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Proverbs 21

Holman Christian Standard Bible, 2009 (HCSB)

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¹ A king’s heart is like streams of water in the LORD’s hand: He directs it wherever He chooses. ⓐ

² All a man’s ways seem right to him, but the LORD evaluates the motives. [1] ⓑ

³ Doing what is righteous and just is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice. ⓒ

⁴ The lamp [2] that guides the wicked — haughty eyes and an arrogant heart ⓓ — is sin.

⁵ The plans of the diligent certainly lead to profit, but anyone who is reckless certainly becomes poor. ⓔ

⁶ Making a fortune through a lying tongue is a vanishing mist, [3] a pursuit of death. [4] [5] ⓕ

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

⁸ A guilty man’s conduct is crooked, ⓖ but the behavior of the innocent is upright. ⓗ

⁹ Better to live on the corner of a roof than to share a house with a nagging wife. ⓘ

¹⁰ A wicked person desires evil; he has no consideration [6] for his neighbor. ⓙ

¹¹ When a mocker is punished, the inexperienced become wiser; when one teaches a wise man, he acquires knowledge. ⓚ

¹² The Righteous One considers the house of the wicked; He brings the wicked to ruin.

¹³ The one who shuts his ears to the cry of the poor will himself also call out and not be answered. ⓛ

¹⁴ A secret gift soothes anger, and a covert bribe, [7] fierce rage. ⓜ

¹⁵ Justice executed is a joy to the righteous but a terror to those who practice iniquity. ⓝ

¹⁶ The man who strays from the way of wisdom will come to rest in the assembly of the departed spirits. ⓞ

¹⁷ The one who loves pleasure will become a poor man; whoever loves wine and oil will not get rich. ⓟ

¹⁸ The wicked are a ransom for the righteous, and the treacherous, for [8] the upright. ⓠ

¹⁹ Better to live in a wilderness than with a nagging and hot-tempered wife. ⓡ

²⁰ Precious treasure and oil are in the dwelling of a wise person, but a foolish man consumes them. [9] ⓢ

²¹ The one who pursues righteousness and faithful love will find life, righteousness, and honor. ⓣ

²² A wise person went up against a city of warriors and brought down its secure fortress. ⓤ

²³ The one who guards his mouth and tongue keeps himself out of trouble. ⓥ

²⁴ The proud and arrogant person, named “Mocker,” acts with excessive pride. ⓦ

²⁵ A slacker’s craving will kill him because his hands refuse to work. ⓧ

²⁶ He is filled with craving [10] all day long, but the righteous give and don’t hold back. ⓨ

²⁷ The sacrifice of a wicked person is detestable — how much more so when he brings it with ulterior motives! ⓩ

²⁸ A lying witness will perish, ⓐ but the one who listens will speak successfully.

²⁹ A wicked man puts on a bold face, ⓑ but the upright man considers his way.

³¹ A horse is prepared for the day of battle, ⓓ but victory comes from the LORD. ⓔ

#	HCSB
1	A king’s heart is like streams of water in the LORD’s hand: He directs it wherever He chooses. ⓐ
2	All a man’s ways seem right to him, but the LORD evaluates the motives. [1] ⓑ
3	Doing what is righteous and just is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice. ⓒ
4	The lamp [2] that guides the wicked — haughty eyes and an arrogant heart ⓓ — is sin.
5	The plans of the diligent certainly lead to profit, but anyone who is reckless certainly becomes poor. ⓔ
6	Making a fortune through a lying tongue is a vanishing mist, [3] a pursuit of death. [4] [5] ⓕ
7	The violence of the wicked sweeps them away because they refuse to act justly.
8	A guilty man’s conduct is crooked, ⓖ but the behavior of the innocent is upright. ⓗ
9	Better to live on the corner of a roof than to share a house with a nagging wife. ⓘ
10	A wicked person desires evil; he has no consideration [6] for his neighbor. ⓙ
11	When a mocker is punished, the inexperienced become wiser; when one teaches a wise man, he acquires knowledge. ⓚ
12	The Righteous One considers the house of the wicked; He brings the wicked to ruin.
13	The one who shuts his ears to the cry of the poor will himself also call out and not be answered. ⓛ
14	A secret gift soothes anger, and a covert bribe, [7] fierce rage. ⓜ
15	Justice executed is a joy to the righteous but a terror to those who practice iniquity. ⓝ
16	The man who strays from the way of wisdom will come to rest in the assembly of the departed spirits. ⓞ
17	The one who loves pleasure will become a poor man; whoever loves wine and oil will not get rich. ⓟ
18	The wicked are a ransom for the righteous, and the treacherous, for [8] the upright. ⓠ
19	Better to live in a wilderness than with a nagging and hot-tempered wife. ⓡ
20	Precious treasure and oil are in the dwelling of a wise person, but a foolish man consumes them. [9] ⓢ
21	The one who pursues righteousness and faithful love will find life, righteousness, and honor. ⓣ
22	A wise person went up against a city of warriors and brought down its secure fortress. ⓤ
23	The one who guards his mouth and tongue keeps himself out of trouble. ⓥ
24	The proud and arrogant person, named “Mocker,” acts with excessive pride. ⓦ
25	A slacker’s craving will kill him because his hands refuse to work. ⓧ
26	He is filled with craving [10] all day long, but the righteous give and don’t hold back. ⓨ
27	The sacrifice of a wicked person is detestable — how much more so when he brings it with ulterior motives! ⓩ
28	A lying witness will perish, ⓐ but the one who listens will speak successfully.
29	A wicked man puts on a bold face, ⓑ but the upright man considers his way.
30	No wisdom, no understanding, and no counsel will prevail against the LORD. ⓒ
31	A horse is prepared for the day of battle, ⓓ but victory comes from the LORD. ⓔ

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Proverbs 21

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