Proverbs 16

New American Standard Bible 1995

16 The ^(A)plans 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 ^(B)Lord weighs the ^[a]motives.
^3 [b](C)Commit your works to the Lord
And your plans will be established.
⁴ The Lord ^(D)has made everything for ^[c]its own purpose,
Even the ^(E)wicked 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 ^(F)lovingkindness and truth iniquity is atoned for,
And by the ^[d](G)fear of the Lord one keeps away from evil.
⁷ When a man’s ways are pleasing to the Lord,
He ^(H)makes 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 ^(I)man plans his way,
But ^(J)the Lord directs his steps.
¹⁰ A divine ^(K)decision is in the lips of the king;
His mouth should not ^[e]err in judgment.
¹¹ A ^(L)just balance and scales belong to the Lord;
All the ^[f]weights of the bag are His ^[g]concern.
¹² It is an abomination for kings to commit wicked acts,
For a ^(M)throne 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 ^[h](N)spring rain.
¹⁶ How much ^(O)better it is to get wisdom than gold!
And to get understanding is to be chosen above silver.
¹⁷ The ^(P)highway of the upright is to depart from evil;
He who watches his way preserves his ^[i]life.
^18 (Q)Pride goes before destruction,
And a haughty spirit before stumbling.
¹⁹ It is better to be ^(R)humble in spirit with the lowly
Than to ^(S)divide the spoil with the proud.
²⁰ He who gives attention to the word will ^(T)find good,
And ^(U)blessed is he who trusts in the Lord.
²¹ The ^(V)wise in heart will be called understanding,
And sweetness of ^[j]speech ^(W)increases ^[k]persuasiveness.
²² Understanding is a fountain of life to one who has it,
But the discipline of fools is folly.
²³ The ^(X)heart of the wise instructs his mouth
And adds ^[l]persuasiveness to his lips.
^24 (Y)Pleasant words are a honeycomb,
Sweet to the soul and ^(Z)healing to the bones.
^25 (AA)There 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 ^[m]hunger urges him on.
²⁷ A ^(AB)worthless man digs up evil,
While ^[n]his words are like ^(AC)scorching fire.
²⁸ A perverse man spreads strife,
And a slanderer separates intimate friends.
²⁹ A man of violence ^(AD)entices 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 ^(AE)gray head is a crown of glory;
It ^(AF)is 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 ^(AG)lot is cast into the lap,
But its every ^(AH)decision is from the Lord.