PROV 21:1 Parallel Verse View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible—click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed as a tool for doing comparisons of different translations—the older translations are further down the page (so you can read up from the bottom to trace the English translation history). The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible—please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.

Text critical issues=none Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

OET (OET-RV) The king’s thoughts are like streams of water to Yahweh—
⇔ → he directs them to go wherever he wants.

Key: khaki:verbs, green:YHWH.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the OET-RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

BrLXX Ὥσπερ ὁρμὴ ὕδατος, οὕτως καρδία βασιλέως ἐν χειρὶ Θεοῦ, οὗ ἐὰν θέλων νεῦσαι ἐκεῖ ἔκλινεν αὐτήν.
(Hōsper hormaʸ hudatos, houtōs kardia basileōs en ⱪeiri Theou, hou ean thelōn neusai ekei eklinen autaʸn. )

BrTr As a rush of water, so is the king's heart in God's hand: he turns it whithersoever he may desire to point out.

ULT The heart of a king is channels of water in the hand of Yahweh;
⇔ he steers it according to all that he desires.

UST Yahweh directs what kings think as a farmer directs streams of water
⇔ to make them go wherever he wants them to go.

OEB No OEB PROV book available

WEBBE The king’s heart is in the LORD’s hand like the watercourses.
⇔ He turns it wherever he desires.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord like channels of water;
⇔ he turns it wherever he wants.

LSV The heart of a king [is] streams of waters in the hand of YHWH,
He inclines it wherever He pleases.

FBV The Lord directs the king's decisions like a stream of water that he sends whichever way he wants.

T4T Yahweh controls what kings do [MTY] like he controls how streams flow;
⇔ he causes kings to do just what he wants them to do.

LEB No LEB PROV 21:1 verse available

BBE The king's heart in the hands of the Lord is like the water streams, and by him it is turned in any direction at his pleasure.

Moff The Eternal sways the king’s heart like a water-course
⇔ he turns it as he pleases.

JPS The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD as the watercourses: He turneth it whithersoever He will.

ASV The king’s heart is in the hand of Jehovah as the watercourses:
⇔ He turneth it whithersoever he will.

DRA 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.

YLT Rivulets of waters [is] the heart of a king in the hand of Jehovah, Wherever He pleaseth He inclineth it.

Drby The king's heart in the hand of Jehovah is [as] brooks of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.

RV The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD as the watercourses: he turneth it whithersoever he will.
(The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD as the watercourses: he turneth it whithersoever/wherever he will. )

SLT Steams of waters the heart of the king, in the hand of Jehovah: upon all which he shall delight in he will turn it.

Wbstr The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.

KJB-1769 The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.
(The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever/wherever he will. )

KJB-1611 ¶ The kings heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the riuers of water: hee turneth it whithersoeuer he will.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from punctuation)

Bshps The kynges heart is in the hand of the Lord, lyke as are the riuers of water, he maye turne it whyther soeuer he wyll.
(The kings heart is in the hand of the Lord, like as are the rivers of water, he may turn it whither/where soever he will.)

Gnva The Kings heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the riuers of waters: he turneth it whithersoeuer it pleaseth him.
(The Kings heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of waters: he turneth it whithersoever/wherever it pleaseth/pleases him. )

Cvdl The kynges hert is in the hande of the LORDE, like as are the ryuers of water: he maye turne it whyther so euer he wyll.
(The kings heart is in the hand of the LORD, like as are the rivers of water: he may turn it whither/where so ever he will.)

Wycl As departyngis of watris, so the herte of the kyng is in the power of the Lord; whidur euer he wole, he schal bowe it.
(As departings of waters, so the heart of the king is in the power of the Lord; whither/where ever he will, he shall bow it.)

Luth Des Königs Herz ist in der Hand des HErr’s wie Wasserbäche, und er neiget es, wohin er will.
(Des kings heart is in the/of_the hand the LORD’s as/like streams, and he tends/tilts it, where he will.)

