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1 The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will. 2 Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the LORD pondereth the hearts. 3 To do justice and judgment is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice. 4 An high look, and a proud heart, and the plowing of the wicked, is sin. 5 The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness; but of every one that is hasty only to want. 6 The getting of treasures by a lying tongue is a vanity tossed to and fro of them that seek death. 7 The robbery of the wicked shall destroy them; because they refuse to do judgment. 8 The way of man is froward and strange: but as for the pure, his work is right. 9 It is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman in a wide house. 10 The soul of the wicked desireth evil: his neighbour findeth no favour in his eyes. 11 When the scorner is punished, the simple is made wise: and when the wise is instructed, he receiveth knowledge. 12 The righteous man wisely considereth the house of the wicked: but God overthroweth the wicked for their wickedness. 13 Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard. 14 A gift in secret pacifieth anger: and a reward in the bosom strong wrath. 15 It is joy to the just to do judgment: but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity. 16 The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding shall remain in the congregation of the dead. 17 He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man: he that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich. 18 The wicked shall be a ransom for the righteous, and the transgressor for the upright. 19 It is better to dwell in the wilderness, than with a contentious and an angry woman. 20 There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man spendeth it up. 21 He that followeth after righteousness and mercy findeth life, righteousness, and honour. 22 A wise man scaleth the city of the mighty, and casteth down the strength of the confidence thereof. 23 Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles. 24 Proud and haughty scorner is his name, who dealeth in proud wrath. 25 The desire of the slothful killeth him; for his hands refuse to labour. 26 He coveteth greedily all the day long: but the righteous giveth and spareth not. 27 The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination: how much more, when he bringeth it with a wicked mind? 28 A false witness shall perish: but the man that heareth speaketh constantly. 29 A wicked man hardeneth his face: but as for the upright, he directeth his way. 30 There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the LORD. 31 The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the LORD.
[AD 220] Tertullian on Proverbs 21:1
This is the will of God: Look at the situation of the kingdoms and empires as arranged by God, in whose hand the heart of the king lies. Every day they plan for future income, from the registration of property, taxes in kind, gifts and taxes payable in money. But never up to this time has there been procured any such income by bringing the Christians under some sales tax for the person and the sect, when that could be a tremendous source of income because of our vast numbers, known to all. We are bought with blood, we are paid for in blood, we owe no money for our head, because Christ is our head. It is not fitting that Christ should cost us money. How could martyrdoms bring glory to God if by tribute we should pay for the liberty of our sect? And so, the one who bargains to have his freedom at a price goes counter to the divine dispensation.

[AD 220] Tertullian on Proverbs 21:1
The phrase “Thy kingdom come” also refers to the same end as “Thy will be done,” namely, [that God’s kingdom may come] in ourselves. For, when does God not reign, “in whose hand is the heart of every king”? But, whatever we wish for ourselves, we direct our hope toward him, and we attribute to him what we expect from him.… This is the prayer of Christians; this shall bring shame to the heathens; this shall bring joy to the angels. It is for the coming of this kingdom that we are harassed now, or rather, it is for this coming that we pray.

[AD 373] Athanasius of Alexandria on Proverbs 21:1
A desire to learn and a yearning for heavenly things is suitable to a religious emperor; for thus you will truly have “your heart” also “in the hand of God.” Since then your piety desired to learn from us the faith of the catholic church, giving thanks for these things to the Lord, we counseled above all things to remind your piety of the faith confessed by the fathers at Nicea.

[AD 379] Basil of Caesarea on Proverbs 21:1
If “the heart of the king is in the hand of God,” he will not be saved through power of arms but through the divine guidance. Now, not any random person is in the hand of God but one who is worthy of the name of king.

[AD 397] Ambrose of Milan on Proverbs 21:1
Entrust your soul to the hands of the Lord. Not only when it departs from the body but also when it is in the body, it is in the hands of the Lord, because you do not see it, its source or its destination. It is both in you and also with God. Therefore “the heart of the king is in the hand of the Lord,” who guides it and rules it. The heart is also filled with the spirit, because the spirit is the ruling part of the soul and the strength of the soul. I say that strength lies not in the arms but in counsel, temperance, piety and justice. If the heart of a man is in the hand of the Lord, much more is his soul.

