16:1 The intentions of the heart belong to a man,

but the answer of the tongue comes from the Lord.

2 All a person’s ways seem right in his own opinion,

but the Lord evaluates the motives.

3 Commit your works to the Lord,

and your plans will be established.

4 The Lord has worked everything for his own ends—

even the wicked for the day of disaster.

5 The Lord abhors every arrogant person;

rest assured that they will not go unpunished.

6 Through loyal love and truth iniquity is appeased;

through fearing the Lord one avoids evil.

7 When a person’s ways are pleasing to the Lord,

he even reconciles his enemies to himself.

8 Better to have a little with righteousness

than to have abundant income without justice.

9 A person plans his course,

but the Lord directs his steps.

10 The divine verdict is in the words of the king;

his pronouncements must not act treacherously against justice.

11 Honest scales and balances are from the Lord;

all the weights in the bag are his handiwork.

12 Doing wickedness is an abomination to kings,

because a throne is established in righteousness.

13 The delight of a king is righteous counsel,

and he will love the one who speaks uprightly.

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

but a wise person appeases it.

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

and his favor is like the clouds of the spring rain.

16 How much better it is to acquire wisdom than gold;

to acquire understanding is more desirable than silver.

17 The highway of the upright is to turn away from evil;

the one who guards his way safeguards his life.

18 Pride goes before destruction

and a haughty spirit before a fall.

19 It is better to be lowly in spirit with the afflicted

than to share the spoils with the proud.

20 The one who deals wisely in a matter will find success,

and blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord.

21 The one who is wise in heart is called discerning,

and kind speech increases persuasiveness.

22 Insight is like a life-giving fountain to the one who possesses it,

but folly leads to the discipline of fools.

23 A wise person’s heart makes his speech wise,

and it adds persuasiveness to his words.

24 Pleasant words are like a honeycomb,

sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.

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

but its end is the way that leads to death.

26 A laborer’s appetite has labored for him,

for his hunger has pressed him to work.

27 A wicked scoundrel digs up evil,

and his slander is like a scorching fire.

28 A perverse person spreads dissension,

and a gossip separates the closest friends.

29 A violent person entices his neighbor,

and then leads him down a path that is terrible.

30 The one who winks his eyes devises perverse things,

and one who compresses his lips has accomplished evil.

31 Gray hair is like a crown of glory;

it is attained in the path of righteousness.

32 Better to be slow to anger than to be a mighty warrior,

and one who controls his temper is better than one who captures a city.

33 The dice are thrown into the lap,

but their every decision is from the Lord.

The Scriptures quoted are from the NET Bible® copyright © 1996, 2019, used with permission from Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved.