Pro 21 | LSB | STEP | The king’s heart is like channels of water in the hand of Yahweh; He turns it wherever He pleases.

Proverbs 21

Salvation Belongs to Yahweh

1 The king’s heart is like channels of water in the hand of Yahweh;
He turns it wherever He pleases.
2 Every man’s way is right in his own eyes,
But Yahweh weighs the hearts.
3 To do righteousness and justice
Is chosen by Yahweh over sacrifice.
4 Haughty eyes and a proud heart—
The fallow ground of the wicked—are sin.
5 The ^{▼▼Or plans}thoughts of the diligent lead surely to profit,
But everyone who is hasty comes surely to poverty.
6 Working for treasures by a lying tongue
Is a fleeting breath, by those who pursue death.
7 The destruction of the wicked will drag them away,
Because they refuse to do justice.
8 The way of a guilty man is perverse,
But as for the pure, his work is upright.
9 It is better to live in a corner of a roof
Than ^{▼▼Lit with a woman of contentions and a house of association}in a house shared with a contentious woman.
10 The soul of the wicked craves evil;
His neighbor finds no favor in his eyes.
11 When the scoffer is punished, the simple becomes wise;
And when one considers wisdom, he receives knowledge.
12 The righteous one considers the house of the wicked,
Turning the wicked to ruin.
13 He who shuts his ear to the outcry of the poor
Will himself also call and not be answered.
14 A gift in secret subdues anger,
And a bribe in the bosom, strong wrath.
15 To do justice is ^{▼▼Lit gladness}pleasure for the righteous,
But is ruin to the workers of iniquity.
16 A man who wanders from the way of insight
Will rest in the assembly of the ^{▼▼Lit departed spirits}dead.
17 He who loves ^{▼▼Lit gladness}pleasure will become a poor man;
He who loves wine and oil will not become rich.
18 The wicked is a ransom for the righteous,
And the treacherous is in the place of the upright.
19 It is better to live in a desert land
Than with a contentious and vexing woman.
20 There is desirable treasure and oil in the abode of the wise,
But a foolish man swallows it up.
21 He who pursues righteousness and lovingkindness
Finds life, righteousness, and glory.
22 A wise man goes up to the city of the mighty
And brings down the ^{▼▼Lit strength of trust}stronghold in which they trust.
23 He who keeps his mouth and his tongue,
Keeps his soul from troubles.
24 “Arrogant,” “Haughty,” “Scoffer,” are his names,
Who acts with arrogant fury.
25 The desire of the sluggard puts him to death,
For his hands refuse to work;
26 All day long he ^{▼▼Lit desires desire}is insatiably craving,
While the righteous gives and does not hold back.
27 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination,
How much more when he brings it with a wicked scheme!
28 A false witness will perish,
But the man who listens will speak forever.
29 A wicked man ^{▼▼Lit makes firm with his face}displays a brazen face,
But as for the upright, he establishes his way.
30 There is no wisdom, there is no discernment
And there is no counsel against Yahweh.
31 The horse is set for the day of battle,
But salvation belongs to Yahweh.