16:1 The intentions of the heart belong to a man,
but the answer of the tongue comes from the Lord.
16:2 All a person’s ways seem right in his own opinion,
but the Lord evaluates the motives.
16:3 Commit your works to the Lord,
and your plans will be established.
16:4 The Lord works everything for its own ends –
even the wicked for the day of disaster.
16:5 The Lord abhors every arrogant person;
rest assured that they will not go unpunished.
16:6 Through loyal love and truth iniquity is appeased;
through fearing the Lord one avoids evil.
16:7 When a person’s ways are pleasing to the Lord,
he even reconciles his enemies to himself.
16:8 Better to have a little with righteousness
than to have abundant income without justice.
16:9 A person plans his course,
but the Lord directs his steps.
16:10 The divine verdict is in the words of the king,
his pronouncements must not act treacherously against justice.
16:11 Honest scales and balances are from the Lord;
all the weights in the bag are his handiwork.
16:12 Doing wickedness is an abomination to kings,
because a throne is established in righteousness.
16:13 The delight of kings is righteous counsel,
and they love the one who speaks uprightly.
16:14 A king’s wrath is like a messenger of death,
but a wise person appeases it.
16:15 In the light of the king’s face there is life,
and his favor is like the clouds of the spring rain.
16:16 How much better it is to acquire wisdom than gold;
to acquire understanding is more desirable than silver.
16:17 The highway of the upright is to turn away from evil;
the one who guards his way safeguards his life.
16:18 Pride goes before destruction,
and a haughty spirit before a fall.
16:19 It is better to be lowly in spirit with the afflicted
than to share the spoils with the proud.
16:20 The one who deals wisely in a matter will find success,
and blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord.
16:21 The one who is wise in heart is called discerning,
and kind speech increases persuasiveness.
16:22 Insight is like a life-giving fountain to the one who possesses it,
but folly leads to the discipline of fools.
16:23 A wise person’s heart makes his speech wise
and it adds persuasiveness to his words.
16:24 Pleasant words are like a honeycomb,
sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.
16:25 There is a way that seems right to a person,
but its end is the way that leads to death.
16:26 A laborer’s appetite works on his behalf,
for his hunger urges him to work.
16:27 A wicked scoundrel digs up evil,
and his slander is like a scorching fire.
16:28 A perverse person spreads dissension,
and a gossip separates the closest friends.
16:29 A violent person entices his neighbor,
and leads him down a path that is terrible.
16:30 The one who winks his eyes devises perverse things,
and one who compresses his lips brings about evil.
16:31 Gray hair is like a crown of glory;
it is attained in the path of righteousness.
16:32 Better to be slow to anger than to be a mighty warrior,
and one who controls his temper is better than one who captures a city.
16:33 The dice are thrown into the lap,
but their every decision is from the Lord.