Proverbs 21

21In the Lord’s hand the king’s heart is a stream of water

that he channels toward all who please him.^d

²A person may think their own ways are right,

but the Lord weighs the heart.^e

³To do what is right and just

is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.^f

⁴Haughty eyes^g and a proud heart—

the unplowed field of the wicked—produce sin.

⁵The plans of the diligent lead to profit^h

as surely as haste leads to poverty.

⁶A fortune made by a lying tongue

is a fleeting vapor and a deadly snare.^ai

⁷The violence of the wicked will drag them away,^j

for they refuse to do what is right.

⁸The way of the guilty is devious,^k

but the conduct of the innocent is upright.

⁹Better to live on a corner of the roof

than share a house with a quarrelsome wife.^l

¹⁰The wicked crave evil;

their neighbors get no mercy from them.

¹¹When a mocker is punished, the simple gain wisdom;

by paying attention to the wise they get knowledge.^m

¹²The Righteous One^b takes note of the house of the wicked

and brings the wicked to ruin.ⁿ

¹³Whoever shuts their ears to the cry of the poor

will also cry out^o and not be answered.^p

¹⁴A gift given in secret soothes anger,

and a bribe concealed in the cloak pacifies great wrath.^q

¹⁵When justice is done, it brings joy to the righteous

but terror to evildoers.^r

¹⁶Whoever strays from the path of prudence

comes to rest in the company of the dead.^s

¹⁷Whoever loves pleasure will become poor;

whoever loves wine and olive oil will never be rich.^t

¹⁸The wicked become a ransom^u for the righteous,

and the unfaithful for the upright.

¹⁹Better to live in a desert

than with a quarrelsome and nagging wife.^v

²⁰The wise store up choice food and olive oil,

but fools gulp theirs down.

²¹Whoever pursues righteousness and love

finds life, prosperity^cw and honor.^x

²²One who is wise can go up against the city of the mighty^y

and pull down the stronghold in which they trust.

²³Those who guard their mouths^z and their tongues

keep themselves from calamity.^a

²⁴The proud and arrogant person^b—“Mocker” is his name—

behaves with insolent fury.

²⁵The craving of a sluggard will be the death of him,^c

because his hands refuse to work.

²⁶All day long he craves for more,

but the righteous^d give without sparing.^e

²⁷The sacrifice of the wicked is detestable^f—

how much more so when brought with evil intent!^g

²⁸A false witness^h will perish,ⁱ

but a careful listener will testify successfully.

²⁹The wicked put up a bold front,

but the upright give thought to their ways.^j

³⁰There is no wisdom,^k no insight, no plan

that can succeed against the Lord.^l

³¹The horse is made ready for the day of battle,

but victory rests with the Lord.^m