16 The plans of the heart belong to man,
    but ^(A)the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.
^2 (B)All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes,
    but the Lord ^(C)weighs the spirit.^[a]
3 (D)Commit your work to the Lord,
    and your plans will be established.
^4 (E)The Lord has made everything for its purpose,
    even ^(F)the wicked for the day of trouble.
⁵ Everyone who is arrogant in heart is ^(G)an abomination to the Lord;
    ^(H)be assured, he will not go unpunished.
⁶ By ^(I)steadfast love and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for,
    and by ^(J)the fear of the Lord one ^(K)turns away from evil.
⁷ When a man's ways please the Lord,
    ^(L)he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.
^8 (M)Better is a little with righteousness
    than great revenues with injustice.
^9 (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.
17 ^(BC)Better is a dry morsel with quiet
    than a house full of feasting^[f] with strife.
² A servant who deals wisely will rule over ^(BD)a son who acts shamefully
    and ^(BE)will share the inheritance as one of the brothers.
^3 (BF)The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold,
    ^(BG)and the Lord tests hearts.
⁴ An evildoer listens to wicked lips,
    and a liar gives ear to a mischievous tongue.
⁵ Whoever mocks the poor ^(BH)insults his Maker;
    he who is ^(BI)glad at calamity will not go ^(BJ)unpunished.
^6 (BK)Grandchildren are ^(BL)the crown of the aged,
    and the glory of children is their fathers.
⁷ Fine speech is not ^(BM)becoming to a fool;
    still less is ^(BN)false speech to a prince.
^8 (BO)A bribe is like a magic^[g] stone in the eyes of the one who gives it;
    wherever he turns he prospers.
⁹ Whoever ^(BP)covers an offense seeks love,
    but he who repeats a matter ^(BQ)separates close friends.
¹⁰ A rebuke goes deeper into a man of understanding
    than a hundred blows into a fool.
¹¹ An evil man seeks only rebellion,
    and ^(BR)a cruel messenger will be sent against him.
¹² Let a man meet ^(BS)a she-bear robbed of her cubs
    ^(BT)rather than a fool in his folly.
¹³ If anyone ^(BU)returns evil for good,
    ^(BV)evil will not depart from his house.
¹⁴ The beginning of strife is like letting out water,
    so ^(BW)quit before the quarrel breaks out.
¹⁵ He who ^(BX)justifies the wicked and he who ^(BY)condemns the righteous
    are both alike an abomination to the Lord.
¹⁶ Why should a fool have money in his hand ^(BZ)to buy wisdom
    when he has no sense?
^17 (CA)A friend loves at all times,
    and a brother is born for adversity.
¹⁸ One who lacks sense gives a pledge
    and puts up security in the presence of his neighbor.
¹⁹ Whoever loves transgression loves strife;
    he who ^(CB)makes his door high seeks destruction.
^20 (CC)A man of crooked heart does not discover good,
    and one with a dishonest tongue falls into calamity.
²¹ He who ^(CD)sires a fool gets himself sorrow,
    and the father of a fool has no joy.
^22 (CE)A joyful heart is good medicine,
    but a crushed spirit ^(CF)dries up the bones.
²³ The wicked accepts ^(CG)a bribe in secret^[h]
    to ^(CH)pervert the ways of justice.
^24 (CI)The discerning sets his face toward wisdom,
    but the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth.
^25 (CJ)A foolish son is a grief to his father
    ^(CK)and bitterness to ^(CL)her who bore him.
^26 (CM)To impose a fine on a righteous man is not good,
    nor to strike the noble for their uprightness.
²⁷ Whoever ^(CN)restrains his words has knowledge,
    and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding.
²⁸ Even a fool ^(CO)who keeps silent is considered wise;
    when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent.
18 Whoever ^(CP)isolates himself seeks his own desire;
    he breaks out against all sound judgment.
² A fool takes no pleasure in understanding,
    but only ^(CQ)in expressing his opinion.
³ When wickedness comes, contempt comes also,
    and with dishonor comes disgrace.
⁴ The words of a man's mouth are ^(CR)deep waters;
    the fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook.
⁵ It is not good to ^(CS)be partial to^[i] the wicked
    or to ^(CT)deprive the righteous of justice.
⁶ A fool's lips walk into a fight,
    and his mouth invites ^(CU)a beating.
^7 (CV)A fool's mouth is his ruin,
    and his lips are a snare to his soul.
^8 (CW)The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels;
    they go down into ^(CX)the inner parts of the body.
⁹ Whoever is slack in his work
    is a ^(CY)brother to him who destroys.
^10 (CZ)The name of the Lord is ^(DA)a strong tower;
    the righteous man runs into it and ^(DB)is safe.
^11 (DC)A rich man's wealth is his strong city,
    and like a high wall in his imagination.
^12 (DD)Before destruction a man's heart is haughty,
    but ^(DE)humility comes before honor.
¹³ If one gives an answer ^(DF)before he hears,
    it is his folly and shame.
¹⁴ A man's spirit will endure sickness,
    but ^(DG)a crushed spirit who can bear?
¹⁵ An intelligent heart acquires knowledge,
    and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.
¹⁶ A man's ^(DH)gift makes room for him
    and brings him before the great.
¹⁷ The one who states his case first seems right,
    until the other comes and examines him.
^18 (DI)The lot puts an end to quarrels
    and decides between powerful contenders.
¹⁹ A brother offended is more unyielding than a strong city,
    and quarreling is like the bars of a castle.
^20 (DJ)From the fruit of a man's mouth his stomach is satisfied;
    he is satisfied by the yield of his lips.
^21 (DK)Death and life are in the power of the tongue,
    and those who love it will eat its fruits.
²² He who finds ^(DL)a wife finds ^(DM)a good thing
    and ^(DN)obtains favor ^(DO)from the Lord.
²³ The poor use entreaties,
    but ^(DP)the rich answer roughly.
²⁴ A man of many companions may come to ruin,
    but ^(DQ)there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.