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The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD; he 1turns it wherever he will.
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2Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the LORD 3weighs the heart.
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4To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.
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5Haughty eyes and a proud heart, 6the lamp of the wicked, are sin.
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The plans of 7the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is 8hasty comes 9only to poverty.
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10The getting of treasures by a lying tongue is a 11fleeting 12vapor and a 13snare of death.
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The violence of the wicked will 14sweep them away, because they refuse to do what is just.
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The way of the guilty 15is crooked, but the conduct of the pure is upright.
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It is 16better to live in a corner of the housetop than in a house shared with a quarrelsome wife.
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The soul of the wicked desires evil; his neighbor finds no mercy in his eyes.
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When 17a scoffer is punished, the simple becomes wise; when a wise man is instructed, he gains knowledge.
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The Righteous One 18observes the house of the wicked; he throws the wicked down to ruin.
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19Whoever closes his ear to the cry of the poor will himself call out and not be answered.
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20A gift in secret averts anger, and a concealed bribe, strong wrath.
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When justice is done, it is a joy to the righteous 21but terror to evildoers.
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One who wanders from the way of good sense 22will rest in the assembly of the dead.
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Whoever loves pleasure will be a poor man; he who loves wine and oil will not be rich.
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23The wicked is a 24ransom for the righteous, and the traitor for the upright.
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It is 25better to live in a desert land than with a quarrelsome and fretful woman.
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26Precious treasure and oil are in a wise man's dwelling, but a foolish man 27devours it.
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Whoever 28pursues righteousness and kindness will find 29life, righteousness, and honor.