| Chapter 21 |
1 | The king's heart in the hands of the Lord is like the water streams, and by him it is turned in any direction at his pleasure. |
2 | Every way of a man seems right to himself, but the Lord is the tester of hearts. |
3 | To do what is right and true is more pleasing to the Lord than an offering. |
4 | A high look and a heart of pride, *** of the evil-doer is sin. |
5 | The purposes of the man of industry have their outcome only in wealth; but one who is over-quick in acting will only come to be in need. |
6 | He who gets stores of wealth by a false tongue, is going after what is only breath, and searching for death. |
7 | By their violent acts the evil-doers will be pulled away, because they have no desire to do what is right. |
8 | Twisted is the way of him who is full of crime; but as for him whose heart is clean, his work is upright. |
9 | It is better to be living in an angle of the house-top, than with a bitter-tongued woman in a wide house. |
10 | The desire of the evil-doer is fixed on evil: he has no kind feeling for his neighbour. |
11 | When the man of pride undergoes punishment, the simple man gets wisdom; and by watching the wise he gets knowledge. |
12 | The Upright One, looking on the house of the evil-doer, lets sinners be overturned to their destruction. |
13 | He whose ears are stopped at the cry of the poor, will himself get no answer to his cry for help. |
14 | By a secret offering wrath is turned away, and the heat of angry feelings by money in the folds of the robe. |
15 | It is a joy to the good man to do right, but it is destruction to the workers of evil. |
16 | The wanderer from the way of knowledge will have his resting-place among the shades. |
17 | The lover of pleasure will be a poor man: the lover of wine and oil will not get wealth. |
18 | The evil-doer will be given as a price for the life of the good man, and the worker of deceit in the place of the upright. |
19 | It is better to be living in a waste land, than with a bitter-tongued and angry woman. |
20 | There is a store of great value in the house of the wise, but it is wasted by the foolish man. |
21 | He who goes after righteousness and mercy will get life, righteousness, and honour. |
22 | A wise man goes up into the town of the strong ones, and overcomes its strength in which they put their faith. |
23 | He who keeps watch over his mouth and his tongue keeps his soul from troubles. |
24 | The man of pride, lifted up in soul, is named high-hearted; he is acting in an outburst of pride. |
25 | The desire of the hater of work is death to him, for his hands will do no work. |
26 | All the day the sinner goes after his desire: but the upright man gives freely, keeping nothing back. |
27 | The offering of evil-doers is disgusting: how much more when they give it with an evil purpose! |
28 | A false witness will be cut off, ... |
29 | The evil-doer makes his face hard, but as for the upright, he gives thought to his way. |
30 | Wisdom and knowledge and wise suggestions are of no use against the Lord. |
31 | The horse is made ready for the day of war, but power to overcome is from the Lord. |