is the lamp of the Lord,

Searching all the inner depths of his heart.

28 Mercy and truth preserve the king,

And by lovingkindness he upholds his throne.

29 The glory of young men is their strength,

And the splendor of old men is their gray head.

30 Blows that hurt cleanse away evil,

As do stripes the inner depths of the heart.

1 The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord,

Like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes.

26 A wise king sorts out the evil people,

and he punishes them as they deserve.

27 The Lord looks deep inside people

and searches through their thoughts.

28 Loyalty and truth keep a king in power;

he continues to rule if he is loyal.

29 The young glory in their strength,

and the old are honored for their gray hair.

30 Hard punishment will get rid of evil,

and whippings can change an evil heart.

1 The Lord can control a king’s mind as he controls a river;

he can direct it as he pleases.

26 A wise king winnoweth the wicked,

And bringeth the threshing-wheel over them.

27 The spirit of man is the lamp of Jehovah,

Searching all his innermost parts.

28 Kindness and truth preserve the king;

And his throne is upholden by kindness.

29 The glory of young men is their strength;

And the beauty of old men is the hoary head.

30 Stripes that wound cleanse away evil;

And strokes reach the innermost parts.

1 The king’s heart is in the hand of Jehovah as the watercourses:

He turneth it whithersoever he will.

26 A wise king scattereth the wicked, and bringeth the wheel over them.

27 Man’s spirit is the lamp of Jehovah, searching all the inner parts of the belly.

28 Mercy and truth preserve the king; and he upholdeth his throne by mercy.

29 The glory of young men is their strength; and the beauty of old men is the grey head.

30 Wounding stripes purge away evil, and strokes purge the inner parts of the belly.

1 The king’s heart in the hand of Jehovah is as brooks of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.

26 A wise king scatters the wicked 

and then runs them over. 

27 A person’s soul is the Lord’s lamp. 

It searches his entire innermost being. 

28 Mercy and truth protect a king, 

and with mercy he maintains his throne. 

29 While the glory of young men is their strength, 

the splendor of older people is their silver hair. 

30 Brutal beatings cleanse away wickedness. 

Such beatings cleanse the innermost being. 

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. 

26 A wise king separates out the wicked

and drives the threshing wheel over them.

27 The Lord’s lamp sheds light on a person’s life,

searching the innermost parts.

28 Loyalty and faithfulness deliver a king;

through loyalty he maintains his throne.

29 The glory of young men is their strength,

and the splendor of old men is gray hair.

30 Lashes and wounds purge away evil,

and beatings cleanse the innermost parts.

1 A king’s heart is like streams of water in the Lord’s hand:

He directs it wherever He chooses.

26 A wise king winnows the wicked

and drives the wheel over them.

27 The human spirit is the lamp of the Lord,

searching every inmost part.

28 Loyalty and faithfulness preserve the king,

and his throne is upheld by righteousness.

29 The glory of youths is their strength,

but the beauty of the aged is their gray hair.

30 Blows that wound cleanse away evil;

beatings make clean the innermost parts.

1 The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord;

he turns it wherever he will.

26 A wise king winnows the wicked,

and he will drive a wheel over them.

27 The lamp of Yahweh is the spirit of humankind,

he who searches every innermost part.

28 Loyalty and faithfulness will preserve a king,

and he is upheld with the righteousness of his throne.

29 The glory of young men is their strength,

but the beauty of the aged is gray hair.

30 The blows of a wound will cleanse evil,

as will beatings of the innermost part.

1 Streams of water are the heart of a king in the hand of Yahweh;

wherever he will desire, he will turn.

26 A wise king gets rid of evil people.

He runs the threshing wheel over them.

27 The lamp of the Lord searches a man’s heart.

It searches deep down inside him.

28 Love and truth keep a king safe.

Faithful love makes his throne secure.

29 Young men are proud of their strength.

Gray hair brings honor to old men.

30 Blows and wounds wash evil away.

And beatings make you pure deep down inside.

1 The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord.

He directs it like a stream of water anywhere he pleases.

26 A wise king winnows the wicked,

And drives the threshing wheel over them.

27 The spirit of man is the lamp of the Lord,

Searching all the innermost parts of his being.

28 Loyalty and truth preserve the king,

And he upholds his throne by righteousness.

29 The glory of young men is their strength,

And the honor of old men is their gray hair.

30 Stripes that wound scour away evil,

And strokes reach the innermost parts.

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

He turns it wherever He wishes.