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16 To mortals belong the plans of the heart,
    but from Yahweh comes the answer of the tongue.
All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes,
    but Yahweh weighs the spirit.[a]
Commit your work to Yahweh,
    and your plans will be established.
All Yahweh has made is for his[b] purpose,
    and even the wicked for the day of trouble.
An abomination of Yahweh are all who are arrogant of heart;[c]
    rest assured,[d] he will not go unpunished.
By loyalty and faithfulness, iniquity will be covered over,[e]
    and by fear of Yahweh one turns[f] from evil.
When the ways of a man are pleasing to Yahweh,
    even his enemies he will cause to make peace with him.
Better is little with righteousness
    than great income with no justice.
The mind[g] of a person will plan his ways,
    and Yahweh will direct his steps.
10 A decision is upon the lips of a king;
    in judgment his mouth will not sin.
11 A balance and scales of justice belong to Yahweh;
    all the weights of the bag are his work.
12 An abomination to kings is doing evil,
    for by righteousness the throne will be established.
13 The delight of kings are the lips of righteousness,
    and he who speaks what is upright he will love.
14 The wrath of a king is a messenger of death,
    but one who is wise will appease[h] it.
15 In the light of the face of the king there is life,
    and his favor is like a cloud of spring rain.
16 Getting wisdom: how much[i] better than gold!
    And getting understanding: it is chosen over[j] silver.
17 The highway of the upright, it turns from evil,
    he who guards himself[k] keeps his way.
18 Before destruction comes pride,
    and before a fall, a haughty spirit.[l]
19 Better a lowly spirit with the poor
    than dividing the spoil with the proud.
20 He who is attentive to a matter will find goodness,
    and he who trusts in Yahweh, his own happiness.
21 The wise of heart[m] is called perceptive,
    but he who is pleasant of lips will increase persuasiveness.
22 A fountain of life is wisdom for its owner,[n]
    but the instruction[o] of fools is folly.
23 The heart[p] of the wise will make his mouth judicious,
    and upon his lips, it[q] will add persuasiveness.
24 Pleasant sayings are a honeycomb,
    sweetness to the soul and healing to the bones.
25 There is a way that seems upright to[r] a man,
    but its end is the way of death.
26 The life[s] of a worker works for him,
    for his hunger[t] urges him.
27 A man of wickedness concocts evil,
    and his lips are like a scorching fire.
28 A person of perversity will spread dissent,
    and he who whispers separates a close friend.
29 A person of violence will entice his neighbor
    and cause him to walk on a way that is not good.
30 He who winks his eyes does so in order to plan perverse things;
    he who purses his lips will bring evil to pass.
31 A crown of glory is gray hair;
    by a righteous life it is gained.
32 He who is slow to anger[u] is better than him who is mighty,
    and he who controls his spirit than him who captures a city.
33 The lot will be cast into the lap,
    but all of its decisions are from Yahweh.

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 16:2 Or “breath”
  2. Proverbs 16:4 Or “its”
  3. Proverbs 16:5 Or “mind”
  4. Proverbs 16:5 Literally “hand to hand”
  5. Proverbs 16:6 Or “atoned for”
  6. Proverbs 16:6 Literally “turning”
  7. Proverbs 16:9 Literally “heart”
  8. Proverbs 16:14 Or “atone, cover over”
  9. Proverbs 16:16 Literally “what”
  10. Proverbs 16:16 Literally “from”
  11. Proverbs 16:17 Or “soul,” or “inner self”
  12. Proverbs 16:18 Hebrew “a haughty of spirit”
  13. Proverbs 16:21 Or “mind”
  14. Proverbs 16:22 Or “master”
  15. Proverbs 16:22 Or “punishment”
  16. Proverbs 16:23 Or “mind”
  17. Proverbs 16:23 Or “he”
  18. Proverbs 16:25 Literally “to the face of”
  19. Proverbs 16:26 Or “soul,” or “inner self”
  20. Proverbs 16:26 Literally “mouth”
  21. Proverbs 16:32 Literally “nostrils”

16 The plans of the heart belong to man,
    but (A)the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.
(B)All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes,
    but the Lord (C)weighs the spirit.[a]
(D)Commit your work to the Lord,
    and your plans will be established.
(E)The Lord has made everything for its purpose,
    even (F)the wicked for the day of trouble.
Everyone who is arrogant in heart is (G)an abomination to the Lord;
    (H)be assured, he will not go unpunished.
By (I)steadfast love and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for,
    and by (J)the fear of the Lord one (K)turns away from evil.
When a man's ways please the Lord,
    (L)he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.
(M)Better is a little with righteousness
    than great revenues with injustice.
(N)The heart of man plans his way,
    but (O)the Lord establishes his steps.
10 (P)An oracle is on the lips of a king;
    his mouth does not sin in judgment.
11 (Q)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 (R)the throne is established by righteousness.
13 (S)Righteous lips are the delight of a king,
    and he loves him who speaks what is right.
14 (T)A king's wrath is a messenger of death,
    and a wise man will (U)appease it.
15 (V)In the light of a king's face there is life,
    and his (W)favor is like (X)the clouds that bring the spring rain.
16 (Y)How much better to get wisdom than (Z)gold!
    To get understanding is to be chosen rather than (AA)silver.
17 The highway of the upright (AB)turns aside from evil;
    whoever guards his way preserves his life.
18 (AC)Pride goes before destruction,
    and a haughty spirit before a fall.
19 (AD)It is better to be of a lowly spirit with the poor
    than to (AE)divide the spoil with the proud.
20 Whoever gives thought to the word[b] (AF)will discover good,
    and blessed is he (AG)who trusts in the Lord.
21 The wise of heart is called discerning,
    and sweetness of speech (AH)increases persuasiveness.
22 Good sense is (AI)a fountain of life to him who has it,
    but the instruction of fools is folly.
23 (AJ)The heart of the wise makes his speech judicious
    and adds persuasiveness to his lips.
24 (AK)Gracious words are like (AL)a honeycomb,
    sweetness to the soul and (AM)health to the body.
25 There is a way that seems right to a man,
    but its end is the way to death.[c]
26 A worker's appetite works for him;
    his (AN)mouth urges him on.
27 (AO)A worthless man plots evil,
    and his speech[d] is like (AP)a scorching fire.
28 (AQ)A dishonest man spreads strife,
    and (AR)a whisperer (AS)separates close friends.
29 A man of violence (AT)entices his neighbor
    and leads him in a way that is not good.
30 Whoever winks his eyes plans[e] (AU)dishonest things;
    he who (AV)purses his lips brings evil to pass.
31 (AW)Gray hair is (AX)a crown of glory;
    it (AY)is gained in a righteous life.
32 (AZ)Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty,
    and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.
33 (BA)The lot is cast into the lap,
    but its every decision is (BB)from the Lord.

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 16:2 Or spirits
  2. Proverbs 16:20 Or to a matter
  3. Proverbs 16:25 Hebrew ways of death
  4. Proverbs 16:27 Hebrew what is on his lips
  5. Proverbs 16:30 Hebrew to plan