Proverbs 21
1 The king's heart in the hands of the Lord is like the water streams, and by him it is turned in any direction at his pleasure.
Sicut divisiones aquarum, ita cor regis in manu Domini: quocumque voluerit, inclinabit illud.
2 Every way of a man seems right to himself, but the Lord is the tester of hearts.
Omnis via viri recta sibi videtur: appendit autem corda Dominus.
3 To do what is right and true is more pleasing to the Lord than an offering.
Facere misericordiam et judicium magis placet Domino quam victimæ.
4 A high look and a heart of pride, of the evil-doer is sin.
Exaltatio oculorum est dilatatio cordis; lucerna impiorum peccatum.
5 The purposes of the man of industry have their outcome only in wealth; but one who is over-quick in acting will only come to be in need.
Cogitationes robusti semper in abundantia; omnis autem piger semper in egestate est.
6 He who gets stores of wealth by a false tongue, is going after what is only breath, and searching for death.
Qui congregat thesauros lingua mendacii vanus et excors est, et impingetur ad laqueos mortis.
7 By their violent acts the evil-doers will be pulled away, because they have no desire to do what is right.
Rapinæ impiorum detrahent eos, quia noluerunt facere judicium.
8 Twisted is the way of him who is full of crime; but as for him whose heart is clean, his work is upright.
Perversa via viri aliena est; qui autem mundus est, rectum opus ejus.
9 It is better to be living in an angle of the house-top, than with a bitter-tongued woman in a wide house.
Melius est sedere in angulo domatis, quam cum muliere litigiosa, et in domo communi.
10 The desire of the evil-doer is fixed on evil: he has no kind feeling for his neighbour.
Anima impii desiderat malum: non miserebitur proximo suo.
11 When the man of pride undergoes punishment, the simple man gets wisdom; and by watching the wise he gets knowledge.
Mulctato pestilente, sapientior erit parvulus, et si sectetur sapientem, sumet scientiam.
12 The Upright One, looking on the house of the evil-doer, lets sinners be overturned to their destruction.
Excogitat justus de domo impii, ut detrahat impios a malo.
13 He whose ears are stopped at the cry of the poor, will himself get no answer to his cry for help.
Qui obturat aurem suam ad clamorem pauperis, et ipse clamabit, et non exaudietur.
14 By a secret offering wrath is turned away, and the heat of angry feelings by money in the folds of the robe.
Munus absconditum extinguit iras, et donum in sinu indignationem maximam.
15 It is a joy to the good man to do right, but it is destruction to the workers of evil.
Gaudium justo est facere judicium, et pavor operantibus iniquitatem.
16 The wanderer from the way of knowledge will have his resting-place among the shades.
Vir qui erraverit a via doctrinæ in cœtu gigantum commorabitur.
17 The lover of pleasure will be a poor man: the lover of wine and oil will not get wealth.
Qui diligit epulas in egestate erit; qui amat vinum et pinguia non ditabitur.
18 The evil-doer will be given as a price for the life of the good man, and the worker of deceit in the place of the upright.
Pro justo datur impius, et pro rectis iniquus.
19 It is better to be living in a waste land, than with a bitter-tongued and angry woman.
Melius est habitare in terra deserta quam cum muliere rixosa et iracunda.
20 There is a store of great value in the house of the wise, but it is wasted by the foolish man.
Thesaurus desiderabilis, et oleum in habitaculo justi: et imprudens homo dissipabit illud.
21 He who goes after righteousness and mercy will get life, righteousness, and honour.
Qui sequitur justitiam et misericordiam inveniet vitam, justitiam, et gloriam.
22 A wise man goes up into the town of the strong ones, and overcomes its strength in which they put their faith.
Civitatem fortium ascendit sapiens, et destruxit robur fiduciæ ejus.
23 He who keeps watch over his mouth and his tongue keeps his soul from troubles.
Qui custodit os suum et linguam suam custodit ab angustiis animam suam.
24 The man of pride, lifted up in soul, is named high-hearted; he is acting in an outburst of pride.
Superbus et arrogans vocatur indoctus, qui in ira operatur superbiam.
25 The desire of the hater of work is death to him, for his hands will do no work.
Desideria occidunt pigrum: noluerunt enim quidquam manus ejus operari.
26 All the day the sinner goes after his desire: but the upright man gives freely, keeping nothing back.
Tota die concupiscit et desiderat; qui autem justus est, tribuet, et non cessabit.
27 The offering of evil-doers is disgusting: how much more when they give it with an evil purpose!
Hostiæ impiorum abominabiles, quia offeruntur ex scelere.
28 A false witness will be cut off, ...
Testis mendax peribit; vir obediens loquetur victoriam.
29 The evil-doer makes his face hard, but as for the upright, he gives thought to his way.
Vir impius procaciter obfirmat vultum suum; qui autem rectus est corrigit viam suam.
30 Wisdom and knowledge and wise suggestions are of no use against the Lord.
Non est sapientia, non est prudentia, non est consilium contra Dominum.
31 The horse is made ready for the day of war, but power to overcome is from the Lord.
Equus paratur ad diem belli; Dominus autem salutem tribuit.
