16 The ^(A)plans of the heart belong to a person,
But the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.
² All the ways of a person are clean in his own sight,
But the ^(B)Lord examines the ^[a]motives.
^3 [b](C)Commit your works to the Lord,
And your plans will be established.
⁴ The Lord ^(D)has made everything for ^[c]its own purpose,
Even the ^(E)wicked for the day of evil.
⁵ Everyone who is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord;
^[d]Be assured, he will not go unpunished.
⁶ By ^(F)mercy and truth atonement is made for wrongdoing,
And by ^[e]the ^(G)fear of the Lord one keeps away from evil.
⁷ When a person’s ways are pleasing to the Lord,
He ^(H)causes even his enemies to make peace with him.
⁸ Better is a little with righteousness
Than great income with injustice.
⁹ The mind of a ^(I)person plans his way,
But ^(J)the Lord directs his steps.
¹⁰ A divine ^(K)verdict is on the lips of the king;
His mouth should not ^[f]err in judgment.
¹¹ A ^(L)just balance and scales belong to the Lord;
All the ^[g]weights of the bag are His ^[h]concern.
¹² It is an abomination for kings to commit wicked acts,
Because a ^(M)throne is established on righteousness.
¹³ Righteous lips are the delight of kings,
And one who speaks right is loved.
¹⁴ The fury of a king is like messengers of death;
But a wise person will appease it.
¹⁵ In the light of a king’s face is life,
And his favor is like a cloud with the ^[i](N)spring rain.
¹⁶ How much ^(O)better it is to get wisdom than gold!
And to get understanding is to be chosen above silver.
¹⁷ The ^(P)highway of the upright is to turn away from evil;
One who watches his way protects his ^[j]life.
^18 (Q)Pride goes before destruction,
And a haughty spirit before stumbling.
¹⁹ It is better to be ^(R)humble in spirit with the needy
Than to ^(S)divide the spoils with the proud.
²⁰ One who pays attention to the word will ^(T)find good,
And ^(U)blessed is one who trusts in the Lord.
²¹ The ^(V)wise in heart will be called understanding,
And sweetness of ^[k]speech ^(W)increases ^[l]persuasiveness.
²² Understanding is a fountain of life to those who have it,
But the discipline of fools is foolishness.
²³ The ^(X)heart of the wise instructs his mouth
And adds ^[m]persuasiveness to his lips.
^24 (Y)Pleasant words are a honeycomb,
Sweet to the soul and ^(Z)healing to the bones.
^25 (AA)There is a way which seems right to a person,
But its end is the way of death.
²⁶ A worker’s appetite works for him,
For his ^[n]hunger urges him on.
²⁷ A ^(AB)worthless person digs up evil,
While ^[o]his words are like ^(AC)scorching fire.
²⁸ A perverse person spreads strife,
And a ^[p]slanderer separates close friends.
²⁹ A person of violence ^(AD)entices his neighbor
And leads him in a way that is not good.
³⁰ He who winks his eyes does so to devise perverse things;
He who compresses his lips brings evil to pass.
³¹ A ^(AE)gray head is a crown of glory;
It ^(AF)is found in the way of righteousness.
³² One who is slow to anger is better than the mighty,
And one who rules his spirit, than one who captures a city.
³³ The ^(AG)lot is cast into the lap,
But its every ^(AH)decision is from the Lord.