16 The plans of the heart belong to man,
    but the answer of the tongue is from Yahweh.
² All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes;
    but Yahweh weighs the motives.
³ Commit your deeds to Yahweh,
    and your plans shall succeed.
⁴ Yahweh has made everything for its own end—
    yes, even the wicked for the day of evil.
⁵ Everyone who is proud in heart is an abomination to Yahweh:
    they shall certainly not be unpunished.
⁶ By mercy and truth iniquity is atoned for.
    By the fear of Yahweh men depart from evil.
⁷ When a man’s ways please Yahweh,
    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 heart plans his course,
    but Yahweh directs his steps.
¹⁰ Inspired judgments are on the lips of the king.
    He shall not betray his mouth.
¹¹ Honest balances and scales are Yahweh’s;
    all the weights in the bag are his work.
¹² It is an abomination for kings to do wrong,
    for the throne is established by righteousness.
¹³ Righteous lips are the delight of kings.
    They value one who speaks the truth.
¹⁴ The king’s wrath is a messenger of death,
    but a wise man will pacify it.
¹⁵ In the light of the king’s face is life.
    His favor is like a cloud of the spring rain.
¹⁶ How much better it is to get wisdom than gold!
    Yes, to get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.
¹⁷ The highway of the upright is to depart from evil.
    He who keeps his way preserves his soul.
¹⁸ Pride goes before destruction,
    and an arrogant spirit before a fall.
¹⁹ It is better to be of a lowly spirit with the poor,
    than to divide the plunder with the proud.
²⁰ He who heeds the Word finds prosperity.
    Whoever trusts in Yahweh is blessed.
²¹ The wise in heart shall be called prudent.
    Pleasantness of the lips promotes instruction.
²² Understanding is a fountain of life to one who has it,
    but the punishment of fools is their folly.
²³ The heart of the wise instructs his mouth,
    and adds learning to his lips.
²⁴ Pleasant words are a honeycomb,
    sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.
²⁵ There is a way which seems right to a man,
    but in the end it leads to death.
²⁶ The appetite of the laboring man labors for him;
    for his mouth urges him on.
²⁷ A worthless man devises mischief.
    His speech is like a scorching fire.
²⁸ A perverse man stirs up strife.
    A whisperer separates close friends.
²⁹ A man of violence entices his neighbor,
    and leads him in a way that is not good.
³⁰ One who winks his eyes to plot perversities,
    one who compresses his lips, is bent on evil.
³¹ Gray hair is a crown of glory.
    It is attained by a life of righteousness.
³² One who is slow to anger is better than the mighty;
    one who rules his spirit, than he who takes a city.
³³ The lot is cast into the lap,
    but its every decision is from Yahweh.