Proverbs

¹THE KING'S heart is in the hand of the Lord, as are the watercourses; He turns it whichever way He wills. ²Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs and tries the hearts. [Prov. 24:12; Luke 16:15.] ³To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice. [I Sam. 15:22; Prov. 15:8; Isa. 1:11; Hos. 6:6; Mic. 6:7, 8.] ⁴Haughtiness of eyes and a proud heart, even the tillage of the wicked or the lamp [of joy] to them [whatever it may be], are sin [in the eyes of God]. ⁵The thoughts of the [steadily] diligent tend only to plenteousness, but everyone who is impatient and hasty hastens only to want. ⁶Securing treasures by a lying tongue is a vapor driven to and fro; those who seek them seek death. ⁷The violence of the wicked shall sweep them away, because they refuse to do justice.