Proverbs 21

The King’s Heart

(Psalms 21:1–13)

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

He directs it where He pleases.2

²All a man’s ways seem right to him,

but the LORD weighs the heart.1

³To do righteousness and justice

is more desirable to the LORD than sacrifice.

⁴Haughty eyes and a proud heart—

the guides of the wicked—are sin.

⁵The plans of the diligent bring plenty,

as surely as haste leads to poverty.

⁶Making a fortune by a lying tongue

is a vanishing mist, a deadly pursuit.

⁷The violence of the wicked will sweep them away

because they refuse to do what is just.

⁸The way of a guilty man is crooked,

but the conduct of the innocent is upright.

⁹Better to live on a corner of the roof

than to share a house with a quarrelsome wife.

¹⁰The soul of the wicked man craves evil;

his neighbor finds no favor in his eyes.

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

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

¹²The Righteous One considers the house of the wicked

and brings the wicked to ruin.

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

he too shall cry out and receive no answer.

¹⁴A gift in secret soothes anger,

and a covert bribe pacifies great wrath.

¹⁵Justice executed is a joy to the righteous,

but a terror to the workers of iniquity.

¹⁶The man who strays from the path of understanding

will rest in the assembly of the dead.

¹⁷He who loves pleasure will become poor;

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

¹⁸The wicked become a ransom for the righteous,

and the faithless for the upright.

¹⁹Better to live in the desert

than with a contentious and ill-tempered wife.

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

but a foolish man consumes them.1

²¹He who pursues righteousness and loving devotion

finds life, righteousness, and honor.

²²A wise man scales the city of the mighty

and pulls down the stronghold in which they trust.

²³He who guards his mouth and tongue

keeps his soul from distress.

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

of him who acts with excessive pride.

²⁵The craving of the slacker kills him

because his hands refuse to work.

²⁶All day long he covets more,

but the righteous give without restraint.

²⁷The sacrifice of the wicked is detestable—

how much more so when brought with ill intent!

²⁸A lying witness will perish,

but the man who listens to truth will speak forever.

²⁹A wicked man hardens his face,

but the upright man makes his way sure.

³⁰There is no wisdom, no understanding, no counsel

that can prevail against the LORD.

³¹A horse is prepared for the day of battle,

but victory is of the LORD.1