Proverbs 16

New King James Version

² All the ways of a manarepure in his own^(C)eyes,
But theLordweighs the spirits.

^3 (D)Commit^[b]your works to theLord,
And your thoughts will be established.

⁴ The^(E)Lordhas made all for Himself,
^(F)Yes, even the wicked for the day of^[c]doom.

^5 (G)Everyone proud in heartisan abomination to theLord;
Though they join^[d]forces, none will go unpunished.

^6 (H)In mercy and truth
Atonement is provided for iniquity;
And^(I)by the fear of theLordonedeparts from evil.

⁷ When a man’s ways please theLord,
He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.

^8 (J)Betterisa little with righteousness,
Than vast revenues without justice.

^9 (K)A man’s heart plans his way,
^(L)But theLorddirects his steps.

¹⁰ Divinationison the lips of the king;
His mouth must not transgress in judgment.
^11 (M)Honest weights and scalesaretheLord’s;
All the weights in the bagareHis^[e]work.
¹² It isan abomination for kings to commit wickedness,
For^(N)a throne is established by righteousness.
^13 (O)Righteous lipsarethe delight of kings,
And they love him who speakswhat isright.
¹⁴ As messengers of deathisthe king’s wrath,
But a wise man will^(P)appease it.
¹⁵ In the light of the king’s faceislife,
And his favorislike a^(Q)cloud of the latter rain.

^16 (R)How much better to get wisdom than gold!
And to get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.

¹⁷ The highway of the uprightisto depart from evil;
He who keeps his way preserves his soul.

¹⁸ Pridegoesbefore destruction,
And a haughty spirit before^[f]a fall.
¹⁹ Betterto beof a humble spirit with the lowly,
Than to divide the^[g]spoil with the proud.

²⁰ He who heeds the word wisely will find good,
And whoever^(S)trusts in theLord, happyishe.

²¹ The wise in heart will be called prudent,
And sweetness of the lips increases learning.

²² Understandingisa wellspring of life to him who has it.
But the correction of foolsisfolly.

²³ The heart of the wise teaches his mouth,
And adds learning to his lips.

²⁴ Pleasant wordsare likea honeycomb,
Sweetness to the soul and health to the bones.

²⁵ There is a waythat seemsright to a man,
But its endisthe way of^(T)death.

²⁶ The person who labors, labors for himself,
For hishungrymouth drives^(U)himon.

^27 [h]An ungodly man digs up evil,
Andit ison his lips like a burning^(V)fire.
²⁸ A perverse man sows strife,
And^(W)a whisperer separates the best of friends.
²⁹ A violent man entices his neighbor,
And leads him in a waythat isnot good.
³⁰ He winks his eye to devise perverse things;
He^[i]purses his lipsandbrings about evil.

^31 (X)The silver-haired headisa crown of glory,
Ifit is found in the way of righteousness.

^32 (Y)He who isslow to angerisbetter than the mighty,
And he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.

³³ The lot is cast into the lap,
But its every decisionisfrom theLord.