Proverbs 16:1-20:30

1To humans belong the plans of the heart, but from the LORD comes the proper answer of the tongue.

2All a person’s ways seem pure to them, but motives are weighed by the LORD .

3Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.

4The LORD works out everything to its proper end— even the wicked for a day of disaster.

5The LORD detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished.

6Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for; through the fear of the LORD evil is avoided.

7When the LORD takes pleasure in anyone’s way, he causes their enemies to make peace with them.

8Better a little with righteousness than much gain with injustice.

9In their hearts humans plan their course, but the LORD establishes their steps.

10The lips of a king speak as an oracle, and his mouth does not betray justice.

11Honest scales and balances belong to the LORD ; all the weights in the bag are of his making.

12Kings detest wrongdoing, for a throne is established through righteousness.

13Kings take pleasure in honest lips; they value the one who speaks what is right.

14A king’s wrath is a messenger of death, but the wise will appease it.

15When a king’s face brightens, it means life; his favor is like a rain cloud in spring.

16How much better to get wisdom than gold, to get insight rather than silver!

17The highway of the upright avoids evil; those who guard their ways preserve their lives.

18Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.

19Better to be lowly in spirit along with the oppressed than to share plunder with the proud.

20Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers, Or whoever speaks prudently finds what is good and blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD .

21The wise in heart are called discerning, and gracious words promote instruction. Or words make a person persuasive

22Prudence is a fountain of life to the prudent, but folly brings punishment to fools.

23The hearts of the wise make their mouths prudent, and their lips promote instruction. Or prudent / and make their lips persuasive

24Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.

25There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.

26The appetite of laborers works for them; their hunger drives them on.

27A scoundrel plots evil, and on their lips it is like a scorching fire.

28A perverse person stirs up conflict, and a gossip separates close friends.

29A violent person entices their neighbor and leads them down a path that is not good.

30Whoever winks with their eye is plotting perversity; whoever purses their lips is bent on evil.

31Gray hair is a crown of splendor; it is attained in the way of righteousness.

32Better a patient person than a warrior, one with self-control than one who takes a city. 33The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD .

1Better a dry crust with peace and quiet than a house full of feasting, with strife.

2A prudent servant will rule over a disgraceful son and will share the inheritance as one of the family.

3The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but the LORD tests the heart.

4A wicked person listens to deceitful lips; a liar pays attention to a destructive tongue.

5Whoever mocks the poor shows contempt for their Maker; whoever gloats over disaster will not go unpunished.

6Children’s children are a crown to the aged, and parents are the pride of their children.

7Eloquent lips are unsuited to a godless fool— how much worse lying lips to a ruler!

8A bribe is seen as a charm by the one who gives it; they think success will come at every turn.

9Whoever would foster love covers over an offense, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.

10A rebuke impresses a discerning person more than a hundred lashes a fool.

11Evildoers foster rebellion against God; the messenger of death will be sent against them.

12Better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than a fool bent on folly.

13Evil will never leave the house of one who pays back evil for good.

14Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam; so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out.

15Acquitting the guilty and condemning the innocent— the LORD detests them both.

16Why should fools have money in hand to buy wisdom, when they are not able to understand it?

17A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.

18One who has no sense shakes hands in pledge and puts up security for a neighbor.

19Whoever loves a quarrel loves sin; whoever builds a high gate invites destruction.

20One whose heart is corrupt does not prosper; one whose tongue is perverse falls into trouble.

21To have a fool for a child brings grief; there is no joy for the parent of a godless fool.

22A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.

23The wicked accept bribes in secret to pervert the course of justice.

24A discerning person keeps wisdom in view, but a fool’s eyes wander to the ends of the earth.

25A foolish son brings grief to his father and bitterness to the mother who bore him.

26If imposing a fine on the innocent is not good, surely to flog honest officials is not right.

27The one who has knowledge uses words with restraint, and whoever has understanding is even-tempered. 28Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent, and discerning if they hold their tongues.

1An unfriendly person pursues selfish ends and against all sound judgment starts quarrels.

2Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions.

3When wickedness comes, so does contempt, and with shame comes reproach.

4The words of the mouth are deep waters, but the fountain of wisdom is a rushing stream.

5It is not good to be partial to the wicked and so deprive the innocent of justice.

6The lips of fools bring them strife, and their mouths invite a beating.

7The mouths of fools are their undoing, and their lips are a snare to their very lives.

8The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to the inmost parts.

9One who is slack in his work is brother to one who destroys.

10The name of the LORD is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.

11The wealth of the rich is their fortified city; they imagine it a wall too high to scale.

12Before a downfall the heart is haughty, but humility comes before honor.

13To answer before listening— that is folly and shame.

14The human spirit can endure in sickness, but a crushed spirit who can bear?

15The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge, for the ears of the wise seek it out.

16A gift opens the way and ushers the giver into the presence of the great.

17In a lawsuit the first to speak seems right, until someone comes forward and cross-examines.

