Proverbs 21
The Lord has control over the king's heart and weighs the hearts of all people. True righteousness is more pleasing to the Lord than sacrifices, and those who are lazy or wicked will ultimately suffer, while the just and upright will prosper. The wicked will be punished, and the just will be rewarded, and it is better to live a simple life of righteousness than to be surrounded by wealth and wickedness.
Just as with the dividing of the waters, so also is the heart of the king in the hand of the Lord. He shall bend it whichever way he willsEvery way of a man seems right to himself. But the Lord weighs heartsTo do mercy and judgment is more pleasing to the Lord than sacrificesTo lift up the eyes is to enlarge the heart. The lamp of the impious is sinThe intentions of the robust continually bring forth abundance. But all the lazy are continually in needWhoever gathers treasures by a lying tongue is vain and heartless. And he will stumble into the snares of deathThe robberies of the impious will drag them down, because they were not willing to do judgmentThe perverse way of a man is foreign. But whoever is pure: his work is uprightIt is better to sit in a corner of the attic, than with a contentious woman and in a shared houseThe soul of the impious desires evil; he will not take pity on his neighborWhen the pestilent is punished, a little one will become wiser. And if he pursues what is wise, he will receive knowledgeThe just thinks carefully about the house of the impious, so that he may draw the impious away from evilWhoever blocks his ears to the outcry of the poor shall also cry out himself, and he will not be heededA surprise gift extinguishes anger. And a gift concealed in the bosom extinguishes the greatest indignationIt is gladness for the just to do judgment; and it is dread for those who work iniquityA man who wanders astray from the way of doctrine will linger in the company of the giantsWhoever loves a feast will be in deprivation. Whoever loves wine and fatness will not be enrichedThe impious is given over instead of the just, and the iniquitous is given over in place of the uprightIt is better to live in a deserted land, than with a quarrelsome and emotional womanThere is desirable treasure, as well as oil, in the habitations of the just. And the imprudent man will waste itWhoever follows justice and mercy shall discover life, justice, and gloryThe wise has ascended the city of the strong, and he has torn down the bulwark of its confidenceWhoever guards his mouth and his tongue guards his soul from anguishA proud and arrogant one is also called ignorant, if he, in anger, acts according to prideDesires kill the lazy, for his hands are not willing to work at allHe covets and desires all day long. But whoever is just shall distribute and shall not ceaseThe sacrifices of the impious are abominable, because they are offered out of wickednessA lying witness will perish. An obedient man shall speak of victoryThe impious man insolently hardens his face. But whoever is upright corrects his own wayThere is no wisdom, there is no prudence, there is no counsel, which is against the LordThe horse is prepared for the day of battle. But the Lord bestows salvation
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