16 The apreparations 1of the heart belong to man,

bBut the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.

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

But the Lord weighs the spirits.

3 dCommit 2your works to the Lord,

And your thoughts will be established.

4 The eLord has made all for Himself,

fYes, even the wicked for the day of 3doom.

5 gEveryone proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord;

Though they join 4forces, none will go unpunished.

6 hIn mercy and truth

Atonement is provided for iniquity;

And iby the fear of the Lord one departs from evil.

7 When a man’s ways please the Lord,

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

8 jBetter is a little with righteousness,

Than vast revenues without justice.

9 kA man’s heart plans his way,

lBut the Lord directs his steps.

10 Divination is on the lips of the king;

His mouth must not transgress in judgment.

11 mHonest weights and scales are the Lord’s;

All the weights in the bag are His 5work.

12 It is an abomination for kings to commit wickedness,

For na throne is established by righteousness.

13 oRighteous lips are the delight of kings,

And they love him who speaks what is right.

14 As messengers of death is the king’s wrath,

But a wise man will pappease it.

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

And his favor is like a qcloud of the latter rain.

16 rHow much better to get wisdom than gold!

And to get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.

17 The highway of the upright is to depart from evil;

He who keeps his way preserves his soul.

18 Pride goes before destruction,

And a haughty spirit before 6a fall.

19 Better to be of a humble spirit with the lowly,

Than to divide the 7spoil with the proud.

20 He who heeds the word wisely will find good,

And whoever strusts in the Lord, happy is he.

21 The wise in heart will be called prudent,

And sweetness of the lips increases learning.

22 Understanding is a wellspring of life to him who has it.

But the correction of fools is folly.

23 The heart of the wise teaches his mouth,

And adds learning to his lips.

24 Pleasant words are like a honeycomb,

Sweetness to the soul and health to the bones.

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

But its end is the way of tdeath.

26 The person who labors, labors for himself,

For his hungry mouth drives uhim on.

27 8An ungodly man digs up evil,

And it is on his lips like a burning vfire.

28 A perverse man sows strife,

And wa whisperer separates the best of friends.

29 A violent man entices his neighbor,

And leads him in a way that is not good.

30 He winks his eye to devise perverse things;

He 9purses his lips and brings about evil.

31 xThe silver-haired head is a crown of glory,

If it is found in the way of righteousness.

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

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

33 The lot is cast into the lap,

But its every decision is from the Lord.

17 Better is aa dry morsel with quietness,

Than a house full of 1feasting with strife.

2 A wise servant will rule over ba son who causes shame,

And will share an inheritance among the brothers.

3 The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold,

cBut the Lord tests the hearts.

4 An evildoer gives heed to false lips;

A liar listens eagerly to a 2spiteful tongue.

5 dHe who mocks the poor reproaches his Maker;

eHe who is glad at calamity will not go unpunished.

6 fChildren’s children are the crown of old men,

And the glory of children is their father.

7 Excellent speech is not becoming to a fool,

Much less lying lips to a prince.

8 A present is a precious stone in the eyes of its possessor;

Wherever he turns, he prospers.

9 gHe who covers a transgression seeks love,

But hhe who repeats a matter separates friends.

10 iRebuke is more effective for a wise man

Than a hundred blows on a fool.

11 An evil man seeks only rebellion;

Therefore a cruel messenger will be sent against him.

12 Let a man meet ja bear robbed of her cubs,

Rather than a fool in his folly.

13 Whoever krewards evil for good,

Evil will not depart from his house.

14 The beginning of strife is like releasing water;

Therefore lstop contention before a quarrel starts.

15 mHe who justifies the wicked, and he who condemns the just,

Both of them alike are an abomination to the Lord.

16 Why is there in the hand of a fool the purchase price of wisdom,

Since he has no heart for it?

17 nA friend loves at all times,

And a brother is born for adversity.

18 oA man devoid of 3understanding 4shakes hands in a pledge,

And becomes 5surety for his friend.

19 He who loves transgression loves strife,

And phe who exalts his gate seeks destruction.

20 He who has a 6deceitful heart finds no good,

And he who has qa perverse tongue falls into evil.

21 He who begets a scoffer does so to his sorrow,

And the father of a fool has no joy.

22 A rmerry heart 7does good, like medicine,

But a broken spirit dries the bones.

23 A wicked man accepts a bribe 8behind the back

To pervert the ways of justice.

24 sWisdom is in the sight of him who has understanding,

But the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth.

25 A tfoolish son is a grief to his father,

And bitterness to her who bore him.

26 Also, to punish the righteous is not good,

Nor to strike princes for their uprightness.

27 uHe who has knowledge spares his words,

And a man of understanding is of a calm spirit.

28 vEven a fool is counted wise when he holds his peace;

When he shuts his lips, he is considered perceptive.

18 A man who isolates himself seeks his own desire;

He rages against all 1wise judgment.

2 A fool has no delight in understanding,

But in expressing his aown heart.

3 When the wicked comes, contempt comes also;

And with dishonor comes reproach.

4 bThe words of a man’s mouth are deep waters;

cThe wellspring of wisdom is a flowing brook.

5 It is not good to show partiality to the wicked,

Or to overthrow the righteous in djudgment.

6 A fool’s lips enter into contention,

And his mouth calls for blows.

7 eA fool’s mouth is his destruction,

And his lips are the snare of his fsoul.

8 gThe words of a 2talebearer are like 3tasty trifles,

And they go down into the 4inmost body.

9 He who is slothful in his work

Is a brother to him who is a great destroyer.

10 The name of the Lord is a strong htower;

The righteous run to it and are 5safe.

11 The rich man’s wealth is his strong city,

And like a high wall in his own esteem.

12 iBefore destruction the heart of a man is haughty,

And before honor is humility.

13 He who answers a matter before he hears it,

It is folly and shame to him.

14 The spirit of a man will sustain him in sickness,

But who can bear a broken spirit?

15 The heart of the prudent acquires knowledge,

And the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.

16 jA man’s gift makes room for him,

And brings him before great men.

17 The first one to plead his cause seems right,

Until his neighbor comes and examines him.

18 Casting klots causes contentions to cease,

And keeps the mighty apart.

19 A brother offended is harder to win than a strong city,

And contentions are like the bars of a castle.

20 lA man’s stomach shall be satisfied from the fruit of his mouth;

From the produce of his lips he shall be filled.

21 mDeath and life are in the power of the tongue,

And those who love it will eat its fruit.

22 nHe who finds a wife finds a good thing,

And obtains favor from the Lord.

23 The poor man uses entreaties,

But the rich answers oroughly.

24 A man who has friends 6must himself be friendly,

pBut there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.