Proverbs 21:1-9

King James Version

21 The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.

²Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the Lord pondereth the hearts.

³To do justice and judgment is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.

⁴An high look, and a proud heart, and the plowing of the wicked, is sin.

⁵The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness; but of every one that is hasty only to want.

⁶The getting of treasures by a lying tongue is a vanity tossed to and fro of them that seek death.

⁷The robbery of the wicked shall destroy them; because they refuse to do judgment.

⁸The way of man is froward and strange: but as for the pure, his work is right.

⁹It is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman in a wide house.

Proverbs 21:1-9

New International Version

21 In the Lord’s hand the king’s heart is a stream of water
that he channels toward all who please him.^(A)

²A person may think their own ways are right,
but the Lord weighs the heart.^(B)

³To do what is right and just
is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.^(C)

⁴Haughty eyes^(D) and a proud heart—
the unplowed field of the wicked—produce sin.

⁵The plans of the diligent lead to profit^(E)
as surely as haste leads to poverty.

⁶A fortune made by a lying tongue
is a fleeting vapor and a deadly snare.^[a]^(F)

⁷The violence of the wicked will drag them away,^(G)
for they refuse to do what is right.

⁸The way of the guilty is devious,^(H)
but the conduct of the innocent is upright.

⁹Better to live on a corner of the roof
than share a house with a quarrelsome wife.^(I)

Proverbs 21:6 Some Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint and Vulgate; most Hebrew manuscripts vapor for those who seek death

King James Version (KJV)

Public Domain

New International Version (NIV)