Proverbs 21

Listen to Proverbs 21
1 The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD; he 1turns it wherever he will.
2 2Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the LORD 3weighs the heart.
3 4To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.
4 5Haughty eyes and a proud heart, 6the lamp[a] of the wicked, are sin.
5 The plans of 7the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is 8hasty comes 9only to poverty.
6 10The getting of treasures by a lying tongue is a 11fleeting 12vapor and a 13snare of death.[b]
7 The violence of the wicked will 14sweep them away, because they refuse to do what is just.
8 The way of the guilty 15is crooked, but the conduct of the pure is upright.
9 It is 16better to live in a corner of the housetop than in a house shared with a quarrelsome wife.
10 The soul of the wicked desires evil; his neighbor finds no mercy in his eyes.
11 When 17a scoffer is punished, the simple becomes wise; when a wise man is instructed, he gains knowledge.
12 The Righteous One 18observes the house of the wicked; he throws the wicked down to ruin.
13 19Whoever closes his ear to the cry of the poor will himself call out and not be answered.
14 20A gift in secret averts anger, and a concealed bribe,[c] strong wrath.
15 When justice is done, it is a joy to the righteous 21but terror to evildoers.
16 One who wanders from the way of good sense 22will rest in the assembly of the dead.
17 Whoever loves pleasure will be a poor man; he who loves wine and oil will not be rich.
18 23The wicked is a 24ransom for the righteous, and the traitor for the upright.
19 It is 25better to live in a desert land than with a quarrelsome and fretful woman.
20 26Precious treasure and oil are in a wise man's dwelling, but a foolish man 27devours it.
21 Whoever 28pursues righteousness and kindness will find 29life, righteousness, and honor.
22 30A wise man scales the city of the mighty and brings down the stronghold in which they trust.
23 31Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue 32keeps himself out of 33trouble.
24 34"Scoffer" is the name of the arrogant, haughty man who acts with arrogant pride.
25 The desire of 35the sluggard kills him, for his hands refuse to labor.
26 All day long he craves and craves, but the righteous 36gives and does not hold back.
27 37The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination; how much more 38when he brings it with evil intent.
28 39A false witness will perish, but the word of a man who hears will endure.
29 A wicked man puts on a bold face, but the upright 40gives thought to[d] his ways.
30 41No wisdom, no understanding, no counsel can avail against the LORD.
31 42The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but 43the victory belongs to the LORD.

Cross References 43

  • 1. [Ezra 6:22]
  • 2. Proverbs 16:2; [Proverbs 12:15]
  • 3. Proverbs 24:12; [Luke 16:15; 1 Corinthians 4:4]; See 1 Samuel 16:7
  • 4. See Proverbs 15:8; 1 Samuel 15:22
  • 5. See Proverbs 6:17; Psalms 101:5
  • 6. 1 Kings 11:36
  • 7. Proverbs 10:4
  • 8. [Proverbs 19:2]
  • 9. [Proverbs 11:24; Proverbs 14:23; Proverbs 22:16]
  • 10. Proverbs 20:21; See Proverbs 10:2
  • 11. [Proverbs 13:11]
  • 12. Job 13:25
  • 13. [Proverbs 8:36]
  • 14. [Jeremiah 30:23]
  • 15. [Proverbs 2:15]
  • 16. Proverbs 25:24; [ver. 19; Proverbs 19:13; Proverbs 27:15]
  • 17. Proverbs 19:25; See Psalms 1:1
  • 18. Psalms 37:35, 36
  • 19. [James 2:13]; See Matthew 18:30-34
  • 20. [Proverbs 17:8; Proverbs 18:16]
  • 21. [Proverbs 10:29]
  • 22. [Psalms 49:14]
  • 23. [Proverbs 11:8]
  • 24. Isaiah 43:3
  • 25. [ver. 9]
  • 26. [Psalms 112:3]
  • 27. [Job 20:15, 18]
  • 28. Proverbs 15:9; Matthew 5:6; [Proverbs 3:3]
  • 29. Proverbs 3:16; 1 Kings 3:11; Matthew 6:33; See Proverbs 4:22
  • 30. [Proverbs 24:5; Ecclesiastes 7:19]; See 2 Samuel 5:6-9; Ecclesiastes 9:14-18
  • 31. See Proverbs 13:3
  • 32. Proverbs 22:5
  • 33. Proverbs 12:13
  • 34. Proverbs 1:22; See Psalms 1:1
  • 35. [Proverbs 13:4]
  • 36. See Psalms 37:26
  • 37. Isaiah 66:3; See Proverbs 15:8
  • 38. [Proverbs 24:9]
  • 39. Proverbs 19:5, 9
  • 40. Psalms 119:5
  • 41. Isaiah 8:9, 10; 1 Corinthians 3:19, 20; [Proverbs 19:21]
  • 42. [Psalms 20:7; Psalms 33:17; Isaiah 31:1]
  • 43. Jeremiah 3:23

Footnotes 4

  • [a]. Or the plowing
  • [b]. Some Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint, Latin; most Hebrew manuscripts vapor for those who seek death
  • [c]. Hebrew a bribe in the bosom
  • [d]. Or establishes

Proverbs 21 Commentaries

The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.