Proverbs 21 — Legacy Standard Bible

Salvation Belongs to Yahweh

21The king’s heart is like channels of water in the hand of Yahweh;He ^aturns it wherever He pleases.²^aEvery man’s way is right in his own eyes,But Yahweh ^bweighs the hearts.³To do ^arighteousness and justiceIs chosen by Yahweh over sacrifice.⁴Haughty eyes and a proud heart—The ^afallow ground of the wicked—are sin.⁵The ¹thoughts of the ^adiligent lead surely to profit,But everyone ^bwho is hasty comes surely to poverty.⁶^aWorking for treasures by a lying tongueIs a fleeting breath, by those who pursue ^bdeath.⁷The destruction of the wicked will drag them away,Because they ^arefuse to do justice.⁸The way of a guilty man is ^aperverse,But as for the pure, his work is upright.⁹It is better to live in a corner of a roofThan ¹in a house shared with a contentious woman.¹⁰The soul of the wicked craves evil;His ^aneighbor finds no favor in his eyes.¹¹When the ^ascoffer is punished, the simple becomes wise;And when one considers wisdom, he receives knowledge.¹²The righteous one considers the house of the wicked,Turning the ^awicked to ruin.¹³He who ^ashuts his ear to the outcry of the poorWill himself also call and not be ^banswered.¹⁴A ^agift in secret subdues anger,And a bribe in the bosom, strong wrath.¹⁵To do justice is ¹pleasure for the righteous,But is ^aruin to the workers of iniquity.¹⁶A man who wanders from the way of insightWill ^arest in the assembly of the ¹dead.¹⁷He who ^aloves ¹pleasure will become a poor man;He who loves wine and oil will not become rich.¹⁸The wicked is a ^aransom for the righteous,And the ^btreacherous is in the place of the upright.¹⁹^aIt is better to live in a desert landThan with a contentious and vexing woman.²⁰There is desirable ^atreasure and oil in the abode of the wise,But a foolish man ^bswallows it up.²¹He who ^apursues righteousness and lovingkindnessFinds life, righteousness, and glory.²²A ^awise man goes up to the city of the mightyAnd brings down the ¹stronghold in which they trust.²³He who ^akeeps his mouth and his tongue,Keeps his soul from troubles.²⁴“Arrogant,” “Haughty,” “^aScoffer,” are his names,Who acts with ^barrogant fury.²⁵The ^adesire of the sluggard puts him to death,For his hands refuse to work;²⁶All day long he ¹is insatiably craving,While the righteous ^agives and does not hold back.²⁷The ^asacrifice of the wicked is an abomination,How much more when he brings it with a wicked scheme!²⁸A ^afalse witness will perish,But the man who listens will speak forever.²⁹A wicked man ¹^,^adisplays a brazen face,But as for the ^bupright, he establishes his way.³⁰There is ^ano wisdom, there is no discernmentAnd there is no counsel against Yahweh.³¹The ^ahorse is set for the day of battle,But ^bsalvation belongs to Yahweh.