[AD 420] Jerome on Proverbs 21:1
[Daniel 5:19] "'He slew whomever he would and smote to death whomever he wished to; those whom he wished he set on high, and brought low whomever he would.'" Thus he sets forth the example of the king's great-grandfather, in order to teach him the justice of God and make it clear that his great-grandson too was to suffer similar treatment because of his pride. Now if Nebuchadnezzar slew whomever he would and smote to death whomever he wished to; if he set on high those whom he would and brought low whomever he wished to, there is certainly no Divine providence or Scriptural injunction behind these honors and slayings, these acts of promotion and humiliation. But rather, such things ensue from the will of the men themselves who do the slaying and promoting to honor, and all the rest. If this be the case, the question arises as to how we are to understand the Scripture: "The heart of a king reposes in the hand of God; He will incline it in whatever direction He wishes" (Proverbs 21:1). Perhaps we might say that every saint is a king, for sin does not reign in his mortal body, and his heart therefore is kept safe, for he is in God's hand (Romans 6:1-23). And whatever has once come into the hand of God the Father, according to the Gospel, no man is able to take it away (John 10:28). And whoever is taken away, it is understood that he never was in God's hand at all.

[AD 420] Jerome on Proverbs 21:1
The kings of the earth are those who reign over sin; consequently, they who govern sin shall give thanks. The prophet is certainly not referring to the kings of this world, for it is written, “The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord.” Do you for one moment suppose that the heart of Julian the Apostate was in the hand of God? God forbid! Or of Nero or of Maximianus and Decius, the persecutors? God forbid! No, he is speaking of those who have control over sin, who, because their heart is in the hand of God, have conquered the vices and passions of their soul and thereby prevail over sin.

[AD 420] Jerome on Proverbs 21:1
The heart of Julian, the persecutor, of Nero, of Decius, are their hearts in the hand of God? No, the hearts in the hand of God are those who govern their body, who bring it into subjection and compel it to servitude, lest preaching to others they themselves should be rejected. These are the kings of whom Wisdom says in Proverbs, “He gives kingship to kings.”

[AD 420] Jerome on Proverbs 21:1
Was the heart of Julian, the persecutor, in the hand of God? The heart of Saul, was it in the hand of God? Was the heart of Manasseh in the hand of God? The heart of Ahab? Were the hearts of all the impious kings of Judah in the hand of God? Do you see that this verse does not admit of a literal interpretation? The kings, therefore, are the saints, and their hearts are in the hand of the Lord.… The following words of the apostle are appropriate here: “But I chastise my body and bring it into subjection, lest perhaps after preaching to others, I myself should be rejected.” May our soul be in command, our body in subjection. Then Christ will come at once to make his abode with us.

[AD 735] Bede on Proverbs 21:1
Just as the divisions of the waters, etc. Why does he declare that the heart of the king, and not rather of all men, is in the hand of God, when it is written, "For in his hand are all the ends of the earth" (Psalm 94), unless perhaps he calls any holy person a king, who knows how to conquer the wars of vices within himself, to uproot the bushes of malice? For just as the Lord fills the ends of the earth far and wide with various divisions of waters, and also covers the heights of the heavens with waters; so he inclines the heart of the king wherever he wills, because just as he bestows the divisions of graces according to his will, both to angels and to men, so also he makes the hearts of the saints worthy of gifts wherever he wills. Nor does the Pelagianist have any place where someone can be saved without the grace of God.

[AD 100] Didache on Proverbs 21:6
Do not be doubleminded or doubletongued, for a double tongue is a “deadly snare.” Your words shall not be dishonest or hollow but substantiated by action. Do not be greedy or threatening or hypocritical or malicious or arrogant. Do not plot against your neighbor. Do not hate anybody. Reprove some, pray for others, and still others love more than your own life.

[AD 100] Didache on Proverbs 21:6
Do not be double-minded or double-tongued, for a double tongue is a “deadly snare.” Your words shall not be dishonest or hollow but substantiated by action. Do not be greedy or threatening or hypocritical or malicious or arrogant. Do not plot against your neighbor. Do not hate anybody. Reprove some, pray for others, and still others love more than your own life.

