Proverbs 21

1 As a rush of water is directed, so a king’s heart is in God’s hand; wherever God wishes, he inclines it there.

2 Every person appears righteous to himself, but the Lord directs hearts.

3 Doing what is righteous and speaking truth please God more than the blood of sacrifices.

4 The arrogant are boldhearted in their pride, and the lamp of the ungodly is sin.

6 Whoever produces treasures with a lying tongue pursues futile things into the snares of death.

7 Destruction will lodge with the ungodly, because they refuse to do what is righteous.

8 God sends crooked ways to the crooked, for his works are pure and upright.

9 It is better to live in a corner exposed to the open air than in plastered rooms with injustice in a shared house.

10 No human being will show mercy to the soul of an ungodly person.

11 When an undisciplined person is punished, the innocent become shrewder, and a wise person who understands will receive knowledge.

12 A righteous person understands the hearts of the ungodly and condemns them for their evils.

13 Whoever closes his ears so as not to hear the weak will himself call out, and there will be no one to listen.

14 A gift given secretly overturns anger, but whoever withholds gifts stirs up intense wrath.

15 Doing what is right is joy to the righteous, but a holy person is considered unclean by evildoers.

16 A person who wanders from the way of righteousness will rest in the assembly of giants.

17 A needy person loves pleasure, loving wine and oil in abundance.

18 A lawless person is the refuse of a righteous person.

19 It is better to live in a wilderness than with a quarrelsome, talkative, and hot-tempered wife.

20 A desirable treasure rests on the mouth of the wise, but foolish people swallow it.

21 The way of righteousness and acts of mercy will find life and glory.

22 A wise person attacked fortified cities and tore down the stronghold in which the ungodly trusted.

23 Whoever guards his mouth and tongue preserves his soul from distress.

24 A bold, self-willed, and boastful person is called pestilent, and whoever holds a grudge is a lawbreaker.

25 Desires kill a lazy person because his hands do not choose to do anything.

26 An ungodly person desires evil things all day, but the righteous show mercy and pity without holding back.

27 The sacrifices of the ungodly are a detestable thing to the Lord, for they offer them in lawbreaking.

28 A false witness will perish, but an obedient person will speak carefully.

29 An ungodly person presents a shameless face, but the upright person understands his own ways.

30 There is no wisdom, courage, or counsel against the ungodly.

31 A horse is prepared for the day of battle, but help comes from the Lord.