Proverbs 21

²¹The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord;

he turns it wherever he will.

²All deeds are right in the sight of the doer,

but the Lord weighs the heart.^*

³To do righteousness and justice

is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.^*

⁴Haughty eyes and a proud heart—

the lamp of the wicked—are sin.^*

⁵The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance,

but everyone who is hasty comes only to want.^*

⁶The getting of treasures by a lying tongue

is a fleeting vapor and a snareⁿ of death.^*

⁷The violence of the wicked will sweep them away

because they refuse to do what is just.^*

⁸The way of the guilty is crooked,

but the conduct of the pure is right.

⁹It is better to live in a corner of the housetop

than in a house shared with a contentious wife.^*

¹⁰The souls of the wicked desire evil;

their neighbors find no mercy in their eyes.^*

¹¹When a scoffer is punished, the simple become wiser;

when the wise are instructed, they increase in knowledge.^*

¹²The Righteous One observes the house of the wicked;

he casts the wicked down to ruin.^*

¹³If you close your ear to the cry of the poor,

you will cry out and not be heard.^*

¹⁴A gift in secret averts anger,

and a concealed bribe, strong wrath.^*

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

but dismay to evildoers.

¹⁶Whoever wanders from the way of understanding

will rest in the assembly of the dead.^*

¹⁷Whoever loves pleasure will suffer want;

whoever loves wine and oil will not be rich.

¹⁸The wicked is a ransom for the righteous

and the faithless for the upright.^*

¹⁹It is better to live in a desert land

than with a contentious and fretful wife.

²⁰Precious treasure remains^o in the house of the wise,

but the fool devours it.^*

²¹Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness

will find life^p and honor.^*

²²One wise person went up against a city of warriors

and brought down the stronghold in which they trusted.^*

²³To watch over mouth and tongue

is to keep out of trouble.^*

²⁴The proud, haughty person, named Scoffer,

acts with arrogant pride.^*

²⁵The craving of the lazy person is fatal,

for lazy hands refuse to labor.^*

²⁶All day long the wicked covet,^q

but the righteous give and do not hold back.^*

²⁷The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination;

how much more when brought with evil intent.^*

²⁸A false witness will perish,

but a good listener will testify successfully.

²⁹The wicked put on a bold face,

but the upright give thought to^r their ways.^*

³⁰No wisdom, no understanding, no counsel

can avail against the Lord.^*

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

but the victory belongs to the Lord.^*