Proverbs 16

Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition

16 The plans of the mind belong to man,
    but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.
² All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes,
    but the Lord weighs the spirit.
³ Commit your work to the Lord,
    and your plans will be established.
⁴ The Lord has made everything for its purpose,
    even the wicked for the day of trouble.
⁵ Every one who is arrogant is an abomination to the Lord;
    be assured, he will not go unpunished.
⁶ By loyalty and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for,
    and by the fear of the Lord a man avoids evil.
⁷ When a man’s ways please the Lord,
    he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.
⁸ Better is a little with righteousness
    than great revenues with injustice.
⁹ A man’s mind plans his way,
    but the Lord directs his steps.
¹⁰ Inspired decisions are on the lips of a king;
    his mouth does not sin in judgment.
¹¹ 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 the throne is established by righteousness.
¹³ Righteous lips are the delight of a king,
    and he loves him who speaks what is right.
¹⁴ A king’s wrath is a messenger of death,
    and a wise man will appease it.
¹⁵ In the light of a king’s face there is life,
    and his favor is like the clouds that bring the spring rain.
¹⁶ To get wisdom is better^[a] than gold;
    to get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.
¹⁷ The highway of the upright turns aside from evil;
    he who guards his way preserves his life.
¹⁸ Pride goes before destruction,
    and a haughty spirit before a fall.
¹⁹ It is better to be of a lowly spirit with the poor
    than to divide the spoil with the proud.
²⁰ He who gives heed to the word will prosper,
    and happy is he who trusts in the Lord.
²¹ The wise of heart is called a man of discernment,
    and pleasant speech increases persuasiveness.
²² Wisdom is a fountain of life to him who has it,
    but folly is the chastisement of fools.
²³ The mind of the wise makes his speech judicious,
    and adds persuasiveness to his lips.
²⁴ Pleasant words are like a honeycomb,
    sweetness to the soul and health to the body.
²⁵ There is a way which seems right to a man,
    but its end is the way to death.^[b]
26 A worker’s appetite works for him;
    his mouth urges him on.
²⁷ A worthless man plots evil,
    and his speech is like a scorching fire.
²⁸ A perverse man spreads strife,
    and a whisperer separates close friends.
²⁹ A man of violence entices his neighbor
    and leads him in a way that is not good.
³⁰ He who winks his eyes plans^[c] perverse things,
    he who compresses his lips brings evil to pass.
³¹ A hoary head is a crown of glory;
    it is gained in a righteous life.
³² He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty,
    and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.
³³ The lot is cast into the lap,
    but the decision is wholly from the Lord.