Proverbs 16

1A person can plan that person's own thoughts, but the answer on the tongue comes from the LORD.

2All a person's ways seem right in that person's own eyes, but the LORD weighs the motives.

3Commit your work to the LORD, and your plans will succeed.

4The LORD has made everything for its purpose, even the wicked for the day of trouble.

5The LORD hates everyone who is proud in heart; be sure of this: a proud person will not go unpunished.

6Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for; through respecting the LORD a person turns away from evil.

7When a person's ways please the LORD, the LORD makes even that person's enemies live at peace with that person.

8Better a little with righteousness than great income with injustice.

9A person's heart plans that person's path, but the LORD directs that person's steps.

10The king speaks with divine authority; the king's mouth must not betray justice.

11Honest scales and balances belong to the LORD; all the weights in the bag are the LORD's work.

12Kings hate wrongdoing, because a throne is made secure through righteousness.

13Honest lips please kings; kings value someone who speaks the truth.

14A king's anger is a messenger of death, but a wise person will calm that anger.

15When a king's face lights up, there is life; the king's favor is like a rain cloud in spring.

16How much better to get wisdom than gold! To gain understanding is better than silver!

17The highway of honest people avoids evil; whoever watches that person's own step protects that person's own life.

18Pride goes before destruction, and a proud spirit before a fall.

19Better to be humble with the poor than to share plunder with the proud.

20Whoever handles a matter wisely finds success, and blessed is whoever trusts in the LORD.

21The wise in heart are called understanding, and pleasant words make instruction persuasive.

22Understanding is a fountain of life to those who have it, but instruction is wasted on fools.

23The heart of a wise person makes that person's words wise, and that person's lips become more persuasive.

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

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

26A worker's appetite works for the worker; the worker's hunger drives the worker on.

27A worthless person digs up evil, and that person's words are like a scorching fire.

28A dishonest person spreads conflict, and a gossip separates close friends.

29A violent person lures a neighbor and leads the neighbor down a path that is not good.

30Whoever squints their eyes is plotting dishonesty; whoever bites their lips is bent on evil.

31Gray hair is a crown of glory, found in the way of righteousness.

32Better to be patient than powerful, and better to control your temper than to capture a city.

33The lot may be cast into the lap, but the LORD alone decides the outcome.