16 The reflections of the heart belong to mankind,

but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.c

2 All a person’s ways seem right to him,

but the Lord weighs motives.E,d

3 Commit your activities to the Lord,

and your plans will be established.e

4 The Lord has prepared everything for his purpose—

even the wicked for the day of disaster.f

5 Everyone with a proud heart is detestable to the Lord;g

be assured,A he will not go unpunished.h

6 Iniquity is atoned for by loyalty and faithfulness,i

and one turns from evil by the fear of the Lord.j

7 When a person’s ways please the Lord,

he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.k

8 Better a little with righteousness

than great income with injustice.l

9 A person’s heart plans his way,

but the Lord determines his steps.m

10 God’s verdict is on the lips of a king;B,n

his mouth should not give an unfair judgment.o

11 Honest balances and scales are the Lord’s;

all the weights in the bag are his concern.p

12 Wicked behavior is detestable to kings,q

since a throne is established through righteousness.r

13 Righteous lips are a king’s delight,

and he loves one who speaks honestly.

14 A king’s fury is a messenger of death,

but a wise person appeases it.s

15 When a king’s face lights up, there is life;

his favor is like a cloud with spring rain.

16 Get wisdom—

how much better it is than gold!

And get understanding—

it is preferable to silver.t

17 The highway of the uprightu avoids evil;

the one who guards his way protects his life.v

18 Pride comes before destruction,

and an arrogant spirit before a fall.w

19 Better to be lowly of spirit with the humbleC,x

than to divide plunder with the proud.y

20 The one who understands a matter finds success,z

and the one who trusts in the Lord will be happy.aa

21 Anyone with a wise heart is called discerning,

and pleasant speechA increases learning.ab

22 Insight is a fountain of lifeac for its possessor,

but the discipline of fools is folly.

23 The heart of a wise person instructs his mouth;

it adds learning to his speech.B,ad

24 Pleasant words are a honeycomb:ae

sweet to the tasteC and health to the body.D,af

25 There is a way that seems right to a person,

but its end is the way to death.a

26 A worker’s appetite works for him

because his hungerE urges him on.

27 A worthless person digs up evil,

and his speech is like a scorching fire.b

28 A contrary person spreads conflict,

and a gossip separates close friends.c

29 A violent person lures his neighbor,d

leading him on a path that is not good.e

30 The one who narrows his eyes is planning deceptions;

the one who compresses his lips brings about evil.f

31 Gray hair is a glorious crown;g

it is found in the ways of righteousness.h

32 Patience is better than power,

and controlling one’s emotions,F than capturing a city.i

33 The lot is cast into the lap,

but its every decision is from the Lord.j

17 Better a dry crust with peace

than a house full of feasting with strife.k

2 A prudent servant will rule over a disgraceful son

and share an inheritance among brothers.

3 A crucible for silver, and a smelter for gold,l

and the Lord is the tester of hearts.m

4 A wicked person listens to malicious talk;G

a liar pays attention to a destructive tongue.

5 The one who mocks the poor insults his Maker,n

and one who rejoices over calamity

will not go unpunished.o

6 Grandchildren are the crown of the elderly,

and the pride of children is their fathers.

7 Eloquent words are not appropriate on a fool’s lips;

how much worse are lies for a ruler.

8 A bribep seems like a magic stone to its owner;

wherever he turns, he succeeds.q

9 Whoever conceals an offense promotes love,r

but whoever gossips about it separates friends.s

10 A rebuke cuts into a perceptive person

more than a hundred lashes into a fool.

11 An evil person desires only rebellion;

a cruel messengerA,t will be sent against him.

12 Better for a person to meet a bear robbed of her cubsu

than a fool in his foolishness.

13 If anyone returns evil for good,v

evil will never depart from his house.w

14 To start a conflict is to release a flood;

stop the dispute before it breaks out.x

15 Acquitting the guilty and condemning the justy —

both are detestable to the Lord.

16 Why does a fool have money in his hand

with no intention of buying wisdom?z

17 A friend loves at all times,aa

and a brother is born for a difficult time.

18 One without sense enters an agreementB

and puts up security for his friend.a

19 One who loves to offend loves strife;b

one who builds a high threshold invites injury.

20 One with a twisted mind will not succeed,

and one with deceitful speech will fall into ruin.c

21 A man fathers a fool to his own sorrow;

the father of a fool has no joy.d

22 A joyful heart is good medicine,

but a broken spirit dries up the bones.e

23 A wicked person secretly takes a bribef

to subvert the course of justice.g

24 Wisdom is the focus of the perceptive,

but a fool’s eyesh roam to the ends of the earth.

25 A foolish son is grief to his father

and bitterness to the one who bore him.i

26 It is certainly not good to fine an innocent person

or to beat a noble for his honesty.A,j

27 The one who has knowledge restrains his words,k

and one who keeps a cool headB

is a person of understanding.

28 Even a fool is considered wise when he keeps silent—

discerning, when he seals his lips.l

18 One who isolates himself pursues selfish desires;

he rebels against all sound wisdom.

2 A fool does not delight in understanding,

but only wants to show off his opinions.C,m

3 When a wicked person comes, contempt also comes,

and along with dishonor, derision.

4 The words of a person’s mouth are deep waters,n

a flowing river, a fountain of wisdom.D

5 It is not good to show partiality to the guilty,o

denying an innocent person justice.p

6 A fool’s lips lead to strife,

and his mouth provokes a beating.q

7 A fool’s mouth is his devastation,

and his lips are a trap for his life.r

8 A gossip’s words are like choice food

that goes down to one’s innermost being.E,s

9 The one who is lazy in his work

is brother to a vandal.F,t

10 The name of the Lord is a strong tower;u

the righteous run to it and are protected.G,v

11 The wealth of the rich is his fortified city;

in his imagination it is like a high wall.w

12 Before his downfall a person’s heart is proud,x

but humility comes before honor.y

13 The one who gives an answer before he listens—

this is foolishness and disgrace for him.z

14 A person’s spirit can endure sickness,

but who can survive a broken spirit?aa

15 The mind of the discerning acquires knowledge,

and the ear of the wise seeks it.ab

16 A person’s gift opens doorsA for him

and brings him before the great.a

17 The first to state his case seems right

until another comes and cross-examines him.b

18 Casting the lotc ends quarrels

and separates powerful opponents.

19 An offended brother is harder to reachB

than a fortified city,

and quarrels are like the bars of a fortress.

20 From the fruit of a person’s mouth his stomach is satisfied;

he is filled with the product of his lips.d

21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue,

and those who love it will eat its fruit.e

22 A man who finds a wife finds a good thingf

and obtains favor from the Lord.g

23 The poor person pleads,h

but the rich one answers roughly.i

24 One with many friends may be harmed,C

but there is a friend who stays closer than a brother.j