15 A asoft answer turneth away wrath:

But bgrievous words stir up anger.

2  The tongue of the wise cuseth knowledge aright:

dBut the mouth of fools †poureth out foolishness.

3  eThe eyes of the Lord are in every place,

Beholding the evil and the good.

4  †A wholesome tongue is fa tree of life:

But gperverseness therein is a breach in the spirit.

5  ggA fool hdespiseth his father’s instruction:

iBut he that regardeth reproof kis prudent.

6  In the house of the righteous is much ltreasure:

But in the revenues of the wicked is trouble.

7  The lips of the wise disperse knowledge:

But mthe heart of the foolish doeth nnot so.

8  The osacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord:

But the prayer of the upright is his delight.

9  The way of the wicked is an abomination unto the Lord:

But he loveth phim that followeth after righteousness.

10  ||Correction is qgrievous unto him that forsaketh the way:

And he that rhateth reproof shall die.

11  sHell and destruction are before the Lord:

How much more then tthe hearts of the children of men?

12  A scorner uloveth not one that reproveth him:

Neither will he go unto the wise.

13  xA merry heart cmaketh a cheerful countenance:

But yby sorrow of the heart the spirit is zbroken.

14  aThe heart of him that hath understanding seeketh knowledge:

But the mouth of fools feedeth on foolishness.

15  All the days of the afflicted are evil:

But he that is xof a merry heart hath a continual feast.

16  bBetter is little with the fear of the Lord

Than great treasure and trouble therewith.

17  cBetter is a ddinner of herbs where love is,

Than ea stalled ox and hatred therewith.

18  fA wrathful man fgstirreth up strife:

But he that is hslow to anger appeaseth strife.

19  iThe way of the slothful man is as kan hedge of thorns:

But the way of the righteous †is made plain.

20  lA wise son maketh a glad father:

But a foolish man despiseth his mother.

21  mFolly is joy to him that is †destitute of wisdom:

But a man of understanding nwalketh uprightly.

22  oWithout counsel purposes are disappointed:

oBut in the multitude of counsellers they are established.

23  A man hath joy by the answer of his mouth:

And pa word spoken †qin due season, how good is it!

24  The way of life is rabove to the wise,

That he may depart from hell beneath.

25  sThe Lord will tdestroy the house of the proud:

But he will uestablish wthe border of xthe widow.

26  yThe thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord:

But the words of the pure are †zpleasant words.

27  aHe that is greedy of gain troubleth his own house;

But bhe that hateth gifts shall live.

28  The heart of the righteous cstudieth to answer:

dBut the mouth of the wicked poureth out evil things.

29  The Lord is efar from the wicked:

But fhe heareth the prayer of the righteous.

30  gThe light of the eyes rejoiceth the heart:

And ha good report imaketh the bones fat.

31  kThe ear that heareth the reproof of life

kkAbideth lamong the wise.

32  kHe that llrefuseth ||instruction mdespiseth his own soul:

But he that ||heareth reproof †getteth understanding.

33  nThe fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom;

And obefore honour is humility.

16 aThe ||preparations of the heart in man,

And bthe answer of the tongue, is from the Lord.

2  cAll the ways of a man are dclean in his own eyes;

But cethe Lord weigheth the spirits.

3  f†Commit thy works unto the Lord,

And thy thoughts shall be established.

4  gThe Lord hath made all things for himself:

Yea, heven the wicked for the day of evil.

5  Every one that is iproud in heart is kan abomination to the Lord:

lThough hand join in hand, he shall not be †unpunished.

6  By mmercy and truth niniquity is purged:

And by the fear of the Lord men odepart from evil.

7  When a man’s ways please the Lord,

He pmaketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.

8  qBetter is a little with righteousness

Than great revenues rwithout right.

9  A sman’s heart deviseth his way:

But tthe Lord directeth his steps.

10  †uA divine sentence is in the lips of the king:

His mouth transgresseth not in judgment.

11  A just wweight and xbalance are the Lord’s:

†All the xweights of the ybag are his work.

12  It is an abomination to kings to commit wickedness:

For zthe throne is established by righteousness.

13  Righteous lips are athe delight of kings;

And they love him that speaketh right.

14  bThe wrath of a king is as messengers of death:

But a wise man will cpacify it.