ClVg [Sicut divisiones aquarum, ita cor regis in manu Domini: quocumque voluerit, inclinabit illud.[fn]
([Like divisions of_waters, so/thus heart king in/into/on by_hand Master: wherever wanted, incline/leanbit it/this/that. )

21.1 Sicut divisiones. Omnium hominum, non solum regis cor, in manu Domini, quia in manu ejus sunt omnes fines terræ. Sed regem, sanctum quemque vocat, qui vitiorum bella in se vincere, virgulta malitiæ novit exstirpare. Sicut enim Dominus aquarum divisionibus, terrarum fines simul et æris implet, tegit quoque aquis superiora cœlorum, Ita cor regis quocunque voluerit inclinat, quia sicut divisiones gratiarum secundum voluntatem suam, et angelis et hominibus tribuit; ita corda sanctorum quibuscunque voluerit digna donationibus reddit. Et taceat Pelagianus, quia absque gratia Dei nullus est locus saluti.

21.1 Like divisions. Of_all of_men, not/no only king heart, in/into/on by_hand Master, because in/into/on by_hand his are everyone fines of_the_earth/land. But the_king, holy each he_calls, who/which of_vices wars in/into/on himself to_win, virgulta of_malice he_knows exstirpare. Like because Master of_waters divisionibus, the_world fines at_the_same_time and copper fills, tegit too in_the_waters higher of_the_heavens, Ita heart king wherever wanted incline/leant, because like divisions thanks after/second will his_own, and to/by/with_the_messengers/angels and to_humans gives; so/thus hearts holy_place to_whomcunque wanted worthy donations returns. And be_silentat Pelagianus, because without grace of_God none it_is place saluti.

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 10:1–22:16: This is the main collection of Solomon’s proverbs

This section is the main collection of Solomon’s proverbs. It has a very different structure from the longer poetic lectures of chapters 1–9. It consists mostly of individual couplets (two-line poems) that are each one verse in length. With the exception of the title (10:1a), paragraph breaks will not be indicated in the Notes or Display. You may of course choose to start each proverb as a separate paragraph in your translation.

In chapters 10–15, most of these one-verse couplets express a contrast between the two lines. One of the more common contrasts is between the righteous/wise and the wicked/foolish and the different consequences of their conduct.

In chapters 16:1–22:16, more topics are discussed. There is more emphasis on the role of the king and other leaders. In these chapters, there are few proverbs with contrasting lines. Some of the parallel lines are similar in meaning. More frequently, the second line adds to what the first line says or gives an example. Most of the verses have no obvious connection with the previous or following proverbs.UBS (page 214), Fox (page 509), McKane (page 413). Many scholars, including McKane, point out that there are some topical groupings as well as poetic connections. These include the repetition of certain words or sounds. This observation does not deny the individual nature of most of the proverbs in this Section.

Two of the types of proverbs in this section are not found in chapters 1–9. One type contains logical reasoning from the lesser to the greater. See 11:31 for a list of these proverbs. There are also several varieties of complex “better than” proverbs. The most common have a contrasting situation in each line (see 12:9). For other varieties, see 16:16, 19:1, and 21:9.

Many of the proverbs in this section refer to categories of people who share a common trait. For example, they refer to the righteous, the wise, the poor, and the lazy. In Hebrew, some verses use singular forms to refer to these groups of people. Other verses use plural forms. Still others use a combination of singular and plural. See the note on 10:30a–b for one example. For most of these verses, the Notes will not comment on the difference between singular and plural forms. Use a natural way in your language to refer to one or more people who are in the same category.

Many of the proverbs in this section express a general principle in abstract terms. They are not addressed specifically to the readers. For example, 10:2a–b says:

Ill-gotten treasures are of no value,

but righteousness delivers from death.

However, the author intended his readers to understand these proverbs as advice that they should follow. In some languages, authors or speakers give advice more directly, using pronouns such as you^(sing), you^(plur), we^(dual), or we^(incl). See the note on 10:2 for translation suggestions.