[AD 407] John Chrysostom on Proverbs 21:8
“For God sends crooked ways to the perverse.” … Indeed, nothing makes people so stupid as does habitual evildoing. When a person is deceitful, when he is unjust, when he is churlish (and these, to be sure, are different forms of evildoing), when, without having been wronged in any way himself, he inflicts pain, when he connives at trickery—how will he not be exhibiting signs of utter stupidity?

[AD 735] Bede on Proverbs 21:8
The perverse way of a man is foreign, etc. To live justly before the Lord is proper to the human condition. Hence elsewhere it is said, "Fear God, and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man" (Ecclesiasticus 12). But he who lives perversely, indeed walks a path foreign to human nature. Therefore, perverse action is foreign and against nature. But he who is pure in work rightly carries out what he originally received by nature.

[AD 735] Bede on Proverbs 21:9
It is better to sit in a corner of the housetop, etc. It is so true that it is better to sit in the corner of the housetop, that is, in the secret height of a more continent life, than with a wicked woman in a house, which you share with her, so that even if the best woman is offered to you for marriage, it is better to lead a celibate life for the sake of the companionship of the Lamb, having despised marriage.

[AD 258] Cyprian on Proverbs 21:13
He will not be able to merit the mercy of God who himself has not been merciful, nor will [he] gain any request from the divine love by his prayers who has not been humane toward the prayer of the poor.

[AD 379] Basil of Caesarea on Proverbs 21:13
Benefactions to the needy, financed by unjust gains, are not acceptable with God. Even one who refrains from committing injustices, and yet does not share the goods he possesses with anyone, is not deserving of praise.… If you will make an offering to God from the fruits of injustice and rapine, it would be better not to possess such wealth and not to make an offering.

[AD 444] Cyril of Alexandria on Proverbs 21:13
Do you not agree that poverty, as I said, is more cruel than any beast of prey? Therefore you must aid those who are fallen under it. Incline your ear to the poor and listen to them, as it is written: “For he who stops his ears that he may not hear the feeble shall also cry, and there shall be none to listen.” Give so that you may receive; hear so that you may be heard; sow the little you have so that you may reap much. Besides, the pleasure of the body is short and temporary and ends in rottenness. But almsgiving and charity to the poor crown those who practice them with glory from God and lead to that incorruptible happiness which Christ bestows on those who love him.

[AD 735] Bede on Proverbs 21:13
He who stops his ear to the cry of the poor, etc. This sentence should be taken generally, and not only for the needy or physically infirm: for even he who, in the face of others' crimes, prefers to hold the judgment of a judge rather than to sympathize with the affection of mercy, shows himself not yet purified from the filth of vices, nor worthy to exist in the hearing of divine compassion. A hidden gift extinguishes anger, etc. He who desires to appease the anger of the strict judge, which he has earned by sinning, should give alms to the poor, and this without any delight in human favor, but solely out of love for the Creator, who looks upon the hidden things of the heart. For thus the hidden gift is made, thus it benefits to mitigate the wrath of the Creator, if it is given without any expectation of external reward. Thus is fulfilled what he himself commanded: "But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing" (Matthew 6:3).

[AD 735] Bede on Proverbs 21:15
It is a joy to the just to do judgment, etc. The just man rejoices when he labors with good works, because he hopes to be rewarded with eternal good for these. But the reprobate, while they do evil things which they know God has forbidden, though they may carnally delight in the perpetration of their lust, cannot be free from the internal fear of the mind, because they do not doubt that they will suffer evil eternally for those things they have done temporally.

[AD 735] Bede on Proverbs 21:16
The man who strays from the way of doctrine, etc. He says that the giants are unclean spirits, about which the blessed Job says, "Behold, the giants groan beneath the waters, and those who dwell with them" (Job 26:5), that is, proud and malevolent strong spirits of demons, together with the men whom they have deceived, tormented by inflicted punishments. For to this company will be joined those who have strayed from the way of truth, with the judge himself attesting, who predicted that he would say to them: "Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels" (Matthew 25:41).

