16 People make plans in their hearts.
    But the Lord puts the correct answer on their tongues.

² Everything a person does might seem pure to them.
    But the Lord knows why they do what they do.

³ Commit to the Lord everything you do.
    Then he will make your plans succeed.

⁴ The Lord works everything out to the proper end.
    Even those who do wrong were made for a day of trouble.

⁵ The Lord hates all those who have proud hearts.
    You can be sure that they will be punished.

⁶ Through love and truth sin is paid for.
    People avoid evil when they have respect for the Lord.

⁷ When the way you live pleases the Lord,
    he makes even your enemies live at peace with you.

⁸ It is better to have a little and do right
    than to have a lot and be unfair.

⁹ In their hearts human beings plan their lives.
    But the Lord decides where their steps will take them.

¹⁰ A king speaks as if his words come from God.
    And what he says does not turn right into wrong.

¹¹ Honest scales and balances belong to the Lord.
    He made all the weights in the bag.

¹² A king hates it when his people do what is wrong.
    A ruler is made secure when they do what is right.

¹³ Kings are pleased when what you say is honest.
    They value people who speak what is right.

¹⁴ An angry king can order your death.
    But a wise person will try to calm him down.

¹⁵ When a king’s face is happy, it means life.
    His favor is like rain in the spring.

¹⁶ It is much better to get wisdom than gold.
    It is much better to choose understanding than silver.

¹⁷ The path of honest people takes them away from evil.
    Those who guard their ways guard their lives.

¹⁸ If you are proud, you will be destroyed.
    If you are proud, you will fall.

¹⁹ Suppose you are lowly in spirit along with those who are treated badly.
    That’s better than sharing stolen goods with those who are proud.

²⁰ If anyone pays attention to what they’re taught, they will succeed.
    Blessed is the person who trusts in the Lord.