Chapter 21

On Life and Conduct

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

He aturns it wherever He wishes.

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

But the Lord bweighs the hearts.

3 To do arighteousness and justice

Is desired by the Lord more than sacrifice.

4 Haughty eyes and a proud heart,

The alamp of the wicked, is sin.

5 The plans of the adiligent lead surely to advantage,

But everyone bwho is hasty comes surely to poverty.

6 The aacquisition of treasures by a lying tongue

Is a fleeting vapor, the 1pursuit of bdeath.

7 The violence of the wicked will drag them away,

Because they arefuse to act with justice.

8 The way of a guilty man is acrooked,

But as for the pure, his conduct is upright.

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

Than 1in a house shared with a contentious woman.

10 The soul of the wicked desires evil;

His aneighbor finds no favor in his eyes.

11 When the ascoffer is punished, the 1naive becomes wise;

But when the wise is instructed, he receives knowledge.

12 The righteous one considers the house of the wicked,

Turning the awicked to ruin.

13 He who ashuts his ear to the cry of the poor

Will also cry himself and not be banswered.

14 A agift in secret subdues anger,

And a bribe in the bosom, strong wrath.

15 The exercise of justice is joy for the righteous,

But is aterror to the workers of iniquity.

16 A man who wanders from the way of understanding

Will arest in the assembly of the 1dead.

17 He who aloves pleasure will become a poor man;

He who loves wine and oil will not become rich.

18 The wicked is a aransom for the righteous,

And the btreacherous is in the place of the upright.

19 aIt is better to live in a desert land

Than with a contentious and vexing woman.

20 There is precious atreasure and oil in the dwelling of the wise,

But a foolish man bswallows it up.

21 He who apursues righteousness and loyalty

Finds life, righteousness and honor.

22 A awise man scales the city of the mighty

And brings down the 1stronghold in which they trust.

23 He who aguards his mouth and his tongue,

Guards his soul from troubles.

24 “Proud,” “Haughty,” “aScoffer,” are his names,

Who acts with binsolent pride.

25 The adesire of the sluggard puts him to death,

For his hands refuse to work;

26 All day long he 1is craving,

While the righteous agives and does not hold back.

27 The asacrifice of the wicked is an abomination,

How much more when he brings it with evil intent!

28 A afalse witness will perish,

But the man who listens to the truth will speak forever.

29 A wicked man 1adisplays a bold face,

But as for the bupright, he makes his way sure.

30 There is ano wisdom and no understanding

And no counsel against the Lord.

31 The ahorse is prepared for the day of battle,

But bvictory belongs to the Lord.