What does Proverbs Chapter 21 say, and which statements belong to its speaker?

Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary

Opening sayings preserve their words and attribution. Images and reported speech remain distinct from added interpretation. Future and conditional assertions retain their scope in the closing sayings.

Chapter breakdown

Proverbs 21 compares king’s heart in Lord’s hand to water divisions, turning wherever He will. Self-way seems right, Lord weighs hearts. Mercy and judgment please more than victims. Eye haughtiness enlarges heart, wicked lamp sin; industrious thoughts abundance, sluggard want. Lying treasures vain/foolish, shall stumble death snares; wicked robberies downfall for refusing judgment. Perverse way strange, pure work right. Rooftop corner better than brawling woman/common house; wicked desires evil without neighbor pity. Punished pestilent makes little one wiser, wise following knowledge. Just considers wicked house to withdraw wicked from evil.

Poor-cry ear blocker shall cry unheard; secret present quenches anger, bosom gift great wrath. Judgment joy just, dread iniquity workers. Doctrine wanderer shall dwell giants’ company; good-cheer lover want, wine/fat lover not rich. Wicked delivered for just, unjust righteous. Wilderness better than quarrelsome passionate woman. Just home desired treasure/oil, fool shall spend. Justice/mercy follower shall find life, justice/glory. Wise has scaled strong city and cast down confident strength; this is stated past, not a universal tactical guarantee.

Mouth/tongue keeper guards soul from distress. Proud/arrogant called ignorant, anger works pride. Desires kill slothful refusing work; he longs daily but just will give unceasing. Wicked sacrifices abominable offered of wickedness. Lying witness shall perish, obedient shall speak victory. Wicked hardens face, righteous corrects way. No wisdom/prudence/counsel against Lord; horse prepared battle day, Lord gives safety. No smoke disappearance, hastiness replacing sloth, shadowy dead giants or guaranteed compassionate battlefield survival is added.

The story inside

Opening: Opening sayings preserve their words and attribution. Development: Images and reported speech remain distinct from added interpretation. Conclusion: Future and conditional assertions retain their scope in the closing sayings.

Lessons worth keeping

1
Opening sayings preserve their words and attribution.
2
Images and reported speech remain distinct from added interpretation.
3
Future and conditional assertions retain their scope in the closing sayings.

Test your recall

Which images and requests does the speaker use, and what does the chapter leave unresolved?

Source edition and notes

Douay–Rheims, revised by Richard Challoner (1749–1752). Project Gutenberg no. 1581. Locators refer to lines in the admitted pg1581.txt edition. Source notes may include Challoner commentary.

Lines 69015–69024
Proverbs Chapter 21 21:1. As the divisions of waters, so the heart of the king is in the hand of the Lord: whithersoever he will, he shall turn it. 21:2. Every way of a man seemeth right to himself: but the Lord weigheth the hearts. 21:3. To do mercy and judgment, pleaseth the Lord more than victims.
Lines 69051–69059
21:13. He that stoppeth his ear against the cry of the poor, shall also cry himself, and shall not be heard. 21:14. A secret present quencheth anger: and a gift in the bosom, the greatest wrath. 21:15. It is joy to the just to do judgment: and dread to them that work iniquity.
Lines 69098–69109
victory. 21:29. The wicked man impudently hardeneth his face: but he that is righteous, correcteth his way. 21:30. There is no wisdom, there is no prudence, there is no counsel against the Lord. 21:31. The horse is prepared for the day of battle: but the Lord giveth safety.