Proverbs 16

¹To man belongeth the preparation of the heart; But the answer of the tongue is from the LORD.

²All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes; But the LORD weigheth the spirit.

³Commit thy doings to the LORD, And thy purposes shall be established.

⁴The LORD hath ordained every thing for its end; Yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.

⁵Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD; From generation to generation he shall not be unpunished.

⁶Through kindness and truth, iniquity is expiated; And, through the fear of the LORD, men depart from evil.

⁷When a man’s ways please the LORD, He maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.

⁸Better is a little with righteousness, Than great revenues without right.

⁹The heart of man deviseth his way, But the LORD establisheth his steps.

¹⁰A divine sentence is upon the lips of a king; His mouth transgresseth not in judgment.

¹¹A just balance and scales are the appointment of the LORD; All the weights of the bag are his work.

¹²The doing of wickedness is an abomination to kings; For by righteousness is the throne established.

¹³Righteous lips are the delight of kings, And they love him who speaketh right things.

¹⁴The wrath of a king is messengers of death; But a wise man will pacify it.

¹⁵In the light of the king’s countenance is life, And his favor is a like a cloud bringing the latter rain.

¹⁶How much better is it to get wisdom than gold! Yea, to get understanding is rather to be chosen than silver.

¹⁷It is the highway of the upright to depart from evil; He that taketh heed to his way preserveth his life.

¹⁸Pride goeth before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall.

¹⁹Better is it to be of a humble spirit with the lowly, Than to share the spoil with the proud.

²⁰He who giveth heed to the word shall find good; And he who trusteth in the LORD, happy is he!

²¹The wise in heart shall be called intelligent, And sweetness of the lips increaseth learning.

²²Understanding is a wellspring of life to him that hath it. And the chastisement of fools is their folly.

²³The heart of the wise man instructeth his mouth, And addeth learning to his lips.

²⁴Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, Sweet to the taste, and health to the bones.

²⁵There is a way that seemeth right to a man, But the end thereof is the way to death.

²⁶The hunger of the laborer laboreth for him; For his mouth urgeth him on.

²⁷A worthless man diggeth mischief, And on his lips there is, as it were, a burning fire.

²⁸A deceitful man stirreth up strife, And a whisperer separateth friends.

²⁹A man of violence enticeth his neighbor, And leadeth him into a way which is not good.

³⁰He who shutteth his eyes to devise fraud, He who compresseth his lips, hath accomplished mischief!

³¹The hoary head is a crown of glory, If it be found in the way of righteousness.

³²He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty; And he who ruleth his spirit, than he that taketh a city.

³³The lot is cast into the lap; But the whole decision thereof is from the LORD.

Proverbs 16

¹The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the Lord.

²All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the Lord weigheth the spirits.

³Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established.

⁴The Lord hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.

⁵Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord: though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished.

⁶By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the Lord men depart from evil.

⁷When a man’s ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.

⁸Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues without right.

⁹A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps.

¹⁰A divine sentence is in the lips of the king: his mouth transgresseth not in judgment.

¹¹A just weight and balance are the Lord’s: all the weights of the bag are his work.

¹²It is an abomination to kings to commit wickedness: for the throne is established by righteousness.

¹³Righteous lips are the delight of kings; and they love him that speaketh right.

¹⁴The wrath of a king is as messengers of death: but a wise man will pacify it.

¹⁵In the light of the king’s countenance is life; and his favour is as a cloud of the latter rain.

¹⁶How much better is it to get wisdom than gold! and to get understanding rather to be chosen than silver!

¹⁷The highway of the upright is to depart from evil: he that keepeth his way preserveth his soul.

¹⁸Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.

¹⁹Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.

²⁰He that handleth a matter wisely shall find good: and whoso trusteth in the Lord, happy is he.

²¹The wise in heart shall be called prudent: and the sweetness of the lips increaseth learning.

²²Understanding is a wellspring of life unto him that hath it: but the instruction of fools is folly.

²³The heart of the wise teacheth his mouth, and addeth learning to his lips.

²⁴Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.

²⁵There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

²⁶He that laboureth laboureth for himself; for his mouth craveth it of him.

²⁷An ungodly man diggeth up evil: and in his lips there is as a burning fire.

²⁸A froward man soweth strife: and a whisperer separateth chief friends.

²⁹A violent man enticeth his neighbour, and leadeth him into the way that is not good.

³⁰He shutteth his eyes to devise froward things: moving his lips he bringeth evil to pass.

³¹The hoary head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness.

³²He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.

³³The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord.