Proverbs chapter 16 The plans
of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from
the Lord. All the ways of a man are pure
in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the spirit. Commit your
work to the Lord, and your plans will be established. The Lord
has made everything for its purpose, even the wicked for the day of
trouble. Everyone who is arrogant in heart
is an abomination to the Lord. Be assured, he will not go unpunished. By steadfast love and faithfulness,
iniquity is atoned for. And by the fear of the Lord,
one turns away from evil. When a man's ways please the
Lord, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him. Better
is a little with righteousness than great revenues with injustice. The heart of man plans his way,
but the Lord establishes his steps. An oracle is on the lips
of a king, his mouth does not sin in judgment. A just balance
and scales are the Lord's. All the weights in the bag are
His work. It is an abomination to kings
to do evil. For the throne is established
by righteousness. Righteous lips are a delight
of a king. And He loves him who speaks what
is right. A king's wrath is a messenger
of death, and a wise man will appease it. In the light of a
king's face there is life, and his favor is like the clouds
that bring the spring rain. How much better to get wisdom
than gold? To get understanding is to be
chosen rather than silver. The highway of the upright turns
aside from evil. Whoever guards his way preserves
his life. Pride goes before destruction
and a haughty spirit before a fall. It is better to be of a lowly
spirit with the poor than to divide the spoil with the proud. Whoever gives thought to the
word will discover good, and blessed is he who trusts in the
Lord. The wise of heart is called discerning,
and sweetness of speech increases persuasiveness. Good sense is
a fountain of life to him who has it, but the instruction of
fools is folly. The heart of the wise makes his
speech judicious and adds persuasiveness to his lips. Gracious words are
like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body. There is a way that seems right
to a man, but its end is the way to death. A worker's appetite
works for him, his mouth urges him on. A worthless man plots
evil, and his speech is like a scorching fire. A dishonest
man spreads strife, and a whisperer separates close friends. A man of violence entices his
neighbor, and leads him in a way that is not good. Whoever winks
his eyes plans dishonest things. He who purses his lips brings
evil to pass. Grey hair is a crown of glory. It is gained in a righteous life. Whoever is slow to anger is better
than the mighty. And he who rules his spirit than
he who takes a city. The lot is cast into the lap,
but its every decision is from the Lord.