Proverbs 16

¹ The plans of the heart belong to man; But the answer of the tongue is from Jehovah.

² All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; But Jehovah weigheth the spirits.

³ Commit thy works unto Jehovah, And thy purposes shall be established.

⁴ Jehovah hath made everything for its own end; Yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.

⁵ Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to Jehovah: Though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished.

⁶ By mercy and truth iniquity is atoned for; And by the fear of Jehovah men depart from evil.

⁷ When a man’s ways please Jehovah, He maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.

⁸ Better is a little, with righteousness, Than great revenues with injustice.

⁹ A man’s heart deviseth his way; But Jehovah directeth his steps.

¹⁰ A divine sentence is in the lips of the king; His mouth shall not transgress in judgment.

¹¹ A just balance and scales are Jehovah’s; All the weights of the bag are his work.

¹² It is an abomination to kings to commit wickedness; For the throne is established by righteousness.

¹³ Righteous lips are the delight of kings; And they love him that speaketh right.

¹⁴ The wrath of a king is as messengers of death; But a wise man will pacify it.

¹⁵ In the light of the king’s countenance is life; And his favor is as a cloud of the latter rain.

¹⁶ How much better is it to get wisdom than gold! Yea, to get understanding is rather to be chosen than silver.

¹⁷ The highway of the upright is to depart from evil: He that keepeth his way preserveth his soul.

¹⁸ Pride goeth before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall.

¹⁹ Better it is to be of a lowly spirit with the poor, Than to divide the spoil with the proud.

²⁰ He that giveth heed unto the word shall find good; And whoso trusteth in Jehovah, happy is he.

²¹ The wise in heart shall be called prudent; And the sweetness of the lips increaseth learning.

²² Understanding is a well-spring of life unto him that hath it; But the correction of fools is their folly.

²³ The heart of the wise instructeth his mouth, And addeth learning to his lips.

²⁴ Pleasant words are as a honeycomb, Sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.

²⁵ There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, But the end thereof are the ways of death.

²⁶ The appetite of the laboring man laboreth for him; For his mouth urgeth him thereto.

²⁷ A worthless man deviseth mischief; And in his lips there is as a scorching fire.

²⁸ A perverse man scattereth abroad strife; And a whisperer separateth chief friends.

²⁹ A man of violence enticeth his neighbor, And leadeth him in a way that is not good.

³⁰ He that shutteth his eyes, it is to devise perverse things: He that compresseth his lips bringeth evil to pass.

³¹ The hoary head is a crown of glory; It shall be found in the way of righteousness.

³² He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; And he that ruleth his spirit, than he that taketh a city.

³³ The lot is cast into the lap; But the whole disposing thereof is of Jehovah.