21:1 The king’s heart 1 is in the hand 2 of the Lord like channels of water; 3
he turns it wherever he wants.
21:2 All of a person’s ways seem right in his own opinion, 4
but the Lord evaluates 5 the motives. 6
21:3 To do righteousness and justice
is more acceptable 7 to the Lord than sacrifice. 8
21:4 Haughty eyes and a proud heart –
the agricultural product 9 of the wicked is sin.
21:5 The plans of the diligent 10 lead 11 only to plenty, 12
but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty. 13
21:6 Making a fortune 14 by a lying tongue is like 15 a vapor driven back and forth; 16
they seek death. 17
21:7 The violence 18 done by the wicked 19 will drag them away
because 20 they refuse to do what is right. 21
21:8 The way of the guilty person 22 is devious, 23
but as for the pure, 24 his way is upright.
21:9 It is better to live on a corner of the housetop 25
than in a house in company 26 with a quarrelsome wife. 27
21:10 The appetite 28 of the wicked desires 29 evil;
his neighbor is shown no favor 30 in his eyes.
21:11 When a scorner is punished, the naive 31 becomes wise;
when a wise person is instructed, 32 he gains knowledge.
21:12 The Righteous One 33 considers 34 the house 35 of the wicked;
he overthrows the wicked to their ruin. 36
21:13 The one who shuts his ears 37 to the cry 38 of the poor,
he too will cry out and will not be answered. 39
21:14 A gift given 40 in secret subdues 41 anger,
and a bribe given secretly 42 subdues 43 strong wrath. 44
21:15 Doing 45 justice brings 46 joy to the righteous
and terror 47 to those who do evil.
21:16 The one who wanders 48 from the way of wisdom 49
will end up 50 in the company of the departed. 51
21:17 The one who loves 52 pleasure 53 will be 54 a poor person; 55
whoever loves wine and anointing oil 56 will not be rich.
21:18 The wicked become 57 a ransom 58 for the righteous,
and the faithless 59 are taken 60 in the place of the upright.
21:19 It is better to live 61 in a desert land 62
than with a quarrelsome and easily-provoked 63 woman.
21:20 There is desirable treasure and olive oil 64 in the dwelling of the wise,
but a foolish person 65 devours all he has. 66
21:21 The one who pursues righteousness and love 67
finds life, bounty, 68 and honor.
21:22 The wise person 69 can scale 70 the city of the mighty
and bring down the stronghold 71 in which they trust. 72
21:23 The one who guards his mouth and his tongue 73
keeps his life 74 from troubles. 75
21:24 A proud 76 and arrogant 77 person, whose name is “Scoffer,” 78
acts 79 with overbearing pride. 80
21:25 What the sluggard desires 81 will kill him, 82
for his hands 83 refuse to work.
21:26 All day long he craves greedily, 84
but the righteous gives and does not hold back. 85
21:27 The wicked person’s sacrifice 86 is an abomination;
how much more 87 when he brings it with evil intent! 88
21:28 A lying witness 89 will perish, 90
but the one who reports accurately speaks forever. 91
21:29 A wicked person 92 shows boldness with his face, 93
but as for the upright, 94 he discerns 95 his ways.