15  dIn the light of the king’s countenance is life;

And ahis favour is as a cloud of ethe latter rain.

16  fHow much better is it to get wisdom than ggold!

And to get understanding hrather to be chosen than silver!

17  The ihighway of the upright is jto depart from evil:

He that kkeepeth his way preserveth his soul.

18  lPride goeth before destruction,

And an haughty spirit before a fall.

19  Better it is to be mof an humble spirit with the lowly,

Than nto divide the spoil with the proud.

20  ||He that handleth oa matter wisely ooshall find good:

And pwhoso trusteth in the Lord, happy is he.

21  The wise in heart shall be called prudent:

And the sweetness of the lips qincreaseth learning.

22  Understanding is ra wellspring of life sunto him that hath it:

But the instruction of fools is folly.

23  tThe heart of the wise †teacheth his mouth,

And qaddeth learning to his lips.

24  uPleasant words are as an xhoneycomb,

xSweet to the soul, and yhealth to the bones.

25  zThere is a way that seemeth right unto a man,

But the end thereof are the ways of death.

26  †He that laboureth laboureth afor himself;

For bhis mouth †craveth it of him.

27  †An ungodly man diggeth up evil:

And in his lips there is as a cburning fire.

28  dA efroward man †soweth strife:

And fa whisperer gseparateth chief friends.

29  hA violent man ienticeth his neighbour,

And leadeth him into the way that is not good.

30  He shutteth his eyes to devise kfroward things:

lMoving his lips he bringeth evil to pass.

31  mThe hoary head is na crown of glory,

If it be found in the way of righteousness.

32  oHe that is pslow to anger is better than the mighty;

And he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.

33  qThe lot is cast into the rlap;

But the whole disposing thereof is sof the Lord.

17 aBetter is a dry morsel, and quietness therewith,

Than an house full of ||sacrifices with strife.

2  A wise servant shall have rule over ba son that causeth shame,

And shall have part of the inheritance among the brethren.

3  cThe fining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold:

But the Lord dtrieth the hearts.

4  A wicked doer giveth heed to false lips;

And a liar giveth ear to a naughty tongue.

5  Whoso mocketh the poor ereproacheth ehis Maker:

And fhe that is glad at calamities shall not be †unpunished.

6  gChildren’s children are hthe crown of old men;

And ithe glory of children are their fathers.

7  †Excellent speech kbecometh not a fool:

Much less do †lying lips a prince.

8  lA gift is as †a precious stone in the eyes of mhim that hath it:

Whithersoever it turneth, it prospereth.

9  nHe that covereth a transgression ||seeketh love;

But he that repeateth a matter oseparateth very friends.

10  ||A reproof qentereth more into a wise man

Than an hundred stripes into a fool.

11  An evil man seeketh only rebellion:

Therefore a rcruel messenger sshall be sent against him.

12  tLet a bear robbed of her whelps meet a man,

ttRather than a fool in his folly.

13  uWhoso rewardeth xevil for good,

Evil shall not depart from his house.

14  The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water:

Therefore yleave off contention, before it zbe meddled with.

15  He that ajustifieth the wicked, and he that bcondemneth the just,

Even they both are abomination to the Lord.

16  Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a fool

To cget wisdom, seeing he hath no heart to it?

17  dA friend loveth at all times,

And a brother is born for adversity.

18  A man void of †understanding estriketh hands,

And ebecometh surety in the presence of his friend.

19  He loveth transgression that loveth strife:

And fhe that exalteth his gate seeketh destruction.

20  †He that hath a froward heart findeth no good:

And he that hath a perverse tongue falleth into mischief.

21  gHe that begetteth a fool doeth it to his sorrow:

And the father of a fool hath no joy.

22  hA merry heart doeth good ||like a medicine:

But a hbroken spirit idrieth the bones.

23  A wicked man taketh a gift out of the kbosom

lTo pervert the ways of judgment.

24  mWisdom is nbefore him that hath understanding;

But nthe eyes of a fool are in the ends of the earth.

25  gA foolish son is a grief to his father,

And bitterness to nnher that bare him.

26  Also bto opunish the just is not good,

Nor to strike princes for equity.

27  He that hath knowledge oospareth his words:

And a man of understanding is of ||an excellent spirit.

28  Even a fool, pwhen he holdeth his peace, is counted wise:

And he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.