Proverbs 21

The King’s Heart

(Psalms 21:1–13)

¹ The king’s heart is a waterway in the hand of the LORD;

He directs it where He pleases.

² All a man’s ways seem right to him,

but the LORD weighs the heart.

³ To do righteousness and justice

is more desirable to the LORD than sacrifice.

⁴ Haughty eyes and a proud heart—

the guides of the wicked—are sin.

⁵ The plans of the diligent bring plenty,

as surely as haste leads to poverty.

⁶ Making a fortune by a lying tongue

is a vanishing mist, a deadly pursuit.

⁷ The violence of the wicked will sweep them away

because they refuse to do what is just.

⁸ The way of a guilty man is crooked,

but the conduct of the innocent is upright.

⁹ Better to live on a corner of the roof

than to share a house with a quarrelsome wife.

¹⁰ The soul of the wicked man craves evil;

his neighbor finds no favor in his eyes.

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

and when a wise man is instructed, he acquires knowledge.

¹² The Righteous One^a considers the house of the wicked

and brings the wicked to ruin.

¹³ Whoever shuts his ears to the cry of the poor,

he too shall cry out and receive no answer.

¹⁴ A gift in secret soothes anger,

and a covert bribe^b pacifies great wrath.

¹⁵ Justice executed is a joy to the righteous,

but a terror to the workers of iniquity.

¹⁶ The man who strays from the path of understanding

will rest in the assembly of the dead.

¹⁷ He who loves pleasure will become poor;

the one who loves wine and oil will never be rich.

¹⁸ The wicked become a ransom for the righteous,

and the faithless for the upright.

¹⁹ Better to live in the desert

than with a contentious and ill-tempered wife.

²⁰ Precious treasures and oil are in the dwelling of the wise,

but a foolish man consumes them.

²¹ He who pursues righteousness and loving devotion

finds life, righteousness, and honor.

²² A wise man scales the city of the mighty

and pulls down the stronghold in which they trust.

²³ He who guards his mouth and tongue

keeps his soul from distress.

²⁴ Mocker is the name of the proud and arrogant man—

of him who acts with excessive pride.

²⁵ The craving of the slacker kills him

because his hands refuse to work.

²⁶ All day long he covets more,

but the righteous give without restraint.

²⁷ The sacrifice of the wicked is detestable—

how much more so when brought with ill intent!

²⁸ A lying witness will perish,

but the man who listens to truth will speak forever.

²⁹ A wicked man hardens his face,^c

but the upright man makes his way sure.

³⁰ There is no wisdom, no understanding, no counsel

that can prevail against the LORD.

³¹ A horse is prepared for the day of battle,

but victory is of the LORD.