18Casting the lot settles disputes and keeps strong opponents apart.

19A brother wronged is more unyielding than a fortified city; disputes are like the barred gates of a citadel.

20From the fruit of their mouth a person’s stomach is filled; with the harvest of their lips they are satisfied.

21The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.

22He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the LORD .

23The poor plead for mercy, but the rich answer harshly. 24One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

1Better the poor whose walk is blameless than a fool whose lips are perverse.

2Desire without knowledge is not good— how much more will hasty feet miss the way!

3A person’s own folly leads to their ruin, yet their heart rages against the LORD .

4Wealth attracts many friends, but even the closest friend of the poor person deserts them.

5A false witness will not go unpunished, and whoever pours out lies will not go free.

6Many curry favor with a ruler, and everyone is the friend of one who gives gifts.

7The poor are shunned by all their relatives— how much more do their friends avoid them! Though the poor pursue them with pleading, they are nowhere to be found. The meaning of the Hebrew for this sentence is uncertain.

8The one who gets wisdom loves life; the one who cherishes understanding will soon prosper.

9A false witness will not go unpunished, and whoever pours out lies will perish.

10It is not fitting for a fool to live in luxury— how much worse for a slave to rule over princes!

11A person’s wisdom yields patience; it is to one’s glory to overlook an offense.

12A king’s rage is like the roar of a lion, but his favor is like dew on the grass.

13A foolish child is a father’s ruin, and a quarrelsome wife is like the constant dripping of a leaky roof.

14Houses and wealth are inherited from parents, but a prudent wife is from the LORD .

15Laziness brings on deep sleep, and the shiftless go hungry.

16Whoever keeps commandments keeps their life, but whoever shows contempt for their ways will die.

17Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward them for what they have done.

18Discipline your children, for in that there is hope; do not be a willing party to their death.

19A hot-tempered person must pay the penalty; rescue them, and you will have to do it again.

20Listen to advice and accept discipline, and at the end you will be counted among the wise.

21Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the LORD ’s purpose that prevails.

22What a person desires is unfailing love Or Greed is a person’s shame ; better to be poor than a liar.

23The fear of the LORD leads to life; then one rests content, untouched by trouble.

24A sluggard buries his hand in the dish; he will not even bring it back to his mouth!

25Flog a mocker, and the simple will learn prudence; rebuke the discerning, and they will gain knowledge.

26Whoever robs their father and drives out their mother is a child who brings shame and disgrace.

27Stop listening to instruction, my son, and you will stray from the words of knowledge.

28A corrupt witness mocks at justice, and the mouth of the wicked gulps down evil. 29Penalties are prepared for mockers, and beatings for the backs of fools.

1Wine is a mocker and beer a brawler; whoever is led astray by them is not wise.

2A king’s wrath strikes terror like the roar of a lion; those who anger him forfeit their lives.

3It is to one’s honor to avoid strife, but every fool is quick to quarrel.

4Sluggards do not plow in season; so at harvest time they look but find nothing.

5The purposes of a person’s heart are deep waters, but one who has insight draws them out.

6Many claim to have unfailing love, but a faithful person who can find?

7The righteous lead blameless lives; blessed are their children after them.

8When a king sits on his throne to judge, he winnows out all evil with his eyes.

9Who can say, “I have kept my heart pure; I am clean and without sin”?

10Differing weights and differing measures— the LORD detests them both.

11Even small children are known by their actions, so is their conduct really pure and upright?

12Ears that hear and eyes that see— the LORD has made them both.

13Do not love sleep or you will grow poor; stay awake and you will have food to spare.

14“It’s no good, it’s no good!” says the buyer— then goes off and boasts about the purchase.

15Gold there is, and rubies in abundance, but lips that speak knowledge are a rare jewel.

16Take the garment of one who puts up security for a stranger; hold it in pledge if it is done for an outsider.

17Food gained by fraud tastes sweet, but one ends up with a mouth full of gravel.

18Plans are established by seeking advice; so if you wage war, obtain guidance.

19A gossip betrays a confidence; so avoid anyone who talks too much.

20If someone curses their father or mother, their lamp will be snuffed out in pitch darkness.

21An inheritance claimed too soon will not be blessed at the end.

22Do not say, “I’ll pay you back for this wrong!” Wait for the LORD, and he will avenge you.

23The LORD detests differing weights, and dishonest scales do not please him.

24A person’s steps are directed by the LORD . How then can anyone understand their own way?

25It is a trap to dedicate something rashly and only later to consider one’s vows.

26A wise king winnows out the wicked; he drives the threshing wheel over them.

27The human spirit is Or A person’s words are the lamp of the LORD that sheds light on one’s inmost being.

28Love and faithfulness keep a king safe; through love his throne is made secure.

29The glory of young men is their strength, gray hair the splendor of the old. 30Blows and wounds scrub away evil, and beatings purge the inmost being.