21:1 ·The Lord can control a king’s mind as he controls a river [L The heart of a king is a canal/stream in the hand of the Lord]; he can ·direct [turn; incline] it as he pleases.
21:2 ·You may believe you are doing right [L Every person’s path seems right/straight in their own eyes], but the Lord ·judges your reasons [L weighs your heart].
21:3 Doing what is ·right [righteous] and ·fair [just] is more ·important [preferable] to the Lord than sacrifices [1 Sam. 15:22; Is. 1:11–17; Hos. 6:6; Mic. 6:6–8].
21:4 Proud ·looks [L eyes], ·proud thoughts [L arrogant heart], ·and evil actions [L the lamp/or tillage of the wicked] are sin [Ps. 131:1].
21:5 The plans of hard-working people earn a profit, but those who ·act too quickly [hurry] become poor.
21:6 ·Wealth [L Those who work for treasures] that comes from ·telling lies [L a lying tongue] ·vanishes like a mist [pursues vapor/meaninglessness/emptiness] and ·leads to [seeks] death.
21:7 The violence of the wicked will ·destroy them [sweep them away], because they refuse to ·do what is right [act with justice].
21:8 Guilty people live dishonest lives, but ·honest people do right [virtuous people are pure].
21:9 It is better to live in a corner on the roof [C living space in biblical times] than inside the house with a ·quarreling [contentious] wife.
21:10 Evil people ·only want [desire] to harm others. Their neighbors get no ·mercy [favor; grace] from them.
21:11 If you punish ·those who make fun of wisdom [mockers], a ·foolish [immature; naive; simpleminded] person may gain some wisdom. But if you teach the wise, they will get knowledge.
21:12 The righteous [C either God or righteous people] watch the house of the wicked and ·bring ruin on every evil person [turn the wicked toward trouble].
21:13 Whoever ·ignores [L closes their ears to] the poor when they cry for help will also ·cry for help [call out] and not be answered.
21:14 A secret gift will calm an angry person; a ·present [or bribe] given in secrecy will quiet great anger [Ex. 23:8; Deut. 16:19; 27:25; Ps. 15:5; Eccl. 7:7; Is. 1:23].
21:15 When justice is done, ·good [righteous] people are happy, but evil people are ruined.
21:16 ·Whoever does not use good sense [L People who wander from the path of insight] will ·end up [rest] among the ·dead [departed; shades].
21:17 Whoever loves pleasure will become poor; whoever loves wine and ·perfume [oil] will never be rich.
21:18 Wicked people ·will suffer instead of [L are a ransom for] ·good [righteous] people, and ·those who cannot be trusted [the unfaithful] will suffer instead of those ·who do right [with integrity/virtue].
21:19 It is better to live ·alone in the desert [in a desolate land] than with a ·quarreling [contentious] and ·complaining [angry] wife.
21:20 Wise people’s houses are full of ·the best foods [or precious treasure] and olive oil, but fools ·waste [consume; L swallow] everything they have.
21:21 Whoever ·tries to live right and be loyal [L pursues righteousness and loyalty] finds life, ·success [righteousness], and honor.
21:22 A wise person ·can defeat [L went up against] a city full of warriors and tear down the defenses they trust in [Eccl. 9:13–16].
21:23 Those who ·are careful about what they say [L guard their mouth and tongue] ·keep themselves out of [guard themselves from] trouble.
21:24 People who act with stubborn pride are called “proud,” “bragger,” and “mocker.”
21:25 Lazy people’s ·desire for sleep [L longings] will kill them, because ·they refuse to work [L their hands refuse to do anything; 2 Thess. 3:10].
21:26 All day long they wish for more, but ·good [righteous] people give without holding back.
21:27 The Lord ·hates [detests] sacrifices brought by evil people, particularly when they offer them for ·the wrong [scheming] reasons.
21:28 A lying witness will ·be forgotten [perish], but a truthful witness will speak on.
21:29 Wicked people ·are stubborn [L put on a bold/impudent face], but ·good people think carefully about what they do [L the virtuous establish their path].
21:30 There is no wisdom, understanding, or advice that can succeed against the Lord.
21:31 You can get the horses ready for the day of battle, but it is the Lord who gives the victory [Ps. 33:16–17].
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