Pro 16 | NASB1995 | STEP | The plans of the heart belong to man , But the answer of the tongue is from the Lord .

Proverbs 16

Contrast the Upright and the Wicked

1 The ^aplans of the heart belong to man,
But the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.
2 All the ways of a man are clean in his own sight,
But the ^bLord weighs the ^{▼▼ Lit spirits}motives.
3 ^{▼▼ Lit Roll
,} ^eCommit your works to the Lord
And your plans will be established.
4 The Lord ^fhas made everything for ^{▼▼ Or His}its own purpose,
Even the ^hwicked for the day of evil.
5 Everyone who is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord;
Assuredly, he will not be unpunished.
6 By ⁱlovingkindness and truth iniquity is atoned for,
And by the ^{▼▼ Or reverence
,} ^kfear of the Lord one keeps away from evil.
7 When a man’s ways are pleasing to the Lord,
He ^lmakes even his enemies to be at peace with him.
8 Better is a little with righteousness
Than great income with injustice.
9 The mind of ^mman plans his way,
But ⁿthe Lord directs his steps.
10 A divine ^odecision is in the lips of the king;
His mouth should not ^{▼▼ Lit be unfaithful}err in judgment.
11 A ^qjust balance and scales belong to the Lord;
All the ^{▼▼ Lit stones}weights of the bag are His ^{▼▼ Lit work}concern.
12 It is an abomination for kings to commit wicked acts,
For a ^tthrone is established on righteousness.
13 Righteous lips are the delight of kings,
And he who speaks right is loved.
14 The fury of a king is like messengers of death,
But a wise man will appease it.
15 In the light of a king’s face is life,
And his favor is like a cloud with the ^{▼▼ Lit latter
,} ^vspring rain.
16 How much ^wbetter it is to get wisdom than gold!
And to get understanding is to be chosen above silver.
17 The ^xhighway of the upright is to depart from evil;
He who watches his way preserves his ^{▼▼ Lit soul}life.
18 ^zPride goes before destruction,
And a haughty spirit before stumbling.
19 It is better to be ^aahumble in spirit with the lowly
Than to ^abdivide the spoil with the proud.
20 He who gives attention to the word will ^acfind good,
And ^adblessed is he who trusts in the Lord.
21 The ^aewise in heart will be called understanding,
And sweetness of ^{▼▼ Lit lips}speech ^agincreases ^{▼▼ Or learning}persuasiveness.
22 Understanding is a fountain of life to one who has it,
But the discipline of fools is folly.
23 The ^aiheart of the wise instructs his mouth
And adds ^{▼▼ Or learning}persuasiveness to his lips.
24 ^akPleasant words are a honeycomb,
Sweet to the soul and ^alhealing to the bones.
25 ^amThere is a way which seems right to a man,
But its end is the way of death.
26 A worker’s appetite works for him,
For his ^{▼▼ Lit mouth}hunger urges him on.
27 A ^aoworthless man digs up evil,
While ^{▼▼ Lit on his lips}his words are like ^aqscorching fire.
28 A perverse man spreads strife,
And a slanderer separates intimate friends.
29 A man of violence ^arentices 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 ^asgray head is a crown of glory;
It ^atis found in the way of righteousness.
32 He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty,
And he who rules his spirit, than he who captures a city.
33 The ^aulot is cast into the lap,
But its every ^avdecision is from the Lord.