Proverbs 16–18
16 The reflections of the heart belong to mankind,
but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.c
2 All a person’s ways seem right to him,
but the Lord weighs motives.B,d
3 Commit your activities to the Lord,
and your plans will be established.e
4 The Lord has prepared everything for his purpose—
even the wicked for the day of disaster.f
5 Everyone with a proud heart is detestable to the Lord;g
be assured,C he will not go unpunished.h
6 Iniquity is atoned for by loyalty and faithfulness,i
and one turns from evil by the fear of the Lord.j
7 When a person’s ways please the Lord,
he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.k
8 Better a little with righteousness
than great income with injustice.l
9 A person’s heart plans his way,
but the Lord determines his steps.m
10 God’s verdict is on the lips of a king;D,n
his mouth should not give an unfair judgment.o
11 Honest balances and scales are the Lord’s;
all the weights in the bag are his concern.p
12 Wicked behavior is detestable to kings,q
since a throne is established through righteousness.r
13 Righteous lips are a king’s delight,
and he loves one who speaks honestly.
14 A king’s fury is a messenger of death,
but a wise person appeases it.s
15 When a king’s face lights up, there is life;
his favor is like a cloud with spring rain.
how much better it is than gold!
And get understanding—
it is preferable to silver.t
17 The highway of the uprightu avoids evil;
the one who guards his way protects his life.v
18 Pride comes before destruction,
and an arrogant spirit before a fall.w
19 Better to be lowly of spirit with the humbleE,x
than to divide plunder with the proud.y
20 The one who understands a matter finds success,z
and the one who trusts in the Lord will be happy.aa
21 Anyone with a wise heart is called discerning,
and pleasant speechF increases learning.ab
22 Insight is a fountain of lifeac for its possessor,
but the discipline of fools is folly.
23 The heart of a wise person instructs his mouth;
it adds learning to his speech.G,ad
24 Pleasant words are a honeycomb:ae
sweet to the tasteH and health to the body.I,af
25 There is a way that seems right to a person,
but its end is the way to death.a
26 A worker’s appetite works for him
because his hungerA urges him on.
27 A worthless person digs up evil,
and his speech is like a scorching fire.b
28 A contrary person spreads conflict,
and a gossip separates close friends.c
29 A violent person lures his neighbor,d
leading him on a path that is not good.e
30 The one who narrows his eyes is planning deceptions;
the one who compresses his lips brings about evil.f
31 Gray hair is a glorious crown;g
it is found in the ways of righteousness.h
32 Patience is better than power,
and controlling one’s emotions,B than capturing a city.i
33 The lot is cast into the lap,
but its every decision is from the Lord.j
17 Better a dry crust with peace
than a house full of feasting with strife.k
2 A prudent servant will rule over a disgraceful son
and share an inheritance among brothers.
3 A crucible for silver, and a smelter for gold,l
and the Lord is the tester of hearts.m
4 A wicked person listens to malicious talk;C
a liar pays attention to a destructive tongue.
5 The one who mocks the poor insults his Maker,n
and one who rejoices over calamity
will not go unpunished.o
6 Grandchildren are the crown of the elderly,
and the pride of children is their fathers.
7 Eloquent words are not appropriate on a fool’s lips;
how much worse are lies for a ruler.
8 A bribep seems like a magic stone to its owner;
wherever he turns, he succeeds.q
9 Whoever conceals an offense promotes love,r
but whoever gossips about it separates friends.s
10 A rebuke cuts into a perceptive person
more than a hundred lashes into a fool.
11 An evil person desires only rebellion;
a cruel messengerD,t will be sent against him.
12 Better for a person to meet a bear robbed of her cubsu
than a fool in his foolishness.
13 If anyone returns evil for good,v
evil will never depart from his house.w
14 To start a conflict is to release a flood;
stop the dispute before it breaks out.x
15 Acquitting the guilty and condemning the justy—
both are detestable to the Lord.
16 Why does a fool have money in his hand
with no intention of buying wisdom?z
17 A friend loves at all times,aa
and a brother is born for a difficult time.
18 One without sense enters an agreementA
and puts up security for his friend.a
19 One who loves to offend loves strife;b
one who builds a high threshold invites injury.
20 One with a twisted mind will not succeed,
and one with deceitful speech will fall into ruin.c
21 A man fathers a fool to his own sorrow;
the father of a fool has no joy.d
22 A joyful heart is good medicine,
but a broken spirit dries up the bones.e
23 A wicked person secretly takes a bribef
to subvert the course of justice.g
24 Wisdom is the focus of the perceptive,
but a fool’s eyesh roam to the ends of the earth.
25 A foolish son is grief to his father
and bitterness to the one who bore him.i
26 It is certainly not good to fine an innocent person
or to beat a noble for his honesty.B,j
27 The one who has knowledge restrains his words,k
and one who keeps a cool headC
is a person of understanding.
28 Even a fool is considered wise when he keeps silent—
discerning, when he seals his lips.l
18 One who isolates himself pursues selfish desires;
he rebels against all sound wisdom.
2 A fool does not delight in understanding,
but only wants to show off his opinions.D,m
3 When a wicked person comes, contempt also comes,
and along with dishonor, derision.
4 The words of a person’s mouth are deep waters,n
a flowing river, a fountain of wisdom.E
5 It is not good to show partiality to the guilty,o
denying an innocent person justice.p
6 A fool’s lips lead to strife,
and his mouth provokes a beating.q
7 A fool’s mouth is his devastation,
and his lips are a trap for his life.r
8 A gossip’s words are like choice food
that goes down to one’s innermost being.F,s
9 The one who is lazy in his work
10 The name of the Lord is a strong tower;u
the righteous run to it and are protected.H,v
11 The wealth of the rich is his fortified city;
in his imagination it is like a high wall.w
12 Before his downfall a person’s heart is proud,x
but humility comes before honor.y
13 The one who gives an answer before he listens—
this is foolishness and disgrace for him.z
14 A person’s spirit can endure sickness,
but who can survive a broken spirit?aa
15 The mind of the discerning acquires knowledge,
and the ear of the wise seeks it.ab
16 A person’s gift opens doorsA for him
and brings him before the great.a
17 The first to state his case seems right
until another comes and cross-examines him.b
18 Casting the lotc ends quarrels
and separates powerful opponents.
19 An offended brother is harder to reachB
than a fortified city,
and quarrels are like the bars of a fortress.
20 From the fruit of a person’s mouth his stomach is satisfied;
he is filled with the product of his lips.d
21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue,
and those who love it will eat its fruit.e
22 A man who finds a wife finds a good thingf
and obtains favor from the Lord.g
23 The poor person pleads,h
but the rich one answers roughly.i
24 One with many friends may be harmed,C
but there is a friend who stays closer than a brother.j