Chapter 16

1 The plans ^R594 of the heart belong to man, But the answer of the tongue is from the LORD.

2 All the ways of a man are clean in his own sight, But the LORD weighs the motives. ^F211

3 Commit ^{R596 F212} your works to the LORD And your plans will be established.

4 The LORD has ^R597 made everything for its ^F213 own purpose, Even the wicked ^R598 for the day of evil.

5 Everyone who is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD; Assuredly, he will not be unpunished.

6 By lovingkindness ^R599 and truth iniquity is atoned for, And by the fear ^{R600 F214} of the LORD one keeps away from evil.

7 When a man's ways are pleasing to the LORD, He makes ^R601 even his enemies to be at peace with him.

8 Better is a little with righteousness Than great income with injustice.

9 The mind of man ^R602 plans his way, But the ^R603 LORD directs his steps.

10 A divine decision ^R604 is in the lips of the king; His mouth should not err ^F215 in judgment.

11 A just ^R605 balance and scales belong to the LORD; All the weights ^F216 of the bag are His concern. ^F217

12 It is an abomination for kings to commit wicked acts, For a throne ^R606 is established on righteousness.

13 Righteous lips are the delight of kings, And he who speaks right is loved.

14 The fury of a king is like messengers of death, But a wise man will appease it. 15 In the light of a king's face is life, And his favor is like a cloud with the spring ^{R607 F218} rain.

16 How much better ^R608 it is to get wisdom than gold! And to get understanding is to be chosen above silver.

17 The highway ^R609 of the upright is to depart from evil; He who watches his way preserves his life. ^F219

18 Pride ^R610 goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before stumbling.

19 It is better to be humble ^R611 in spirit with the lowly Than to divide ^R612 the spoil with the proud.

20 He who gives attention to the word will find ^R613 good, And blessed ^R614 is he who trusts in the LORD.

21 The wise ^R615 in heart will be called understanding, And sweetness of speech ^F220 increases ^R616 persuasiveness. ^F221

22 Understanding is a fountain of life to one who has it, But the discipline of fools is folly.

23 The heart ^R617 of the wise instructs his mouth And adds persuasiveness ^F222 to his lips.

24 Pleasant ^R618 words are a honeycomb, Sweet to the soul and healing ^R619 to the bones.

25 There ^R620 is a way which seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.

26 A worker's appetite works for him, For his hunger ^F223 urges him on.

27 A worthless ^R621 man digs up evil, While his ^F224 words are like scorching ^R622 fire. 28 A perverse man spreads strife, And a slanderer separates intimate friends.

29 A man of violence entices ^R623 his neighbor And leads him in a way that is not good. 30 He who winks his eyes does so to devise perverse things; He who compresses his lips brings evil to pass.

31 A gray ^R624 head is a crown of glory; It is ^R625 found in the way of righteousness.

32 He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, And he who rules his spirit, than he who captures a city.

33 The lot ^R626 is cast into the lap, But its every decision ^R627 is from the LORD.

Chapter 17

1 Better ^R628 is a dry morsel and quietness with it Than a house full of feasting ^F225 with strife.

2 A servant who acts wisely will rule over a son who acts shamefully, And will share in the inheritance among brothers.

3 The refining ^R629 pot is for silver and the furnace for gold, But the ^R630 LORD tests hearts.

4 An evildoer ^R631 listens to wicked lips; A liar ^F226 pays attention to a destructive tongue.

5 He who mocks the poor ^R632 taunts his Maker; He who rejoices ^R633 at calamity will not go unpunished.

6 Grandchildren ^R634 are the crown of old men, And the glory ^R635 of sons is their fathers.

7 Excellent ^{R636 F227} speech is not fitting for a fool, Much less are lying ^R637 lips to a prince.

8 A bribe ^R638 is a charm ^F228 in the sight of its owner; Wherever he turns, he prospers.

9 He who conceals ^R639 a transgression seeks love, But he who repeats a matter separates ^R640 intimate friends.

10 A rebuke goes deeper into one who has understanding Than a hundred blows into a fool.

11 A rebellious man seeks only evil, So a cruel messenger will be sent against him.

12 Let a man ^R641 meet a bear ^R642 robbed of her cubs, Rather than a fool in his folly.

13 He who returns ^R643 evil for good, Evil ^R644 will not depart from his house.

14 The beginning of strife is like letting out water, So abandon ^R645 the quarrel before it breaks out.

15 He who justifies ^R646 the wicked and he who condemns the righteous, Both of them alike are an abomination to the LORD.

16 Why is there a price in the hand of a fool to buy ^R647 wisdom, When he ^F229 has no sense?

17 A friend ^R648 loves at all times, And a brother is born for adversity.

18 A man lacking in sense ^F230 pledges ^{R649 F231} And becomes guarantor in the presence of his neighbor.

19 He who loves ^R650 transgression loves strife; He who raises ^R651 his door seeks destruction.

20 He who has a crooked mind ^F232 finds ^R652 no good, And he who is perverted ^R653 in his language falls into evil.

21 He who sires ^R654 a fool does so to his sorrow, And the father of a fool has no joy.

22 A joyful ^R655 heart is ^F233 good medicine, But a broken spirit dries ^R656 up the bones.

23 A wicked man receives a bribe ^R657 from the bosom To pervert ^R658 the ways of justice.

24 Wisdom is in the presence of the one who has understanding, But the eyes ^R659 of a fool are on the ends of the earth.

