Proverbs · Young's Literal Translation
Proverbs 21 Young's Literal Translation
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
1 Rivulets of waters [is] the heart of a king in the hand of Jehovah, Wherever He pleaseth He inclineth it.
1 The king’s heart is in Yahweh’s hand like the watercourses. He turns it wherever he desires.
2 Every way of a man [is] right in his own eyes, And Jehovah is pondering hearts.
2 Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but Yahweh weighs the hearts.
3 To do righteousness and judgment, Is chosen of Jehovah rather than sacrifice.
3 To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to Yahweh than sacrifice.
4 Loftiness of eyes, and breadth of heart, Tillage of the wicked [is] sin.
4 A high look and a proud heart, the lamp of the wicked, is sin.
5 The purposes of the diligent [are] only to advantage, And of every hasty one, only to want.
5 The plans of the diligent surely lead to profit; and everyone who is hasty surely rushes to poverty.
6 The making of treasures by a lying tongue, [Is] a vanity driven away of those seeking death.
6 Getting treasures by a lying tongue is a fleeting vapor for those who seek death.
7 The spoil of the wicked catcheth them, Because they have refused to do judgment.
7 The violence of the wicked will drive them away, because they refuse to do what is right.
8 Froward [is] the way of a man who is vile, And the pure — upright [is] his work.
8 The way of the guilty is devious, but the conduct of the innocent is upright.
9 Better to sit on a corner of the roof, Than [with] a woman of contentions and a house of company.
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 hath desired evil, Not gracious in his eyes is his neighbour.
10 The soul of the wicked desires evil; his neighbor finds no mercy in his eyes.
11 When the scorner is punished, the simple becometh wise, And in giving understanding to the wise He receiveth knowledge.
11 When the mocker is punished, the simple gains wisdom. When the wise is instructed, he receives knowledge.
12 The Righteous One is acting wisely Towards the house of the wicked, He is overthrowing the wicked for wickedness.
12 The Righteous One considers the house of the wicked, and brings the wicked to ruin.
13 Whoso is shutting his ear from the cry of the poor, He also doth cry, and is not answered.
13 Whoever stops his ears at the cry of the poor, he will also cry out, but shall not be heard.
14 A gift in secret pacifieth anger, And a bribe in the bosom strong fury.
14 A gift in secret pacifies anger, and a bribe in the cloak, strong wrath.
15 To do justice [is] joy to the righteous, But ruin to workers of iniquity.
15 It is joy to the righteous to do justice; but it is a destruction to the workers of iniquity.
16 A man who is wandering from the way of understanding, In an assembly of Rephaim resteth.
16 The man who wanders out of the way of understanding shall rest in the assembly of the departed spirits.
17 Whoso [is] loving mirth [is] a poor man, Whoso is loving wine and oil maketh no wealth.
17 He who loves pleasure will be a poor man. He who loves wine and oil won’t be rich.
18 The wicked [is] an atonement for the righteous, And for the upright the treacherous dealer.
18 The wicked is a ransom for the righteous, the treacherous for the upright.
19 Better to dwell in a wilderness land, Than [with] a woman of contentions and anger.
19 It is better to dwell in a desert land, than with a contentious and fretful woman.
20 A treasure to be desired, and oil, [Is] in the habitation of the wise, And a foolish man swalloweth it up.
20 There is precious treasure and oil in the dwelling of the wise, but a foolish man swallows it up.
21 Whoso is pursuing righteousness and kindness, Findeth life, righteousness, and honour.
21 He who follows after righteousness and kindness finds life, righteousness, and honor.
22 A city of the mighty hath the wise gone up, And bringeth down the strength of its confidence.
22 A wise man scales the city of the mighty, and brings down the strength of its confidence.
23 Whoso is keeping his mouth and his tongue, Is keeping from adversities his soul.
23 Whoever guards his mouth and his tongue keeps his soul from troubles.
24 Proud, haughty, scorner [is] his name, Who is working in the wrath of pride.
24 The proud and arrogant man—“Scoffer” is his name— he works in the arrogance of pride.
25 The desire of the slothful slayeth him, For his hands have refused to work.
25 The desire of the sluggard kills him, for his hands refuse to labor.
26 All the day desiring he hath desired, And the righteous giveth and withholdeth not.
26 There are those who covet greedily all day long; but the righteous give and don’t withhold.
27 The sacrifice of the wicked [is] abomination, Much more when in wickedness he bringeth it.
27 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination— how much more, when he brings it with a wicked mind!
28 A false witness doth perish, And an attentive man for ever speaketh.
28 A false witness will perish. A man who listens speaks to eternity.
29 A wicked man hath hardened by his face, And the upright — he prepareth his way.
29 A wicked man hardens his face; but as for the upright, he establishes his ways.
30 There is no wisdom, nor understanding, Nor counsel, over-against Jehovah.
30 There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against Yahweh.
31 A horse is prepared for a day of battle, And the deliverance [is] of Jehovah!
31 The horse is prepared for the day of battle; but victory is with Yahweh.
Cross references (31)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Proverbs 16:9; Ezra 6:22; Proverbs 20:24; Acts 7:10; Proverbs 16:1
- 2 Proverbs 16:2; Luke 16:15; Proverbs 16:25; Jeremiah 17:10; Proverbs 30:12
- 3 1 Samuel 15:22; Hosea 6:6; Proverbs 15:8; Micah 6:6–8; Mark 12:33
- 4 Proverbs 6:17; 1 Peter 5:5; Proverbs 8:13; Isaiah 2:17; Luke 18:14
- 5 Proverbs 13:4; Proverbs 10:4; 1 Thessalonians 4:11–12; Proverbs 27:23–27; Ephesians 4:28
- 6 Proverbs 13:11; Proverbs 10:2; Proverbs 20:21; Jeremiah 17:11; Proverbs 8:36
- 7 Proverbs 21:21; Ephesians 5:6; Micah 3:9–12; Zechariah 5:3–4; Proverbs 22:22–23
- 8 1 John 3:3; Daniel 12:10; 1 Peter 1:22–23; Proverbs 2:15; 1 Corinthians 3:3
- 9 Proverbs 19:13; Proverbs 21:19; Proverbs 27:15–16; Proverbs 25:24; Proverbs 12:4
- 10 1 John 2:16; Micah 3:2–3; Proverbs 3:29; Mark 7:21–22; 1 Corinthians 10:6
- 11 Proverbs 19:25; Proverbs 18:15; Proverbs 9:9; Acts 5:5; Proverbs 18:1
- 12 Proverbs 14:11; Psalm 37:35–36; Psalm 107:43; 2 Peter 3:6–7; Proverbs 14:32
- 13 Proverbs 1:28; Proverbs 28:27; Matthew 6:14; James 2:13–16; Matthew 7:2
- 14 Proverbs 19:6; Proverbs 18:16; Proverbs 17:8; Matthew 6:3–4; 1 Samuel 25:35
- 15 Proverbs 10:29; Matthew 7:23; Isaiah 64:5; Ecclesiastes 3:12; Job 29:12–17
- 16 Hebrews 10:38; Psalm 125:5; Hebrews 10:26–27; Zephaniah 1:6; Psalm 49:14
- 17 Proverbs 23:21; 1 Timothy 5:6; 2 Timothy 3:4; Proverbs 5:10–11; Proverbs 21:20
- 18 Proverbs 11:8; Isaiah 43:3–4; Isaiah 53:4–5; 1 Peter 3:18; Isaiah 55:8–9
- 19 Proverbs 21:9; Psalm 55:6–7; Psalm 120:5–6; Jeremiah 9:2
- 20 Matthew 25:3–4; Psalm 112:3; Ecclesiastes 5:19; Proverbs 15:6; Ecclesiastes 7:11
- 21 Matthew 5:6; 1 Corinthians 15:58; Proverbs 22:4; Proverbs 15:9; 1 Timothy 6:11
- 22 Ecclesiastes 7:19; Proverbs 24:5; Ecclesiastes 9:13–18; 2 Samuel 5:6–9; 2 Samuel 20:16–22
- 23 Proverbs 13:3; Proverbs 18:21; Proverbs 17:27–28; James 1:26; Proverbs 12:13
- 24 Psalm 1:1; Ecclesiastes 7:8–9; Matthew 2:16; Proverbs 18:12; Proverbs 1:22
- 25 Proverbs 13:4; Matthew 25:26; Proverbs 19:24; Proverbs 12:24; Proverbs 26:16
- 26 Psalm 37:26; Psalm 112:9; Acts 20:33–35; Ephesians 4:28; Luke 6:30–36
- 27 Isaiah 66:3; Proverbs 15:8; Matthew 23:13; Jeremiah 6:20; Amos 5:21–22
- 28 2 Corinthians 4:13; Proverbs 19:5; Proverbs 19:9; Deuteronomy 19:16–19; Exodus 23:1
- 29 1 Thessalonians 3:11; Haggai 1:7; Proverbs 11:5; Haggai 2:18–19; Ezekiel 18:28
- 30 Acts 5:39; Proverbs 19:21; Jeremiah 9:23; Isaiah 14:27; 1 Corinthians 3:19–20
- 31 Psalm 20:7; Isaiah 31:1; Psalm 33:17–18; Psalm 147:10; Psalm 3:3
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
… end, when he said, "All these are delivered unto me, and to whomsoever I will I give them." For it is not he who has appointed the kingdoms of this world, but God; for "the heart of the king is in the hand of God." And the Word also says by Solomon, "By me kings do reign, and princes administer …
For the waters are fled from the rebuke of God; because "the heart of kings is in the hand of God, He hath bent it whither He would;" He commanded peace to be given by them to the Christians; the authority of the Apostles sprang up and towered high....The waters fled from the rebuke of God.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 8 (1888)
Let each, as he can recall to mind what he hath heard, by mutual conversation stir up the food ye have received, ruminate on what ye have heard, let it not descend in you into the bowels of forgetfulness. Let the treasure to be desired rest upon your lips.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 8 (1888)