[AD 735] Bede on Proverbs 21:18
The impious is given in place of the just, etc. The just and the upright seem to be the same; but there is a difference between the impious and the iniquitous, for all the iniquitous are reprobates; the impious, however, are those who, entangled in greater crimes, either never received the holy mysteries of the faith, or, after receiving them, returned to apostasy. Hence, in this place, the impious can be understood to mean all the persecutors of the faithful; furthermore, under the term iniquitous, all the wicked are generally designated. And the impious is given in place of the just, when the persecutor who gave him to death is punished for the martyr. The iniquitous in place of the upright, who, seeing their just life, did not wish to imitate them. Herod is condemned not only for the innocent whom he wickedly delivered to death; but also received the sentence of condemnation because he did not want to follow the faith of the Magi to seek the Lord, although he was among the Jews and knew the words of the prophets. Hence indeed the Lord says: "The queen of the south will rise in judgment with this generation and condemn it, etc." (Matthew 12:42). Not that she herself by her virtue and power will condemn, but because, by comparison with her, they will be condemned, who, knowing her devotion, when they could much more easily, neglected to have concern for wisdom.

[AD 380] Apostolic Constitutions on Proverbs 21:19
“It is better to dwell in the wilderness than with a contentious and an angry woman.” You wives, therefore, demonstrate your piety by your modesty and meekness to all outside the church, whether they are women or men, in order to their conversion and improvement in the faith. And since we have warned you and instructed you briefly, whom we do esteem our sisters, daughters and members, as being wise yourselves, persevere all your lives in a blameless course of life. Seek to know such kinds of learning whereby you may arrive at the kingdom of our Lord, and please him, and so rest for ever and ever. .

[AD 451] Nilus of Sinai on Proverbs 21:19
“It is better to dwell in the wilderness than with a contentious and an angry woman.” You wives, therefore, demonstrate your piety by your modesty and meekness to all outside the church, whether they are women or men, in order to their conversion and improvement in the faith. And since we have warned you and instructed you briefly, whom we do esteem our sisters, daughters and members, as being wise yourselves, persevere all your lives in a blameless course of life. Seek to know such kinds of learning whereby you may arrive at the kingdom of our Lord, and please him, and so rest for ever and ever.

[AD 430] Augustine of Hippo on Proverbs 21:20
Another passage of Scripture speaks of the precious treasure of wisdom and describes ruminating on wisdom as clean and not ruminating as unclean: “A precious treasure rests in the mouth of a wise man; but a foolish man swallows it up.” Symbols of this kind, either in words or in things, give useful and pleasant exercise to intelligent minds in the way of inquiry and comparison. But formerly people were required not only to hear [of food laws] but to practice many such things. For at that time it was necessary that, by deeds as well as by words, those things should be foreshadowed which were in after times to be revealed. After the revelation by Christ and in Christ, the community of believers is not burdened with the practice of the observances but is admonished to give heed to the prophecy. This is our reason for accounting no animals unclean, in accordance with the saying of the Lord and of the apostle, while we are not opposed to the Old Testament, where some animals are pronounced unclean.

[AD 430] Augustine of Hippo on Proverbs 21:20
So those who hear and out of carelessness forget, so to say swallow what they have heard, so that they no longer have a taste of it in their mouth but just bury what they hear under forgetfulness. But those who meditate on “the law of the Lord day and night” are chewing the cud, as it were, and enjoying the flavor of the word with a kind of palate of the heart.

[AD 735] Bede on Proverbs 21:20
A desirable treasure, and oil in the dwelling of the just, etc. The cheerfulness of good works, always lovable to God; and the fatness of love shines in the church of the saints. This verse the blessed Pope Gregory in his Homilies on the Gospel placed according to the ancient translation: "A desirable treasure will rest in the mouth of the wise." But the reprobates not only do not attain virtues but also persecute, and as much as they can, hasten to overthrow the good. This verse can certainly be understood about any martyr, in whose dwelling, that is, body, the holy soul, namely the treasure of God, is kept, and the anointing of spiritual grace abounds. But the imprudent persecutor can break such a dwelling; but he cannot touch the treasure and the oil that was held in the dwelling. Hence the Lord teaches not to fear those who kill the body, and after these things have nothing more they can do (Luke 12:4).