25 A foolish ^R660 son is a grief to his father And bitterness ^R661 to her who bore him.

26 It is also not good to fine ^R662 the righteous, Nor to strike the noble for their uprightness.

27 He who restrains ^R663 his words has ^F234 knowledge, And he who has a cool ^R664 spirit is a man of understanding. 28 Even a fool, when he keeps ^R665 silent, is considered wise; When he closes his lips, he is considered prudent.

Chapter 18

1 He who separates himself seeks his own desire, He quarrels ^{R666 F235} against all sound wisdom.

2 A fool does not delight in understanding, But only in ^R667 revealing his own mind. ^F236

3 When a wicked man comes, contempt also comes, And with dishonor comes scorn.

4 The words of a man's mouth are deep ^R668 waters; The ^F237 fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook.

5 To show ^R669 partiality to the wicked is not good, Nor to thrust ^R670 aside the righteous in judgment.

6 A fool's lips bring ^F238 strife, And his mouth calls for blows. ^R671 7 A fool's ^R672 mouth is his ruin, And his lips are the snare of his soul.

8 The words of a whisperer are like dainty morsels, And they go down into the innermost ^F239 parts of the body.

9 He also who is slack ^R673 in his work Is ^R674 brother to him who destroys.

10 The name ^R675 of the LORD is a strong ^R676 tower; The righteous runs into it and is ^R677 safe. ^F240

11 A rich ^R678 man's wealth is his strong city, And like a high wall in his own imagination.

12 Before ^R679 destruction the heart of man is haughty, But humility ^R680 goes before honor.

13 He who gives ^R681 an answer before he hears, It is folly and shame to him.

14 The spirit ^R682 of a man can endure his sickness, But as for a broken ^R683 spirit who can bear it?

15 The mind ^{R684 F241} of the prudent acquires knowledge, And the ear ^R685 of the wise seeks knowledge.

16 A man's gift ^R686 makes room for him And brings him before great men.

17 The first to ^F242 plead his case seems right, Until another ^F243 comes and examines him.

18 The cast lot ^R687 puts an end to strife And decides ^F244 between the mighty ones.

19 A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city, And contentions are like the bars of a citadel.

20 With the fruit ^{R688 F245} of a man's mouth his stomach will be satisfied; He ^R689 will be satisfied with the product of his lips.

21 Death ^R690 and life are in the power ^F246 of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit. ^R691

22 He who finds a wife ^R692 finds a good thing And obtains ^R693 favor from the LORD.

23 The poor ^R694 man utters supplications, But the rich ^R695 man answers ^R696 roughly.

24 A man of too many friends comes to ruin, ^F247 But there is a ^R697 friend ^F248 who sticks closer than a brother.

Chapter 19

1 Better ^R698 is a poor man who walks ^R699 in his integrity Than he who is perverse in speech ^F249 and is a fool.

2 Also it is not good for a person to be without knowledge, And he who hurries his ^{R700 F250} footsteps errs. ^F251

3 The foolishness ^R701 of man ruins his way, And his heart rages ^R702 against the LORD.

4 Wealth ^R703 adds many friends, But a poor man is separated from his friend.

5 A false ^R704 witness will not go unpunished, And he who tells ^{R705 F252} lies will not escape.

6 Many ^R706 will seek the favor of a generous ^F253 man, And every man is a friend to him who gives ^R707 gifts. 7 All the brothers of a poor man hate him; How much more do his friends ^R708 abandon him! He pursues ^R709 them with words, but they are gone. ^F254

8 He who gets wisdom ^F255 loves his own soul; He who keeps understanding will find ^R710 good.

9 A false ^R711 witness will not go unpunished, And he who tells ^F256 lies will perish.

10 Luxury is not ^R712 fitting for a fool; Much less for a slave ^R713 to rule over princes.

11 A man's discretion ^R714 makes him slow to anger, And it is his glory to ^R715 overlook a transgression.

12 The king's ^R716 wrath is like the roaring of a lion, But his favor is like dew ^R717 on the grass.

13 A foolish ^R718 son is destruction to his father, And the contentions ^R719 of a wife are a constant dripping.

14 House and wealth are an inheritance ^R720 from fathers, But a prudent wife is from the LORD.

15 Laziness ^R721 casts into a deep sleep, And an idle man ^F257 will suffer hunger.

16 He who keeps ^R722 the commandment keeps his soul, But he who is ^F258 careless of conduct ^F259 will die.

17 One who is ^R723 gracious to a poor man lends to the LORD, And He will repay him for his good ^{R724 F260} deed.

18 Discipline ^R725 your son while there is hope, And do not desire his ^F261 death.

19 A man of great anger will bear the penalty, For if you rescue him, you will only have to do it again.

20 Listen ^R726 to counsel and accept discipline, That you may be wise the ^F262 rest of your days.

21 Many plans ^R727 are in a man's heart, But the counsel ^R728 of the LORD will stand.

22 What is desirable in a man is his kindness, ^F263 And it is better to be a poor man than a liar.

23 The fear ^{R729 F264} of the LORD leads to life, So that one may sleep satisfied, ^R730 untouched ^{R731 F265} by evil.

24 The sluggard ^R732 buries his hand in ^R733 the dish, But will not even bring it back to his mouth.

25 Strike ^R734 a scoffer and the naive ^F266 may become shrewd, But reprove ^R735 one who has understanding and he will gain ^F267 knowledge.

26 He who ^R736 assaults his father and drives his mother away Is a shameful and disgraceful son.

27 Cease listening, my son, to discipline, And you will stray from the words of knowledge.

28 A rascally witness makes a mockery of justice, And the mouth of the wicked spreads ^{R737 F268} iniquity.

29 Judgments ^F269 are prepared for scoffers, ^R738 And blows ^R739 for the back of fools.