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21The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord;
   he turns it wherever he will.
² All deeds are right in the sight of the doer,
   but the Lord weighs the heart.
³ To do righteousness and justice
   is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.
⁴ Haughty eyes and a proud heart—
   the lamp of the wicked—are sin.
⁵ The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance,
   but everyone who is hasty comes only to want.
⁶ The getting of treasures by a lying tongue
   is a fleeting vapour and a snare^* of death.
⁷ The violence of the wicked will sweep them away,
   because they refuse to do what is just.
⁸ The way of the guilty is crooked,
   but the conduct of the pure is right.
⁹ It is better to live in a corner of the housetop
   than in a house shared with a contentious wife.
¹⁰ The souls of the wicked desire evil;
   their neighbours find no mercy in their eyes.
¹¹ When a scoffer is punished, the simple become wiser;
   when the wise are instructed, they increase in knowledge.
¹² The Righteous One observes the house of the wicked;
   he casts the wicked down to ruin.
¹³ If you close your ear to the cry of the poor,
   you will cry out and not be heard.
¹⁴ A gift in secret averts anger;
   and a concealed bribe in the bosom, strong wrath.
¹⁵ When justice is done, it is a joy to the righteous,
   but dismay to evildoers.
¹⁶ Whoever wanders from the way of understanding
   will rest in the assembly of the dead.
¹⁷ Whoever loves pleasure will suffer want;
   whoever loves wine and oil will not be rich.
¹⁸ The wicked is a ransom for the righteous,
   and the faithless for the upright.
¹⁹ It is better to live in a desert land
   than with a contentious and fretful wife.
²⁰ Precious treasure remains^* in the house of the wise,
   but the fool devours it.
²¹ Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness
   will find life^* and honour.