Some other headings for this section are:

Proverbs of Solomon (NIV)

The Wise Words of Solomon (NCV)

Here are many wise things that Solomon said

21:1

This proverb teaches that the LORD controls the king’s mind or thinking and directs it wherever he wants. The verse illustrates this truth with the metaphor of a watercourse (literally “channels of water”). The NIV changed the metaphor to a simile by supplying the word “like.” It has:

^1aThe king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord;

^1bhe directs it like a watercourse wherever he pleases.

21:1a–b

(combined/reordered)

Yahweh directs the thoughts of a ruler according to what he/Yahweh wants just as water in a canal can be directed by an irrigator/farmer.
The mind of a king is like water in irrigation ditches. Yahweh controls his thoughts so that he accomplishes Yahweh’s purposes.

In Hebrew, the topic and image of the metaphor both occur in the first line, as in the BSB and ESV. For example:

^1aThe king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord;

^1bhe turns it wherever he will. (ESV)

There are two ways to interpret what the LORD controls and “directs/turns”:

The LORD controls the king’s heart and directs it wherever he wants. He directs it like people direct the course of irrigation channels. For example:
The king’s heart is like channels of water in the hand of the Lord; He turns it wherever He wishes. (NASB) (NASB, NET, NIV, NJPS, REB)The BSB, ESV, NAB, NJB, and NRSV are ambiguous. For example, the NJB has: “Like flowing water is a king’s heart in Yahweh’s hand; he directs it wherever he pleases.” Both “flowing water” and “a king’s heart” are singular. The pronoun “it” could refer to either one.
The LORD controls the king’s heart like he (the LORD) directs the course of a stream. For example:
The Lord controls the mind of a king as easily as he directs the course of a stream. (GNT) (CEV, GW, NCV, NLT, GNT)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), along with most scholars. The word that the BSB translates as “waterway” refers to man-made irrigation channels or canals. It does not refer to natural streams or rivers.HALOT (#7567) and HOL (#6797) gloss this word as “artificial water channel, canal.” TWOT (#1769a) has “channel, canal.” NIDOTTE (H7104) says that “the people themselves…developed canals, irrigation ditches, and channels for the water.” Different Hebrew words, such as yǝʾor (usually referring to the Nile), nahar (usually referring to rivers with a continual flow), and nahal (usually referring to temporary streams or torrents) are used to refer to natural rivers or streams. See NIDOTTE (H5643) for more details.

For other ways to translate the metaphor in this verse, see the General Comment on 21:1a–b after the note on 21:1b.

21:1a

The king’s heart is a waterway in the hand of the LORD;

Yahweh controls the thoughts of a king.

The king’s heart is a waterway in the hand of the LORD: In the OT, the word heart refers primarily to the mind or thoughts. The phrase that the BSB translates as waterway is literally “channels/canals of water” in Hebrew. It refers to a system of irrigation that uses man-made dams and canals. Here it is part of a figure of speech that describes the king’s heart. The parallel line (21:1b) explains more about how a king’s heart is like a waterway.

The phrase in the hand of the LORD is also a figure of speech. It represents the power or control which the LORD holds. The whole clause indicates that the LORD controls the thinking and decisions of the king as he rules. Here is another way to translate The king’s heart is…in the hand of the LORD:

The Lord controls the mind of a king (GNT)

21:1b

He directs it where He pleases.

He causes the ruler to do whatever he wants like the water in a canal flows to where the farmer has decided.

He directs it where He pleases: Here, the pronoun it refers to the king’s heart, which the previous line identified as a “waterway.” A farmer regulates the flow of water to his garden by damming up some water channels and opening others. In this way he directs the water wherever he wants it to go. Similarly, the LORD directs the mind of a king so that the king makes decisions that accomplish the purposes of the LORD.Ross (page 1049), Cohen (page 138), Hubbard (page 250), Waltke (page 168). Fox (page 679) says that farmers opened or closed “hinged wooden hatches” with a handle in order to direct the water from one channel to another.

General Comment on 21:1a–b

Some ways to translate the metaphor in this verse are: