1 The king’s heart is a waterway in the hand of the LORD; He directs it where He pleases.
2 All a man’s ways seem right to him, but the LORD weighs the heart.
3 To do righteousness and justice is more desirable to the LORD than sacrifice.
4 Haughty eyes and a proud heart— the guides of the wicked—are sin.
5 The plans of the diligent bring plenty, as surely as haste leads to poverty.
6 Making a fortune by a lying tongue is a vanishing mist, a deadly pursuit.
7 The violence of the wicked will sweep them away because they refuse to do what is just.
8 The way of a guilty man is crooked, but the conduct of the innocent is upright.
9 Better to live on a corner of the roof than to share a house with a quarrelsome wife.
10 The soul of the wicked man craves evil; his neighbor finds no favor in his eyes.
11 When a mocker is punished, the simple gain wisdom; and when a wise man is instructed, he acquires knowledge.
12 The Righteous One considers the house of the wicked and brings the wicked to ruin.
13 Whoever shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too shall cry out and receive no answer.
14 A gift in secret soothes anger, and a covert bribe pacifies great wrath.
15 Justice executed is a joy to the righteous, but a terror to the workers of iniquity.
16 The man who strays from the path of understanding will rest in the assembly of the dead.
17 He who loves pleasure will become poor; the one who loves wine and oil will never be rich.
18 The wicked become a ransom for the righteous, and the faithless for the upright.
19 Better to live in the desert than with a contentious and ill-tempered wife.
20 Precious treasures and oil are in the dwelling of the wise, but a foolish man consumes them.
21 He who pursues righteousness and loving devotion finds life, righteousness, and honor.
22 A wise man scales the city of the mighty and pulls down the stronghold in which they trust.
23 He who guards his mouth and tongue keeps his soul from distress.
24 Mocker is the name of the proud and arrogant man— of him who acts with excessive pride.
25 The craving of the slacker kills him because his hands refuse to work.
26 All day long he covets more, but the righteous give without restraint.
27 The sacrifice of the wicked is detestable— how much more so when brought with ill intent!
28 A lying witness will perish, but the man who listens to truth will speak forever.
29 A wicked man hardens his face, but the upright man makes his way sure.
30 There is no wisdom, no understanding, no counsel that can prevail against the LORD.
31 A horse is prepared for the day of battle, but victory is of the LORD.
Study Proverbs 21
Read the complete chapter before isolating one sentence, and note the reference and edition beside anything you quote. Then take a focused next step: a passage-note method or a memory practice method .
Edition and source notes
The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible, BSB. Produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee; dedicated to the public domain. Imported from the checksum-pinned eBible.org USFX source. This page shows 31 verses of Proverbs 21 in the edition’s own numbering, with punctuation and line breaks as published. Source notes are labelled separately; the publisher’s headings and cross references are not part of the text. BSB edition notes.
Read Proverbs 21 in the World English Bible or the King James Version .
Open Proverbs 21 in the study app to take notes, make review cards or map the passage; it requires an account.