Proverbs 21

The king's heart is in Allah's hand like the watercourses.

He turns it wherever he desires.

²Every way of a man is right in his own eyes,

But Allah weighs the hearts.

³To do righteousness and justice

Is more acceptable to Allah than sacrifice.

⁴A high look, and a proud heart,

The lamp of the wicked, is sin.

⁵The plans of the diligent surely lead to profit;

And everyone who is hasty surely rushes to poverty.

⁶Getting treasures by a lying tongue

Is a fleeting vapour for those who seek death.

⁷The violence of the wicked will drive them away,

Because they refuse to do what is right.

⁸The way of the guilty is devious,

But the conduct of the innocent is upright.

⁹It is better to dwell in the corner of the housetop,

Than to share a house with a contentious woman.

¹⁰The soul of the wicked desires evil;

His neighbour finds no mercy in his eyes.

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

When the wise is instructed, he receives knowledge.

¹²The Righteous One considers the house of the wicked,

And brings the wicked to ruin.

¹³Whoever stops his ears at the cry of the poor,

He will also cry out, but shall not be heard.

¹⁴A gift in secret pacifies anger;

And a bribe in the cloak, strong wrath.

¹⁵It is joy to the righteous to do justice;

But it is a destruction to the workers of iniquity.

¹⁶The man who wanders out of the way of understanding

Shall rest in the assembly of the dead.

¹⁷He who loves pleasure shall be a poor man:

He who loves wine and oil shall not be rich.

¹⁸The wicked is a ransom for the righteous;

The treacherous for the upright.

¹⁹It is better to dwell in a desert land,

Than with a contentious and fretful woman.

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

But a foolish man swallows it up.

²¹He who follows after righteousness and kindness

Finds life, righteousness, and honour.

²²A wise man scales the city of the mighty,

And brings down the strength of its confidence.

²³Whoever guards his mouth and his tongue

Keeps his soul from troubles.

²⁴The proud and haughty man, "scoffer" is his name;

He works in the arrogance of pride.

²⁵The desire of the sluggard kills him,

For his hands refuse to labour.

²⁶There are those who covet greedily all the day long;

But the righteous give and do not withhold.

²⁷The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination:

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

²⁸A false witness will perish,

And a man who listens speaks to eternity.

²⁹A wicked man hardens his face;

But as for the upright, he establishes his ways.

³⁰There is no wisdom nor understanding

Nor counsel against Allah.

³¹The horse is prepared for the day of battle;

But victory is with Allah.

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