Proverbs 16

¹ The designs of the heart are man’s, but the answer of the tongue comes from the Lord.

² All a man’s ways are clean to himself; but the Lord puts men’s spirits into his scales.

³ Put your works into the hands of the Lord, and your purposes will be made certain.

⁴ The Lord has made everything for his purpose, even the sinner for the day of evil.

⁵ Everyone who has pride in his heart is disgusting to the Lord: he will certainly not go free from punishment.

⁶ By mercy and good faith evil-doing is taken away: and by the fear of the Lord men are turned away from evil.

⁷ When a man’s ways are pleasing to the Lord, he makes even his haters be at peace with him.

⁸ Better is a little with righteousness, than great wealth with wrongdoing.

⁹ A man may make designs for his way, but the Lord is the guide of his steps.

¹⁰ Decision is in the lips of the king: his mouth will not go wrong in judging.

¹¹ True measures and scales are the Lord’s: all the weights of the bag are his work.

¹² Evil-doing is disgusting to kings: for the seat of the ruler is based on righteousness.

¹³ Lips of righteousness are the delight of kings; and he who says what is upright is dear to him.

¹⁴ The wrath of the king is like those who give news of death, but a wise man will put peace in place of it.

¹⁵ In the light of the king’s face there is life; and his approval is like a cloud of spring rain.

¹⁶ How much better it is to get wisdom than gold! and to get knowledge is more to be desired than silver.

¹⁷ The highway of the upright is to be turned away from evil: he who takes care of his way will keep his soul.

¹⁸ Pride goes before destruction, and a stiff spirit before a fall.

¹⁹ Better it is to have a gentle spirit with the poor, than to take part in the rewards of war with men of pride.

²⁰ He who gives attention to the law of right will get good; and whoever puts his faith in the Lord is happy.

²¹ The wise-hearted will be named men of good sense: and by pleasing words learning is increased.

²² Wisdom is a fountain of life to him who has it; but the punishment of the foolish is their foolish behaviour.

²³ The heart of the wise man is the teacher of his mouth, and gives increased learning to his lips.

²⁴ Pleasing words are like honey, sweet to the soul and new life to the bones.

²⁵ There is a way which seems straight before a man, but its end is the ways of death.

²⁶ The desire of the working man is working for him, for his need of food is driving him on.

²⁷ A good-for-nothing man is a designer of evil, and in his lips there is a burning fire.

²⁸ A man of twisted purposes is a cause of fighting everywhere: and he who says evil secretly makes trouble between friends.

²⁹ A violent man puts desire of evil into his neighbour’s mind, and makes him go in a way which is not good.

³⁰ He whose eyes are shut is a man of twisted purposes, and he who keeps his lips shut tight makes evil come about.

³¹ The grey head is a crown of glory, if it is seen in the way of righteousness.

³² He who is slow to be angry is better than a man of war, and he who has control over his spirit than he who takes a town.

³³ A thing may be put to the decision of chance, but it comes about through the Lord.