Proverbs 21:1-8

Holman Christian Standard Bible

21 A king’s heart is like streams of water in the Lord’s hand:
He directs it wherever He chooses.^(A)

² All a man’s ways seem right to him,
but the Lord evaluates the motives.^[a](B)

³ Doing what is righteous and just
is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.^(C)

⁴ The lamp^[b] that guides the wicked—
haughty eyes and an arrogant heart^(D)—is sin.

⁵ The plans of the diligent certainly lead to profit,
but anyone who is reckless certainly becomes poor.^(E)

⁶ Making a fortune through a lying tongue
is a vanishing mist,^[c] a pursuit of death.^[d][e](F)

⁷ The violence of the wicked sweeps them away
because they refuse to act justly.

⁸ A guilty man’s conduct is crooked,^(G)
but the behavior of the innocent is upright.^(H)