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,

but Yahweh weighs the hearts.

3 To do righteousness and justice

is more acceptable to Yahweh than sacrifice.

4 A high look and a proud heart,

the lamp of the wicked, is sin.

5 The plans of the diligent surely lead to profit;

and everyone who is hasty surely rushes to poverty.

6 Getting treasures by a lying tongue

is a fleeting vapor for those who seek death.

7 The violence of the wicked will drive them away,

because they refuse to do what is right.

8 The way of the guilty is devious,

but the conduct of the innocent is upright.

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 desires evil;

his neighbor finds no mercy in his eyes.

11 When the mocker is punished, the simple gains wisdom.

When the wise is instructed, he receives knowledge.

12 The Righteous One considers the house of the wicked,

and brings the wicked to ruin.

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 pacifies anger,

and a bribe in the cloak, strong wrath.

15 It is joy to the righteous to do justice;

but it is a destruction to the workers of iniquity.

16 The man who wanders out of the way of understanding

shall rest in the assembly of the departed spirits.

17 He who loves pleasure will be a poor man.

He who loves wine and oil won’t be rich.

18 The wicked is a ransom for the righteous,

the treacherous for the upright.

19 It is better to dwell in a desert land,

than with a contentious and fretful woman.

20 There is precious treasure and oil in the dwelling of the wise,

but a foolish man swallows it up.

21 He who follows after righteousness and kindness

finds life, righteousness, and honor.

22 A wise man scales the city of the mighty,

and brings down the strength of its confidence.

23 Whoever guards his mouth and his tongue

keeps his soul from troubles.

24 The proud and arrogant man—"Scoffer" is his name—

he works in the arrogance of pride.

25 The desire of the sluggard kills him,

for his hands refuse to labor.

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 an abomination—

how much more, when he brings it with a wicked mind!

28 A false witness will perish.

A man who listens speaks to eternity.

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 against Yahweh.

31 The horse is prepared for the day of battle;

but victory is with Yahweh.

1 The king's heart [is] in the hand of the LORD, [as] the rivers of water, he turns it wherever he will.

2 Every way of a man [is] right in his own eyes: but the LORD weighs the hearts.

3 To do righteousness and judgment [is] more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.

4 A high look and a proud heart [which is] the fire of the wicked, [is] sin.

5 The thoughts of the diligent [tend] only to plenteousness, but of every one [that is] too hasty, only to want.

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

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

8 The way of the perverse man [is] crooked and strange, but [as for] the pure, his work [is] right.

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

10 The soul of the wicked desires evil; his neighbour finds no favour in his eyes.

11 When the scorner is punished, the simple is made wise, and [by] instructing the wise, he receives wisdom.

12 The righteous [man] wisely considers the house of the wicked, [how God] overthrows the wicked for [their] evil.

13 Whosoever stops his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself but shall not be heard.

14 A gift in secret pacifies anger, and a bribe in the bosom strong wrath.

15 [It is] joy to the just to do judgment, but [it shall be] destruction to the workers of iniquity.

16 The man that wanders out of the way of wisdom shall end up in the congregation of the dead.

17 He that loves pleasure [shall be] a poor man; he that loves wine and oil shall not be rich.

18 The wicked [shall be] a ransom for the righteous, and the transgressor for the upright.

19 [It is] better to dwell in the wilderness than with a contentious and an angry woman.

20 [There is] treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man spends it up.

21 He that follows after righteousness and mercy shall find life, righteousness, and honour.

22 The wise [man] took the city of the mighty and cast down its strength in which it trusted.

23 Whosoever keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps his soul from troubles.

24 Proud [and] haughty scorner [is] his name, who deals in proud wrath.

25 The desire of the slothful kills him; for his hands refuse to labour.

26 There is [one] who covets greedily all day long, but the righteous gives and keeps on giving.

27 The sacrifice of the wicked [is] abomination; how much more, [when] he brings it with lewdness?

28 The false witness shall perish, but the man that hears shall stand fast in his word.

29 The wicked man hardens his face, but [as for] the upright, he orders his ways.

30 [There is] no wisdom nor intelligence nor counsel against the LORD.

31 The horse [is] prepared against the day of battle, but salvation [is] of the LORD.: