Proverbs 21
Reading Proverbs chapter 21 in the World English Bible, public-domain text from 2000.
Verses 1–10
1 The king’s heart is in the LORD’s hand like the watercourses. He turns it wherever he desires.
2 Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the LORD weighs the hearts.
3 To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.
4 A high look and a proud heart, the lamp of the wicked, is sin.
5 The plans of the diligent surely lead to profit; and everyone who is hasty surely rushes to poverty.
6 Getting treasures by a lying tongue is a fleeting vapour for those who seek death.
7 The violence of the wicked will drive them away, because they refuse to do what is right.
8 The way of the guilty is devious, but the conduct of the innocent is upright.
9 It is better to dwell in the corner of the housetop than to share a house with a contentious woman.
10 The soul of the wicked desires evil; his neighbour finds no mercy in his eyes.
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About this translation
The World English Bible (2000) is one of seven public-domain translations available in the OCC Bible Explorer. Use the full app to compare translations side by side, search across all translations, and explore Strong's Hebrew and Greek concordance entries linked to every word.