[AD 253] Origen of Alexandria on Proverbs 21:22
“The wise person assaults strong cities and demolishes the fortifications in which the ungodly trusted.” Do you think when Solomon said this he wanted to teach us that the wise person seized cities and demolished fortifications built from stones? Or, rather, is he indicating that the city and the walls are the doctrines of the ungodly and the syllogisms of philosophers, with which they augment every impiety that is contrary to the divine law and that is observed among pagans or barbarians? And those things that the heretics, with attestations from the Scriptures, place as if in high mountains must also be considered to be among these cities that are both fortified and placed in the mountains. Cities such as these, therefore, are demolished by every wise person who proclaims the word of truth.

[AD 735] Bede on Proverbs 21:22
The wise man ascends the city of the mighty, etc. The city of the mighty, he calls the world, which once, subjected to the tyranny of evil spirits, foolishly served, having confidence in the worship of those who are not gods, but the works of human hands (Psalm 115). This city was entered by the one born in the flesh, who is the power of God, and the wisdom of God (1 Corinthians 1:24). He destroyed through his preachers the worship of the gods, in whom they had trusted, ignorant of the truth, and taught that confidence should be placed in heavenly things, which could never be destroyed. But every day the wise man ascends the city of the mighty, and destroys the strength of its confidence, when any faithful teacher refutes the arguments of philosophers or heretics, or even the obstinate contradictions of carnal brothers, by which they strive to defend and alleviate their crimes, by the assertion of faith and the discipline of ecclesiastical correction, and, laying bare, annuls them.

[AD 500] Desert Fathers on Proverbs 21:23
Pambo said to Antony, ‘What shall I do?’ Antony said, ‘Do not trust in your own righteousness. Do not go on sorrowing over a deed that is past. Keep your tongue and your belly under control.’

[AD 500] Desert Fathers on Proverbs 21:23
Gregory said, ‘God asks three things of anyone who is baptized: to keep the true faith with all his soul and all his might; to control his tongue; to be chaste in his body.’

[AD 399] Evagrius Ponticus on Proverbs 21:26
It belongs to angels never to have evil desires; it is human sometimes to have evil desires and other times not to have them; it belongs to demons always to have evil desires. The expression “all the day” signifies the entire life. So also, “continue in the fear of the Lord all the day” applies to the whole life.

[AD 604] Gregory the Dialogist on Proverbs 21:26
When the soul does not direct itself toward higher things, it lets itself run loose uncared for in lower desires. While not directed with the vigor of lofty aims, it suffers the hunger pangs of lust, and, while neglecting to bind itself up with discipline, it scatters itself abroad in its craving after pleasures. Therefore, it is written again by the same Solomon, “The idle man is given wholly to desires.”

[AD 604] Gregory the Dialogist on Proverbs 21:27
“The sacrifices of the ungodly are abominable, because they are offered in wickedness.” Such persons also often take from the indigent what they give to God. But the Lord shows with what strong censure he disowns them.

[AD 735] Bede on Proverbs 21:28
The false witness will perish, etc. He who testifies that he serves God, but does not follow through with deeds, will perish. But he who faithfully, as he promises, submits to divine commands, his speech reaches victory, because while he strives through obedience to conquer his desires, he later receives the palm of victory through the justice of the judge.

[AD 735] Bede on Proverbs 21:29
The impious man insolently stiffens his face, etc. Judas, because he was impious in heart, although reproved by the Lord himself, did not wish to restrain his evil beginnings; but Peter, because he was upright in heart, that is, a lover of uprightness, corrected himself at once with repentance when the Lord looked at him, having erred by denying.

[AD 735] Bede on Proverbs 21:30
There is no wisdom, no prudence, etc. Whatever the heretics counsel and think is nothing, and vain and useless.

[AD 735] Bede on Proverbs 21:31
The horse is prepared for the day of battle, etc. Indeed, it is man's duty to prepare a soul devoted to God in times of persecution, to offer the body to danger; but it is of divine assistance that to the effort of labor, the victory of the contest, and salvation succeed.