Proverbs 21-22

New King James Version

^2 (A)Every way of a man is right in his own eyes,
^(B)But the Lord weighs the hearts.

^3 (C)To do righteousness and justice
Is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.

^4 (D)A haughty look, a proud heart,
And the ^[b]plowing of the wicked are sin.

^5 (E)The plans of the diligent lead surely to plenty,
But those of everyone who is hasty, surely to poverty.

^6 (F)Getting treasures by a lying tongue
^[c]Is the fleeting fantasy of those who seek death.

⁷ The violence of the wicked will ^[d]destroy them,
Because they refuse to do justice.

⁸ The way of ^[e]a guilty man is perverse;
But as for the pure, his work is right.

⁹ Better to dwell in a corner of a housetop,
Than in a house shared with ^(G)a contentious woman.

^10 (H)The soul of the wicked desires evil;
His neighbor finds no favor in his eyes.

¹¹ When the scoffer is punished, the simple is made wise;
But when the ^(I)wise is instructed, he receives knowledge.

¹² The righteous God wisely considers the house of the wicked,
Overthrowing the wicked for their wickedness.

^13 (J)Whoever shuts his ears to the cry of the poor
Will also cry himself and not be heard.

¹⁴ A gift in secret pacifies anger,
And a bribe ^[f]behind the back, strong wrath.

¹⁵ It is a joy for the just to do justice,
But destruction will come to the workers of iniquity.

¹⁶ A man who wanders from the way of understanding
Will rest in the assembly of the ^(K)dead.

¹⁷ He who loves pleasure will be a poor man;
He who loves wine and oil will not be rich.

¹⁸ The wicked shall be a ransom for the righteous,
And the unfaithful for the upright.

¹⁹ Better to dwell ^[g]in the wilderness,
Than with a contentious and angry woman.

^20 (L)There is desirable treasure,
And oil in the dwelling of the wise,
But a foolish man squanders it.

^21 (M)He who follows righteousness and mercy
Finds life, righteousness, and honor.

²² A ^(N)wise man ^[h]scales the city of the mighty,
And brings down the trusted stronghold.

^23 (O)Whoever guards his mouth and tongue
Keeps his soul from troubles.

²⁴ A proud and haughty man—“Scoffer” is his name;
He acts with arrogant pride.

²⁵ The ^(P)desire of the lazy man kills him,
For his hands refuse to labor.
²⁶ He covets greedily all day long,
But the righteous ^(Q)gives and does not spare.

^27 (R)The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination;
How much more when he brings it with wicked intent!

²⁸ A false witness shall perish,
But the man who hears him will speak endlessly.

²⁹ A wicked man hardens his face,
But as for the upright, he ^[i]establishes his way.

^30 (S)There is no wisdom or understanding
Or counsel against the Lord.

³¹ The horse is prepared for the day of battle,
But ^(T)deliverance is of the Lord.

² The ^(V)rich and the poor have this in common,
The ^(W)Lord is the maker of them all.

³ A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself,
But the simple pass on and are ^(X)punished.

⁴ By humility and the fear of the Lord
Are riches and honor and life.

⁵ Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse;
He who guards his soul will be far from them.

^6 (Y)Train up a child in the way he should go,
^[j]And when he is old he will not depart from it.

⁷ The ^(Z)rich rules over the poor,
And the borrower is servant to the lender.

⁸ He who sows iniquity will reap ^(AA)sorrow,^[k]
And the rod of his anger will fail.

^9 (AB)He who has a ^[l]generous eye will be ^(AC)blessed,
For he gives of his bread to the poor.

^10 (AD)Cast out the scoffer, and contention will leave;
Yes, strife and reproach will cease.

^11 (AE)He who loves purity of heart
And has grace on his lips,
The king will be his friend.

¹² The eyes of the Lord preserve knowledge,
But He overthrows the words of the faithless.

^13 (AF)The lazy man says, “There is a lion outside!
I shall be slain in the streets!”

^14 (AG)The mouth of an immoral woman is a deep pit;
^(AH)He who is abhorred by the Lord will fall there.

¹⁵ Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child;
^(AI)The rod of correction will drive it far from him.

¹⁶ He who oppresses the poor to increase his riches,
And he who gives to the rich, will surely come to poverty.

²² Do not rob the ^(AL)poor because he is poor,
Nor oppress the afflicted at the gate;
^23 (AM)For the Lord will plead their cause,
And plunder the soul of those who plunder them.

²⁴ Make no friendship with an angry man,
And with a ^(AN)furious man do not go,
²⁵ Lest you learn his ways
And set a snare for your soul.

^26 (AO)Do not be one of those who ^[n]shakes hands in a pledge,
One of those who is ^[o]surety for debts;
²⁷ If you have nothing with which to pay,
Why should he take away your bed from under you?

^28 (AP)Do not remove the ancient ^[p]landmark
Which your fathers have set.

²⁹ Do you see a man who ^[q]excels in his work?
He will stand before kings;
He will not stand before ^[r]unknown men.