16 To humans belong the plans of the heart,

but from the Lord comes the proper answer of the tongue.t

2 All a person’s ways seem pure to them,u

but motives are weighedv by the Lord.w

3 Commit to the Lord whatever you do,

and he will establish your plans.x

4 The Lord works out everything to its proper endy—

even the wicked for a day of disaster.z

5 The Lord detests all the proud of heart.a

Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished.b

6 Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for;

through the fear of the Lordc evil is avoided.d

7 When the Lord takes pleasure in anyone’s way,

he causes their enemies to make peacee with them.f

8 Better a little with righteousness

than much gaing with injustice.h

9 In their hearts humans plan their course,

but the Lord establishes their steps.i

10 The lips of a king speak as an oracle,

and his mouth does not betray justice.j

11 Honest scales and balances belong to the Lord;

all the weights in the bag are of his making.k

12 Kings detest wrongdoing,

for a throne is established through righteousness.l

13 Kings take pleasure in honest lips;

they value the one who speaks what is right.m

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

but the wise will appease it.o

15 When a king’s face brightens, it means life;p

his favor is like a rain cloud in spring.q

16 How much better to get wisdom than gold,

to get insightr rather than silver!s

17 The highway of the upright avoids evil;

those who guard their ways preserve their lives.t

18 Prideu goes before destruction,

a haughty spiritv before a fall.w

19 Better to be lowly in spirit along with the oppressed

than to share plunder with the proud.

20 Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers,a x

and blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord.y

21 The wise in heart are called discerning,

and gracious words promote instruction.b z

22 Prudence is a fountain of life to the prudent,a

but folly brings punishment to fools.

23 The hearts of the wise make their mouths prudent,b

and their lips promote instruction.c c

24 Gracious words are a honeycomb,d

sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.e

25 There is a way that appears to be right,f

but in the end it leads to death.g

26 The appetite of laborers works for them;

their hunger drives them on.

27 A scoundrelh plots evil,

and on their lips it is like a scorching fire.i

28 A perverse person stirs up conflict,j

and a gossip separates close friends.k

29 A violent person entices their neighbor

and leads them down a path that is not good.l

30 Whoever winksm with their eye is plotting perversity;

whoever purses their lips is bent on evil.

31 Gray hair is a crown of splendor;n

it is attained in the way of righteousness.

32 Better a patient person than a warrior,

one with self-control than one who takes a city.

33 The lot is casto into the lap,

but its every decisionp is from the Lord.q