The plans of the heart belong to man,
but athe answer of the tongue is from the Lord.
2 aAll the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes,
but the Lord bweighs the spirit.
3 aCommit your work to the Lord,
and your plans will be established.
4 aThe Lord has made everything for its purpose,
even bthe wicked for the day of trouble.
5 Everyone who is arrogant in heart is aan abomination to the Lord;
bbe assured, he will not go unpunished.
6 By asteadfast love and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for,
and by bthe fear of the Lord one cturns away from evil.
7 When a man’s ways please the Lord,
ahe makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.
8 aBetter is a little with righteousness
than great revenues with injustice.
9 aThe heart of man plans his way,
but bthe Lord establishes his steps.
10 aAn oracle is on the lips of a king;
his mouth does not sin in judgment.
11 aA just balance and scales are the Lord’s;
all the weights in the bag are his work.
12 It is an abomination to kings to do evil,
for athe throne is established by righteousness.
13 aRighteous lips are the delight of a king,
and he loves him who speaks what is right.
14 aA king’s wrath is a messenger of death,
and a wise man will bappease it.
15 aIn the light of a king’s face there is life,
and his bfavor is like cthe clouds that bring the spring rain.
16 aHow much better to get wisdom than bgold!
To get understanding is to be chosen rather than csilver.
17 The highway of the upright aturns aside from evil;
whoever guards his way preserves his life.
18 aPride goes before destruction,
and a haughty spirit before a fall.
19 aIt is better to be of a lowly spirit with the poor
than to bdivide the spoil with the proud.
20 Whoever gives thought to the word awill discover good,
and blessed is he bwho trusts in the Lord.
21 The wise of heart is called discerning,
and sweetness of speech aincreases persuasiveness.
22 Good sense is aa fountain of life to him who has it,
but the instruction of fools is folly.
23 aThe heart of the wise makes his speech judicious
and adds persuasiveness to his lips.
24 aGracious words are like ba honeycomb,
sweetness to the soul and chealth to the body.
25 There is a way that seems right to a man,
but its end is the way to death.
26 A worker’s appetite works for him;
his amouth urges him on.
27 aA worthless man plots evil,
and his speech is like ba scorching fire.
28 aA dishonest man spreads strife,
and ba whisperer cseparates close friends.
29 A man of violence aentices his neighbor
and leads him in a way that is not good.
30 Whoever winks his eyes plans adishonest things;
he who bpurses his lips brings evil to pass.
31 aGray hair is ba crown of glory;
it cis gained in a righteous life.
32 aWhoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty,
and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.
33 aThe lot is cast into the lap,
but its every decision is bfrom the Lord.