Proverbs 16
A Man Plans His Way, but the Lord Directs His Steps
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16:2All the works of the humble are manifest before God,
but the impious will perish on an evil day.
16:5Everyone high of heart is unclean before God,
and one who unjustly puts hands into a hand will not be acquitted.
16:7The beginning of a good way is to do righteous things,
and these are more acceptable before God than sacrificing sacrifices.
16:8One who seeks the Lord will find knowledge with righteousness,
and those who seek Him rightly will find peace.
16:9All the works of the Lord are with righteousness,
but the impious is kept for an evil day.
16:10An oracle is on the lips of a king,
and his mouth will certainly not go astray in judgment.
16:11The balance’s inclination is righteousness before the Lord,
and His works are just weights.
16:12One who does evil is an abomination to a king,
for a throne of rule is prepared with righteousness.
16:13Righteous lips are acceptable to a king,
and he loves upright words.
16:14A king’s wrath is a messenger of death,
but a wise man will appease him.
16:15In the light of life is a king’s son,
and those acceptable to him are like a cloud of late rain.
16:16Nests of wisdom are more desirable than gold,
and nests of understanding more desirable than silver.
16:17Paths of life turn aside from evils,
and ways of righteousness are length of life.
One who receives discipline will be amid good things,
and one who keeps rebukes will be made wise.
One who guards his own ways keeps his own life,
and one who loves his life will spare his mouth.
16:18Insolence leads before ruin,
and evil-mindedness before a fall.
16:19Better a gentle-tempered person with humility
than one who divides spoils with the insolent.
16:20One understanding in matters is a finder of good things,
and one trusting in God is blessed.
16:21They call the wise and understanding worthless,
but those sweet in speech will hear more.
16:22Reflection is a fountain of life to those who possess it,
but the discipline of fools is evil.
16:23A wise person’s heart will understand what comes from his own mouth,
and will carry discernment upon his lips.
16:24Good words are honeycombs,
and their sweetness is healing of the life.
16:25There are ways that seem upright to a man,
but their final outcome looks toward the bottom of Hades.
16:26A man in toils toils for himself and forces on his own destruction;
but the crooked person carries destruction upon his own mouth.
16:27A foolish man digs evils for himself,
and upon his own lips stores up fire.
16:28A crooked man sends out evils,
lights a torch of deceit for evil people,
and separates friends.
16:29A lawless man puts friends to the test,
and leads them away into ways that are not good.
16:30Fixing his eyes, he considers perverted things,
and with his lips determines all evils;
this man is a furnace of wickedness.
16:31Old age is a crown of boasting,
and it is found in ways of righteousness.
16:32A patient man is better than a strong man,
and one who controls anger is better than one who captures a city.
16:33Everything comes into the laps of the unjust,
but all righteous things are from the Lord.
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Saints Translation · Liturgical reading edition · V1 · working draft awaiting specialist review.