Proverbs 16-18  New International Version

16 To humans belong the plans of the heart,
    but from the Lord comes the proper answer of the tongue.^(A)

² All a person’s ways seem pure to them,^(B)
    but motives are weighed^(C) by the Lord.^(D)

³ Commit to the Lord whatever you do,
    and he will establish your plans.^(E)

⁴ The Lord works out everything to its proper end^(F)—
    even the wicked for a day of disaster.^(G)

⁵ The Lord detests all the proud of heart.^(H)
    Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished.^(I)

⁶ Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for;
    through the fear of the Lord^(J) evil is avoided.^(K)

⁷ When the Lord takes pleasure in anyone’s way,
    he causes their enemies to make peace^(L) with them.^(M)

⁸ Better a little with righteousness
    than much gain^(N) with injustice.^(O)

⁹ In their hearts humans plan their course,
    but the Lord establishes their steps.^(P)

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

¹¹ Honest scales and balances belong to the Lord;
    all the weights in the bag are of his making.^(R)

¹² Kings detest wrongdoing,
    for a throne is established through righteousness.^(S)

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

¹⁴ A king’s wrath is a messenger of death,^(U)
    but the wise will appease it.^(V)

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

¹⁶ How much better to get wisdom than gold,
    to get insight^(Y) rather than silver!^(Z)

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

¹⁸ Pride^(AB) goes before destruction,
    a haughty spirit^(AC) before a fall.^(AD)

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

²⁰ Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers,^[a](AE)
    and blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord.^(AF)

²¹ The wise in heart are called discerning,
    and gracious words promote instruction.^[b](AG)

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

²³ The hearts of the wise make their mouths prudent,^(AI)
    and their lips promote instruction.^[c](AJ)

²⁴ Gracious words are a honeycomb,^(AK)
    sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.^(AL)

²⁵ There is a way that appears to be right,^(AM)
    but in the end it leads to death.^(AN)

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

²⁷ A scoundrel^(AO) plots evil,
    and on their lips it is like a scorching fire.^(AP)

²⁸ A perverse person stirs up conflict,^(AQ)
    and a gossip separates close friends.^(AR)

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

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

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

³² Better a patient person than a warrior,
    one with self-control than one who takes a city.

³³ The lot is cast^(AV) into the lap,
    but its every decision^(AW) is from the Lord.^(AX)

17 Better a dry crust with peace and quiet
    than a house full of feasting, with strife.^(AY)

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

³ The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold,^(AZ)
    but the Lord tests the heart.^(BA)

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

⁵ Whoever mocks the poor^(BB) shows contempt for their Maker;^(BC)
    whoever gloats over disaster^(BD) will not go unpunished.^(BE)

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

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

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

⁹ Whoever would foster love covers over an offense,^(BI)
    but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.^(BJ)

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

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

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

¹³ Evil will never leave the house
    of one who pays back evil^(BL) for good.^(BM)

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

¹⁵ Acquitting the guilty and condemning the innocent^(BO)—
    the Lord detests them both.^(BP)

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

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

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

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

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

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

²² A cheerful heart is good medicine,
    but a crushed^(BU) spirit dries up the bones.^(BV)

²³ The wicked accept bribes^(BW) in secret
    to pervert the course of justice.^(BX)

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

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

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

²⁷ The one who has knowledge uses words with restraint,^(CB)
    and whoever has understanding is even-tempered.^(CC)

²⁸ Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent,
    and discerning if they hold their tongues.^(CD)

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

² Fools find no pleasure in understanding
    but delight in airing their own opinions.^(CE)

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

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

⁵ It is not good to be partial to the wicked^(CG)
    and so deprive the innocent of justice.^(CH)

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

⁷ The mouths of fools are their undoing,
    and their lips are a snare^(CJ) to their very lives.^(CK)

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

⁹ One who is slack in his work
    is brother to one who destroys.^(CM)

¹⁰ The name of the Lord is a fortified tower;^(CN)
    the righteous run to it and are safe.^(CO)

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

¹² Before a downfall the heart is haughty,
    but humility comes before honor.^(CQ)

¹³ To answer before listening—
    that is folly and shame.^(CR)

¹⁴ The human spirit can endure in sickness,
    but a crushed spirit who can bear?^(CS)

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

¹⁶ A gift^(CU) opens the way
    and ushers the giver into the presence of the great.

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

¹⁸ Casting the lot settles disputes^(CV)
    and keeps strong opponents apart.

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

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

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

²² He who finds a wife finds what is good^(DA)
    and receives favor from the Lord.^(DB)

²³ The poor plead for mercy,
    but the rich answer harshly.

²⁴ One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin,
    but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.^(DC)