Proverbs 16

¹The plans of the mind belong to man,

but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.

²All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes,

but the Lord weighs the spirit.

³Commit your work to the Lord,

and your plans will be established.

⁴The Lord has made everything for its purpose,

even the wicked for the day of trouble.

⁵Every one who is arrogant is an abomination to the Lord;

be assured, he will not go unpunished.

⁶By loyalty and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for,

and by the fear of the Lord a man avoids evil.

⁷When a man’s ways please the Lord,

he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.

⁸Better is a little with righteousness

than great revenues with injustice.

⁹A man’s mind plans his way,

but the Lord directs his steps.

¹⁰Inspired decisions are on the lips of a king;

his mouth does not sin in judgment.

¹¹A just balance and scales are the Lord’s;

all the weights in the bag are his work.

¹²It is an abomination to kings to do evil,

for the throne is established by righteousness.

¹³Righteous lips are the delight of a king,

and he loves him who speaks what is right.

¹⁴A king’s wrath is a messenger of death,

and a wise man will appease it.

¹⁵In the light of a king’s face there is life,

and his favor is like the clouds that bring the spring rain.

¹⁶To get wisdom is better than gold;

to get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.

¹⁷The highway of the upright turns aside from evil;

he who guards his way preserves his life.

¹⁸Pride goes before destruction,

and a haughty spirit before a fall.

¹⁹It is better to be of a lowly spirit with the poor

than to divide the spoil with the proud.

²⁰He who gives heed to the word will prosper,

and happy is he who trusts in the Lord.

²¹The wise of heart is called a man of discernment,

and pleasant speech increases persuasiveness.

²²Wisdom is a fountain of life to him who has it,

but folly is the chastisement of fools.

²³The mind of the wise makes his speech judicious,

and adds persuasiveness to his lips.

²⁴Pleasant words are like a honeycomb,

sweetness to the soul and health to the body.

²⁵There is a way which seems right to a man,

but its end is the way to death.

²⁶A worker’s appetite works for him;

his mouth urges him on.

²⁷A worthless man plots evil,

and his speech is like a scorching fire.

²⁸A perverse man spreads strife,

and a whisperer separates close friends.

²⁹A man of violence entices his neighbor

and leads him in a way that is not good.

³⁰He who winks his eyes plans perverse things,

he who compresses his lips brings evil to pass.

³¹A hoary head is a crown of glory;

it is gained in a righteous life.

³²He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty,

and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.

³³The lot is cast into the lap,

but the decision is wholly from the Lord.