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Proverbs 21

Christian Standard Bible (CSB)

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¹ A king’s heart is like channeled water in the LORD’s hand: He directs it wherever he chooses. ⓘ

² All a person’s ways seem right to him, but the LORD weighs hearts. ⓙ

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

⁴ The lamp 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, [1] a pursuit of death. [2] [3] ⓝ

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

⁸ A guilty one’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 [4] 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 [5] 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, fierce rage. ⓖ

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

¹⁶ The person who strays from the way of prudence will come to rest in the assembly of the departed spirits. ⓘ

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

¹⁸ The wicked are a ransom for the righteous, and the treacherous, for [6] 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 fool consumes them. [7] ⓜ

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. ⓑ

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

²⁶ He is filled with craving [8] 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 person puts on a bold face, ⓗ but the upright one 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. ⓚ

#	CSB
1	A king’s heart is like channeled water in the LORD’s hand: He directs it wherever he chooses. ⓘ
2	All a person’s ways seem right to him, but the LORD weighs hearts. ⓙ
3	Doing what is righteous and just is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice. ⓚ
4	The lamp 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, [1] a pursuit of death. [2] [3] ⓝ
7	The violence of the wicked sweeps them away because they refuse to act justly.
8	A guilty one’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 [4] 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 [5] 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, fierce rage. ⓖ
15	Justice executed is a joy to the righteous but a terror to those who practice iniquity. ⓗ
16	The person who strays from the way of prudence will come to rest in the assembly of the departed spirits. ⓘ
17	The one who loves pleasure will become poor; whoever loves wine and oil will not get rich. ⓙ
18	The wicked are a ransom for the righteous, and the treacherous, for [6] 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 fool consumes them. [7] ⓜ
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 arrogant and proud person, named “Mocker,” acts with excessive arrogance. ⓒ
25	A slacker’s craving will kill him because his hands refuse to work. ⓓ
26	He is filled with craving [8] 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 person puts on a bold face, ⓗ but the upright one 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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