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The Blue Letter Bible

Proverbs 21 :: New King James Version (NKJV)

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CHAPTER 21
The LORD Considers the Heart
​
1 The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD,
​​Like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes.
​
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 haughty look, a proud heart,
​​And the plowing[fn] of the wicked are sin.
​
5 ​​The plans of the diligent lead surely to plenty,
​​But those of everyone who is hasty, surely to poverty.
​
6 ​​Getting treasures by a lying tongue
​​Is the fleeting fantasy of those who seek death.[fn]
​
7 ​​The violence of the wicked will destroy them,[fn]
​​Because they refuse to do justice.
​
8 ​​The way of a guilty man is perverse;[fn]
​​But as for the pure, his work is right.
​
9 ​​Better to dwell in a corner of a housetop,
​​Than in a house shared with a contentious woman.
​
10 ​​The soul of the wicked desires evil;
​​His neighbor finds no favor in his eyes.
​
11 ​​When the scoffer is punished, the simple is made wise;
​​But when the wise is instructed, he receives knowledge.
​
12 ​​The righteous God wisely considers the house of the wicked,
​​Overthrowing the wicked for their wickedness.
​
13 ​​Whoever shuts his ears to the cry of the poor
​​Will also cry himself and not be heard.
​
14 ​​A gift in secret pacifies anger,
​​And a bribe behind the back,[fn] strong wrath.
​
15 ​​It is a joy for the just to do justice,
​​But destruction will come to the workers of iniquity.
​
16 ​​A man who wanders from the way of understanding
​​Will rest in the assembly of the dead.
​
17 ​​He who loves pleasure will be a poor man;
​​He who loves wine and oil will not be rich.
​
18 ​​The wicked shall be a ransom for the righteous,
​​And the unfaithful for the upright.
​
19 ​​Better to dwell in the wilderness,
​​Than with a contentious and angry woman.
​
20 ​​There is desirable treasure,
​​And oil in the dwelling of the wise,
​​But a foolish man squanders it.
​
21 ​​He who follows righteousness and mercy
​​Finds life, righteousness, and honor.
​
22 ​​A wise man scales the city of the mighty,
​​And brings down the trusted stronghold.
​
23 ​​Whoever guards his mouth and tongue
​​Keeps his soul from troubles.
​
24 ​​A proud and haughty man—“Scoffer” is his name;
​​He acts with arrogant pride.
​
25 ​​The desire of the lazy man kills him,
​​For his hands refuse to labor.
26 ​​He covets greedily all day long,
​​But the righteous gives and does not spare.
​
27 ​​The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination;
​​How much more when he brings it with wicked intent!
​
28 ​​A false witness shall perish,
​​But the man who hears him will speak endlessly.
​
29 ​​A wicked man hardens his face,
​​But as for the upright, he establishes[fn] his way.
​
30 ​​There is no wisdom or understanding
​​Or counsel against the LORD.
​
31 ​​The horse is prepared for the day of battle,
​​But deliverance is of the LORD.
See the NKJV Preface (Especially for Parenthesis, Brackets, & Asterisks).
NKJV Footnotes
Or lamp
Septuagint reads Pursue vanity on the snares of death; Vulgate reads Is vain and foolish, and shall stumble on the snares of death; Targum reads They shall be destroyed, and they shall fall who seek death.
Literally drag them away
Or The way of a man is perverse and strange
Literally in the bosom
Qere and Septuagint read understands.
NKJV

New King James Version, © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

The text of the New King James Version (NKJV) appearing on or deriving from this or any other web page is for personal use only. Any other use of the NKJV must be in conformity with the Quotation Policy for the New King James Version. For more information about the New King James Version, the Quotation Policy, and for inquiries about permission to use the New King James Version, go to Thomas Nelson, Inc..

For more information on this translation, see the NKJV Preface.

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Proverbs Chapter 21 — Additional Translations:

King James Version New Living Translation New International Version English Standard Version Christian Standard Bible New American Standard Bible 2020 New American Standard Bible 1995 Legacy Standard Bible Amplified Bible New English Translation Revised Standard Version American Standard Version Young's Literal Translation Darby Translation Webster's Bible Hebrew Names Version Latin Vulgate Westminster Leningrad Codex Septuagint Smith Van Dyck Arabic Bible Open New Arabic Version Brenton's English Septuagint Reina Valera 1909 Reina-Valera 1960 Bible in Basic English Chinese Traditional Union Espanol Moderno Korean Holy Bible Louis Segond German Luther Russian Synodal Translation Sagradas Escrituras