1  ^jThe plans of the heart belong to man,

but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.

2  All the ways of a man are ^kpure in his own eyes,

but the Lord weighs the spirit.¹

3  ^lCommit your work to the Lord,

and your plans will be established.

4  ^mThe Lord has made everything for its purpose,

even the wicked for the day of trouble.

5  Everyone who is ⁿarrogant in heart is an abomination to the Lord;

^obe assured, he will not go unpunished.

6  By ^psteadfast love and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for,

and ^qby the fear of the Lord one turns away from evil.

7  When a man’s ways please the Lord,

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

8  ^rBetter is a little with righteousness

than great revenues ^swith injustice.

9  The heart of man plans his way,

but the Lord establishes his steps.

10  An oracle is on the lips of a king;

his mouth does not sin in judgment.

11  ^tA 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 ^uthe throne is established by righteousness.

13  ^vRighteous lips are the delight of a king,

and he loves him who speaks what is right.

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

and a wise man will appease it.

15  In the ^wlight of a king’s face there is life,

and his favor is like the clouds that bring the spring rain.

16  How much better to get wisdom than ^xgold!

To get ^yunderstanding is to be chosen rather than silver.

17  The highway of the upright turns aside from evil;

whoever guards his way preserves his life.

18  ^zPride goes before destruction,

and a haughty spirit before a fall.

19  It is better to be of a ^alowly spirit with the poor

than to divide the spoil with the proud.

20  Whoever gives thought to the word² will discover good,

and ^bblessed is he who trusts in the Lord.

21  The wise of heart is called discerning,

and ^csweetness of speech ^dincreases persuasiveness.

22  Good sense ^eis a fountain of life to him who has it,

but the instruction of fools is folly.

23  The heart of the wise makes his speech judicious

and adds persuasiveness to his lips.

24  ^fGracious words are like a honeycomb,

sweetness to the soul and health to the body.

25  ^gThere is a way that seems right to a man,

but its end is ^hthe way to death.³

26  A worker’s appetite works for him;

ⁱhis mouth urges him on.

27  A worthless man plots evil,

and his speech⁴ is ^jlike a scorching fire.

28  A dishonest man spreads strife,

and ^ka whisperer separates close friends.

29  A man of violence ^lentices his neighbor

and leads him in a way that is not good.

30  Whoever ^mwinks his eyes plans⁵ dishonest things;

he who purses his lips brings evil to pass.

31  ⁿGray hair is ^oa crown of glory;

it is gained in a righteous life.

32  Whoever is ^pslow to anger is better than the mighty,

and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.

33  ^qThe lot is cast into the lap,

but its every decision is from the Lord.

1  ^rBetter is a dry morsel with quiet

than a house full of feasting⁶ with strife.

2  A servant who deals wisely will rule over a son who acts shamefully

and will share the inheritance as one of the brothers.

3  ^sThe crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold,

and the Lord tests hearts.

4  An evildoer listens to wicked lips,

and a liar gives ear to a mischievous tongue.

5  ^tWhoever mocks the poor insults his Maker;

^uhe who is glad at calamity will not go unpunished.

6  Grandchildren are ^vthe crown of the aged,

and the glory of children is their fathers.

7  Fine speech is ^wnot becoming to a fool;

still less is false speech to a prince.

8  ^xA bribe is like a magic⁷ stone in the eyes of the one who gives it;

wherever he turns he prospers.

9  Whoever ^ycovers an offense seeks love,

but ^zhe who repeats a matter separates close friends.

10  ^aA rebuke goes deeper into a man of understanding

than a hundred blows into a fool.

11  An evil man seeks only rebellion,

and a cruel messenger will be sent against him.

12  Let a man meet a she-bear robbed of her cubs

rather than a fool in his folly.

13  If anyone ^breturns evil for good,

evil will not depart from his house.

14  ^cThe beginning of strife is like letting out water,

so quit before the quarrel breaks out.

15  He who justifies the wicked and he who ^dcondemns the righteous

are both alike an abomination to the Lord.

16  Why should a fool have money in his hand to ^ebuy wisdom

when he has no sense?

17  ^fA friend loves at all times,

and a brother is born for adversity.

18  One who lacks sense ^ggives a pledge

and puts up security in the presence of his neighbor.

19  Whoever loves transgression loves strife;

he who makes his door high seeks destruction.

20  A man of ^hcrooked heart does not discover good,

and one with a dishonest tongue falls into calamity.

21  ⁱHe who sires a fool gets himself sorrow,

and the father of a fool has no joy.

22  ^jA joyful heart is good medicine,

but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.

23  The wicked ^kaccepts a bribe in secret⁸

^lto pervert the ways of justice.

24  The discerning sets his face toward wisdom,

but the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth.

25  A foolish son is a grief to his father

and bitterness to her who bore him.

26  To impose a fine on a righteous man is not good,

nor to strike the noble for their uprightness.

27  ^mWhoever ⁿrestrains his words has knowledge,

and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding.

28  Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise;

when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent.

1  Whoever isolates himself seeks his own desire;

he breaks out against all sound judgment.

2  A fool takes no pleasure in understanding,

but only in expressing his opinion.

3  When wickedness comes, contempt comes also,

and with dishonor comes disgrace.

4  The words of a man’s mouth are ^odeep waters;

the fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook.

5  It is not good to be partial to⁹ the ^pwicked

or to deprive the righteous of justice.

6  A fool’s lips walk into a fight,

and his mouth invites a beating.

7  ^qA fool’s mouth is his ruin,

and his lips are a ^rsnare to his soul.

8  ^sThe words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels;

they go down into the inner parts of the body.

9  Whoever is slack in his work

is a brother to him who destroys.

10  The ^tname of the Lord is a ^ustrong tower;

the righteous man runs into it and is safe.

11  ^vA rich man’s wealth is his strong city,

and like a high wall in his imagination.

12  ^wBefore destruction a man’s heart is haughty,

but ^xhumility comes before honor.

13  If one gives an answer before he hears,

it is his folly and shame.

14  A man’s spirit will endure sickness,

but a crushed spirit who can bear?

15  An intelligent heart acquires knowledge,

and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.

16  ^yA man’s gift makes room for him

and brings him before the great.

17  The one who states his case first seems right,

until the other comes and examines him.

18  ^zThe lot puts an end to quarrels

and decides between powerful contenders.

19  A brother offended is more unyielding than a strong city,

and quarreling is like the bars of a castle.

20  ^aFrom the fruit of a man’s mouth his stomach is satisfied;

he is satisfied by the yield of his lips.

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

and those who love it will eat its fruits.

22  He who ^bfinds a wife finds a good thing

and obtains favor from the Lord.

23  The poor use entreaties,

but the rich answer roughly.

24  A man of many companions may come to ruin,

^cbut there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

^w“In a favorable time I listened to you,

and in a day of salvation I have helped you.”

^m“I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them,

and I will be their God,

and they shall be my people.

17  Therefore ⁿgo out from their midst,

and be separate from them, says the Lord,

and touch no unclean thing;

then I will welcome you,

18  and ^oI will be a father to you,

and you shall be ^psons and daughters to me,

says the Lord Almighty.”