Proverbs 16–18

¹⁶The plans of the mind belong to mortals,

but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.

²All one’s ways may be pure in one’s 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.^*

⁵All those who are arrogant are an abomination to the Lord;

be assured, they will not go unpunished.^*

⁶By loyalty and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for,

and by the fear of the Lord one avoids evil.^*

⁷When the ways of people please the Lord,

he causes even their enemies to be at peace with them.^*

⁸Better is a little with righteousness

than large income with injustice.

⁹The human mind plans the way,

but the Lord directs the steps.^*

¹⁰Inspired decisions are on the lips of a king;

his mouth does not sin in judgment.

¹¹Honest balances 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 those who speak what is right.^*

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

and whoever is wise 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.^*

¹⁶How much better to get wisdom than gold!

To get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.^*

¹⁷The highway of the upright avoids evil;

those who guard their way preserve their lives.

¹⁸Pride goes before destruction

and a haughty spirit before a fall.^*

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

than to divide the spoil with the proud.

²⁰Those who are attentive to a matter will prosper,

and happy are those who trust in the Lord.^*

²¹The wise of heart is called perceptive,

and pleasant speech increases persuasiveness.

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

but folly is the punishment of fools.^*

²³The mind of the wise makes their speech judicious

and adds persuasiveness to their lips.

²⁴Pleasant words are like a honeycomb,

sweetness to the soul and health to the body.

²⁵Sometimes there is a way that seems to be right,

but in the end it is the way to death.^*

²⁶The appetite of workers works for them;

their hunger urges them on.

²⁷Scoundrels concoct evil,

and their speech is like a scorching fire.^*

²⁸A perverse person spreads strife,

and a whisperer separates close friends.^*

²⁹The violent entice their neighbors

and lead them in a way that is not good.^*

³⁰One who winks the eyes plans^d perverse things;

one who compresses the lips brings evil to pass.

³¹Gray hair is a crown of glory;

it is gained in a righteous life.^*

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

and one whose temper is controlled than one who captures a city.^*

³³The lot is cast into the lap,

but the decision is the Lord’s alone.

¹⁷Better is a dry morsel with quiet

than a house full of feasting with strife.^*

²A slave who deals wisely will rule over a child who acts shamefully

and will share the inheritance as one of the family.^*

³The crucible is for silver and the furnace for gold,

but the Lord tests the heart.^*

⁴An evildoer listens to wicked lips,

and a liar gives heed to a mischievous tongue.

⁵Those who mock the poor insult their Maker;

those who are glad at calamity will not go unpunished.^*

⁶Grandchildren are the crown of the aged,

and the glory of children is their parents.^*

⁷Excess speech is not becoming to a fool;

still less is false speech to a ruler.^e

⁸A bribe is like a magic stone in the eyes of those who give it;

wherever they turn they prosper.^*

⁹One who forgives an affront fosters friendship,

but one who dwells on disputes will alienate a friend.^*

¹⁰A rebuke strikes deeper into a discerning person

than a hundred blows into a fool.

¹¹Evil people seek only rebellion,

but a cruel messenger will be sent against them.

¹²Better to meet a she-bear robbed of its cubs

than to confront a fool immersed in folly.^*

¹³Evil will not depart from the house

of one who returns evil for good.^*

¹⁴The beginning of strife is like letting out water,

so stop before the quarrel breaks out.^*

¹⁵One who justifies the wicked and one who condemns the righteous

are both alike an abomination to the Lord.^*

¹⁶Why should fools have a price in hand

to buy wisdom when they have no mind to learn?

¹⁷A friend loves at all times,

and kinsfolk are born to share adversity.^*

¹⁸It is senseless to give a pledge,

to become surety for a neighbor.^*

¹⁹One who loves transgression loves strife;

one who builds a high threshold invites broken bones.^*

²⁰The crooked of mind do not prosper,

and the perverse of tongue fall into calamity.^*

²¹The one who fathers a fool gets trouble;

the parent of a fool has no joy.^*

²²A cheerful heart is a good medicine,

but a downcast spirit dries up the bones.^*

²³The wicked accept a concealed bribe

to pervert the ways of justice.^*

²⁴The discerning person looks to wisdom,

but the eyes of a fool to the ends of the earth.^*

²⁵Foolish children are a grief to their father

and bitterness to her who bore them.^*

²⁶To impose a fine on the innocent is not right

or to flog the noble for their integrity.^*

²⁷One who spares words is knowledgeable;

one who is cool in spirit has understanding.^*

²⁸Even fools who keep silent are considered wise;

when they close their lips, they are deemed intelligent.^*

¹⁸The one who lives alone is self-indulgent,

showing contempt for all sound judgment.^f

²A fool takes no pleasure in understanding,

but only in expressing personal opinion.^*

³When wickedness comes, contempt comes also,

and with dishonor comes disgrace.

⁴The words of the mouth are deep waters;

the fountain of wisdom is a gushing stream.^*

⁵It is not right to be partial to the guilty

or to subvert the innocent in judgment.^*

⁶A fool’s lips bring strife,

and a fool’s mouth invites a flogging.

⁷The mouths of fools are their ruin,

and their lips a snare to themselves.^*

⁸The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels;

they go down into the inner parts of the body.^*

⁹One who is slack in work

is close kin to a vandal.^*

¹⁰The name of the Lord is a strong tower;

the righteous run into it and are safe.^*

¹¹The wealth of the rich is their strong city;

in their imagination it is like a high wall.^*

¹²Before destruction one’s heart is haughty,

but humility goes before honor.^*

¹³If one gives answer before hearing,

it is folly and shame.^*

¹⁴The human spirit will endure sickness,

but a broken spirit—who can bear?

¹⁵An intelligent mind acquires knowledge,

and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.

¹⁶A gift opens doors;

it gives access to the great.^*

¹⁷The one who first states a case seems right,

until the other comes and cross-examines.

¹⁸Casting the lot puts an end to disputes

and decides between powerful contenders.^*

¹⁹An ally offended is stronger than a city;^g

such quarreling is like the bars of a castle.

²⁰From the fruit of the mouth one’s stomach is satisfied;

the yield of the lips brings satisfaction.^*

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

and those who love it will eat its fruits.^*

²²He who finds a wife finds a good thing

and obtains favor from the Lord.^*

²³The poor use entreaties,

but the rich answer roughly.^*

²⁴Some^h friends play at friendship,ⁱ

but a true friend sticks closer than one’s sibling.^*