Proverbs 16:4-17:27

English Standard Version

^4 (A)The Lord has made everything for its purpose,
    even ^(B)the wicked for the day of trouble.
⁵ Everyone who is arrogant in heart is ^(C)an abomination to the Lord;
    ^(D)be assured, he will not go unpunished.
⁶ By ^(E)steadfast love and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for,
    and by ^(F)the fear of the Lord one ^(G)turns away from evil.
⁷ When a man's ways please the Lord,
    ^(H)he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.
^8 (I)Better is a little with righteousness
    than great revenues with injustice.
^9 (J)The heart of man plans his way,
    but ^(K)the Lord establishes his steps.
^10 (L)An oracle is on the lips of a king;
    his mouth does not sin in judgment.
^11 (M)A just balance and scales are the Lord's;
    all the weights in the bag are his work.
¹² It is an abomination to kings to do evil,
    for ^(N)the throne is established by righteousness.
^13 (O)Righteous lips are the delight of a king,
    and he loves him who speaks what is right.
^14 (P)A king's wrath is a messenger of death,
    and a wise man will ^(Q)appease it.
^15 (R)In the light of a king's face there is life,
    and his ^(S)favor is like ^(T)the clouds that bring the spring rain.
^16 (U)How much better to get wisdom than ^(V)gold!
    To get understanding is to be chosen rather than ^(W)silver.
¹⁷ The highway of the upright ^(X)turns aside from evil;
    whoever guards his way preserves his life.
^18 (Y)Pride goes before destruction,
    and a haughty spirit before a fall.
^19 (Z)It is better to be of a lowly spirit with the poor
    than to ^(AA)divide the spoil with the proud.
²⁰ Whoever gives thought to the word^{[a] (AB)}will discover good,
    and blessed is he ^(AC)who trusts in the Lord.
²¹ The wise of heart is called discerning,
    and sweetness of speech ^(AD)increases persuasiveness.
²² Good sense is ^(AE)a fountain of life to him who has it,
    but the instruction of fools is folly.
^23 (AF)The heart of the wise makes his speech judicious
    and adds persuasiveness to his lips.
^24 (AG)Gracious words are like ^(AH)a honeycomb,
    sweetness to the soul and ^(AI)health to the body.
²⁵ There is a way that seems right to a man,
    but its end is the way to death.^[b]
26 A worker's appetite works for him;
    his ^(AJ)mouth urges him on.
^27 (AK)A worthless man plots evil,
    and his speech^[c] is like ^(AL)a scorching fire.
^28 (AM)A dishonest man spreads strife,
    and ^(AN)a whisperer ^(AO)separates close friends.
²⁹ A man of violence ^(AP)entices his neighbor
    and leads him in a way that is not good.
³⁰ Whoever winks his eyes plans^{[d] (AQ)}dishonest things;
    he who ^(AR)purses his lips brings evil to pass.
^31 (AS)Gray hair is ^(AT)a crown of glory;
    it ^(AU)is gained in a righteous life.
^32 (AV)Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty,
    and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.
^33 (AW)The lot is cast into the lap,
    but its every decision is ^(AX)from the Lord.
17 ^(AY)Better is a dry morsel with quiet
    than a house full of feasting^[e] with strife.
² A servant who deals wisely will rule over ^(AZ)a son who acts shamefully
    and ^(BA)will share the inheritance as one of the brothers.
^3 (BB)The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold,
    ^(BC)and the Lord tests hearts.
⁴ An evildoer listens to wicked lips,
    and a liar gives ear to a mischievous tongue.
⁵ Whoever mocks the poor ^(BD)insults his Maker;
    he who is ^(BE)glad at calamity will not go ^(BF)unpunished.
^6 (BG)Grandchildren are ^(BH)the crown of the aged,
    and the glory of children is their fathers.
⁷ Fine speech is not ^(BI)becoming to a fool;
    still less is ^(BJ)false speech to a prince.
^8 (BK)A bribe is like a magic^[f] stone in the eyes of the one who gives it;
    wherever he turns he prospers.
⁹ Whoever ^(BL)covers an offense seeks love,
    but he who repeats a matter ^(BM)separates close friends.
¹⁰ A rebuke goes deeper into a man of understanding
    than a hundred blows into a fool.
¹¹ An evil man seeks only rebellion,
    and ^(BN)a cruel messenger will be sent against him.
¹² Let a man meet ^(BO)a she-bear robbed of her cubs
    ^(BP)rather than a fool in his folly.
¹³ If anyone ^(BQ)returns evil for good,
    ^(BR)evil will not depart from his house.
¹⁴ The beginning of strife is like letting out water,
    so ^(BS)quit before the quarrel breaks out.
¹⁵ He who ^(BT)justifies the wicked and he who ^(BU)condemns the righteous
    are both alike an abomination to the Lord.
¹⁶ Why should a fool have money in his hand ^(BV)to buy wisdom
    when he has no sense?
^17 (BW)A friend loves at all times,
    and a brother is born for adversity.
¹⁸ One who lacks sense gives a pledge
    and puts up security in the presence of his neighbor.
¹⁹ Whoever loves transgression loves strife;
    he who ^(BX)makes his door high seeks destruction.
^20 (BY)A man of crooked heart does not discover good,
    and one with a dishonest tongue falls into calamity.
²¹ He who ^(BZ)sires a fool gets himself sorrow,
    and the father of a fool has no joy.
^22 (CA)A joyful heart is good medicine,
    but a crushed spirit ^(CB)dries up the bones.
²³ The wicked accepts ^(CC)a bribe in secret^[g]
    to ^(CD)pervert the ways of justice.
^24 (CE)The discerning sets his face toward wisdom,
    but the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth.
^25 (CF)A foolish son is a grief to his father
    ^(CG)and bitterness to ^(CH)her who bore him.
^26 (CI)To impose a fine on a righteous man is not good,
    nor to strike the noble for their uprightness.
²⁷ Whoever ^(CJ)restrains his words has knowledge,
    and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding.