Proverbs 16:1-33
16 Man’s are cogitations of the heart,but from Jehovah is the answer for the tongue.
2 A man feels as if all his courses were irreproachable,but Jehovah gauges spirits.
3 Turn your affairs over to Jehovahand have your plans confirmed.
4 Jehovah made everything to play its part,and even a wrong-doer for a day of disaster.
5 Any pretentious man is what Jehovah detests;hand on hand he will not be cleared.
6 * By friendliness and loyalty guilt is purged,and by fearing Jehovah one avoids what is bad.
7 When Jehovah approves a man’s courseshe makes even his enemies live on good terms with him.
8 Better a little by rightthan a large income by injustice.
9 Man’s heart plans his coursebut Jehovah places his steps.
10 * Clairvoyance sits on a king’s lips;in giving judgment his mouth will not play false.
11 ** Steelyard and scales are matter for Jehovah’s judgment;all standard weights are his work.
12 The doing of wrong is a thing kings abominate,because it is by right that a throne is made firm.
13 Right-speaking lips are what a king approves,and one who speaks straightforwardly he loves.
14 ** A king’s ire means messengers of death,and a wise man will appease it.
15 * In cheerfulness on a king’s face there is life,and his approval is like a spring rain-cloud.
16 Get wisdom; how much better it is than hard gold!and getting discretion is preferable to silver.
17 Avoidance of evil is straightforward men’s highway;he who watches his course is guarding his life.
18 Pride goes before a crashand a pretentious spirit before a tumble.
19 * Better lowliness of spirit in humble men’s companythan dividing booty with proud men.
20 One who handles a matter cannily will have good results;but one who trusts in Jehovah, happy he!
21 A wise-hearted man will be called a sage,but pleasingness of lips will add to influence.
22 * The insight of those who have insight is a fountain of life, but ignoramuses’ lecturing is ignorance.
23 A wise man’s heart makes his mouth skillfuland adds to the influence of his lips.
24 Pleasant words are a comb of honey,sweetness for the palate and health for the bones.
25 * There is such a thing as a road that lies smooth before a manbut the last part of it is the recesses of death.
26 A hardworking man’s appetite works for him,because his mouth sees to his working.
27 A reprobate is a furnace of harmand has on his lip what is like a searing fire.
28 A mischief-maker starts quarrelsand a scandalmonger alienates a bosom friend.
29 A scoundrel inveigles his friendand makes him take a course there is no good in.
30 One who shuts his eyes tight is thinking up mischief;one who moves his lips has got up something bad.
31 White hair is a magnificent coronet;it will be found by a course of right-doing.
32 A patient man is better than a champion fighter,and one who has command over his spirit than one who takes a city.
33 The lot is tossed in the fold of your mantle,but every decision it gives is from Jehovah.
Footnotes
^ 16:6 Or one steers clear of harm
^ 16:10 Lit. is
^ 16:11 Codd. Steelyard and just scales are Jehovah’s;
^ 16:11 Lit. all bag-stones
^ 16:14 Lit. is messengers
^ 16:14 Or but a wise man
^ 16:15 Or In the light of a king’s presence there is life, and acceptance by him is like Lit. In the shining of a king’s face
^ 16:19 Codd.* one lowly of spirit
^ 16:22 Lit. who have it
^ 16:25 Var. is roads to death
