Judaism
Proverbs 21
Text
The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the watercourses: He turneth it whithersoever He will.
Every way of a man is right in his own eyes; But the LORD weigheth the hearts.
To do righteousness and justice Is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.
A haughty look, and a proud heart— The tillage of the wicked is sin.
The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness; But every one that is hasty hasteth only to want.
The getting of treasures by a lying tongue Is a vapour driven to and fro; they [that seek them] seek death.
The violence of the wicked shall drag them away; Because they refuse to do justly.
The way of man is froward and strange; But as for the pure, his work is right.
It is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop, Than in a house in common with a contentious woman.
The soul of the wicked desireth evil; His neighbour findeth no favour in his eyes.
When the scorner is punished, the thoughtless is made wise; And when the wise is instructed, he receiveth knowledge.
The Righteous One considereth the house of the wicked; Overthrowing the wicked to their ruin.
Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, He also shall cry himself, but shall not be answered.
A gift in secret pacifieth anger, And a present in the bosom strong wrath.
To do justly is joy to the righteous, But ruin to the workers of iniquity.
The man that strayeth out of the way of understanding Shall rest in the congregation of the shades.
He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man; He that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich.
The wicked is a ransom for the righteous; And the faithless cometh in the stead of the upright.
It is better to dwell in a desert land, Than with a contentious and fretful woman.
There is desirable treasure and oil in the dwelling of the wise; But a foolish man swalloweth it up.
He that followeth after righteousness and mercy Findeth life, prosperity, and honour.
A wise man scaleth the city of the mighty, And bringeth down the stronghold wherein it trusteth.
Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue Keepeth his soul from troubles.
A proud and haughty man, scorner is his name, Even he that dealeth in overbearing pride.
The desire of the slothful killeth him; For his hands refuse to labour.
There is that coveteth greedily all the day long; But the righteous giveth and spareth not.
The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination; How much more, when he bringeth it with the proceeds of wickedness?
A false witness shall perish; But the man that obeyeth shall speak unchallenged.
A wicked man hardeneth his face; But as for the upright, he looketh well to his way.
There is no wisdom nor understanding Nor counsel against the LORD.
The horse is prepared against the day of battle; But victory is of the LORD.
Text: The Holy Scriptures, Jewish Publication Society (1917), public domain, via Sefaria.
✦ Connected Across Traditions
The Golden Rule
Matthew 7:12
“Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them.”
Hadith (An-Nawawi 13)
“None of you truly believes until he wishes for his brother what he wishes for himself.”
Mahabharata 5.1517
“One should never do to another what one regards as injurious to oneself.”
Dhammapada 129 (trans. Bhikkhu Sujato)
“All tremble at the rod, all fear death. Treating others like oneself, neither kill nor incite to kill.”
Divine Compassion & Mercy
Quran 1:1
“In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.”
Luke 6:36
“Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.”
Snp 1.8 (trans. Bhikkhu Sujato)
“Even as a mother would protect with her life her child, her only child, so too for all creatures unfold a boundless heart.”
Guru Granth Sahib, Ang 1
“ik oankaar sat naam: one Creator, whose Name is Truth, beyond fear and enmity.”
Impermanence & Letting Go
Dhammapada 20:277 (trans. F. Max Müller)
“‘All created things perish,’ he who knows and sees this becomes passive in pain; this is the way to purity.”
Tao Te Ching 76 (trans. James Legge)
“Man at his birth is supple and weak; at his death, firm and strong. (So it is with) all things. Trees and plants, in their early growth, are soft and brittle; at their death, dry and withered.”
Ecclesiastes 3:1
“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.”
Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 2 (trans. Edwin Arnold)
“Nay, but as when one layeth His worn-out robes away, And taking new ones, sayeth, "These will I wear to-day!" So putteth by the spirit Lightly its garb of flesh, And passeth to inherit A residence afresh.”
The Path to Wisdom
Dhammapada 20:282 (trans. Bhikkhu Sujato)
“From meditation springs wisdom, without meditation, wisdom ends.”
Analects 2:11 (trans. James Legge)
“If a man keeps cherishing his old knowledge, so as continually to be acquiring new, he may be a teacher of others.”
Tao Te Ching 33 (trans. James Legge)
“He who knows other men is discerning; he who knows himself is intelligent.”
Quran 39:9
“Are those who know equal with those who know not?”
Good vs Evil / Light vs Darkness
Yasna 30:3
“Now the two primal Spirits, who reveal themselves as Twins, are the Better and the Bad, in thought and word and action.”
John 1:5
“And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.”
Dhammapada 2 (trans. Bhikkhu Sujato)
“Intention is the leader of things; intention is first, they’re made by intention. If with pure intent you speak or act, happiness follows you like a shadow that never leaves.”
Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 16 (trans. Edwin Arnold)
“The Doors of Hell Are threefold, whereby men to ruin pass, The door of Lust, the door of Wrath, the door Of Avarice. Let a man shun those three!”