Proverbs 16

¹It is for man to prepare the soul, and for the Lord to govern the tongue

²All the ways of a man are open to his eyes; the Lord is the one who weighs spirits

³Open your works to the Lord, and your intentions will be set in order

⁴The Lord has wrought all things because of himself. Likewise the impious is for the evil day

⁵All the arrogant are an abomination to the Lord. Even if hand will be joined to hand, he is not innocent. The beginning of a good way is to do justice. And this is more acceptable with God than to immolate sacrifices

⁶By mercy and truth, iniquity is redeemed. And by the fear of the Lord, one turns away from evil

⁷When the ways of man will please the Lord, he will convert even his enemies to peace

⁸Better is a little with justice, than many fruits with iniquity

⁹The heart of man disposes his way. But it is for Lord to direct his steps

¹⁰Foreknowledge is in the lips of the king. His mouth shall not err in judgment

¹¹Weights and scales are judgments of the Lord. And all the stones in the bag are his work

¹²Those who act impiously are abominable to the king. For the throne is made firm by justice

¹³Just lips are the will of kings. He who speaks honestly shall be loved

¹⁴The indignation of a king is a herald of death. And the wise man will appease it

¹⁵In the cheerfulness of the king’s countenance, there is life. And his clemency is like belated rain

¹⁶Possess wisdom, for it is better than gold. And acquire prudence, for it is more precious than silver

¹⁷The path of the just turns away from evils. He who guards his soul preserves his way

¹⁸Arrogance precedes destruction. And the spirit is exalted before a fall

¹⁹It is better to be humbled with the meek, than to divide spoils with the arrogant

²⁰The learned in word shall find good things. And whoever hopes in the Lord is blessed

²¹Whoever is wise in heart shall be called prudent. And whoever is sweet in eloquence shall attain to what is greater

²²Learning is a fountain of life to one who possesses it. The doctrine of the foolish is senseless

²³The heart of the wise shall instruct his mouth and add grace to his lips

²⁴Careful words are a honeycomb: sweet to the soul and healthful to the bones

²⁵There is a way which seems right to a man, and its end result leads to death

²⁶The soul of the laborer labors for himself, because his mouth has driven him to it

²⁷The impious man digs up evil, and in his lips is a burning fire

²⁸A perverse man stirs up lawsuits. And one who is verbose divides leaders

²⁹A man of iniquity entices his friend, and he leads him along a way that is not good

³⁰Whoever, with astonished eyes, thinks up depravities, biting his lips, accomplishes evil

³¹Old age is a crown of dignity, when it is found in the ways of justice

³²A patient man is better than a strong one. And whoever rules his soul is better than one who assaults cities

³³Lots are cast into the lap, but they are tempered by the Lord