#proverbs 16

The Reply of the Tongue Is from the LORD

1 We can make our own plans, but the Lord gives the right answer.

2 People may be pure in their own eyes, but the Lord examines their motives.

3 Commit your actions to the Lord, and your plans will succeed.

4 The Lord has made everything for his own purposes, even the wicked for a day of disaster.

5 The Lord detests the proud; they will surely be punished.

6 Unfailing love and faithfulness make atonement for sin. By fearing the Lord, people avoid evil.

7 When people’s lives please the Lord, even their enemies are at peace with them.

8 Better to have little, with godliness, than to be rich and dishonest.

9 We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps.

10 The king speaks with divine wisdom; he must never judge unfairly.

11 The Lord demands accurate scales and balances; he sets the standards for fairness.

12 A king detests wrongdoing, for his rule is built on justice.

13 The king is pleased with words from righteous lips; he loves those who speak honestly.

14 The anger of the king is a deadly threat; the wise will try to appease it.

15 When the king smiles, there is life; his favor refreshes like a spring rain.

16 How much better to get wisdom than gold, and good judgment than silver!

17 The path of the virtuous leads away from evil; whoever follows that path is safe.

18 Pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall.

19 Better to live humbly with the poor than to share plunder with the proud.

20 Those who listen to instruction will prosper; those who trust the Lord will be joyful.

21 The wise are known for their understanding, and pleasant words are persuasive.

22 Discretion is a life-giving fountain to those who possess it, but discipline is wasted on fools.

23 From a wise mind comes wise speech; the words of the wise are persuasive.

24 Kind words are like honey— sweet to the soul and healthy for the body.

25 There is a path before each person that seems right, but it ends in death.

26 It is good for workers to have an appetite; an empty stomach drives them on.

27 Scoundrels create trouble; their words are a destructive blaze.

28 A troublemaker plants seeds of strife; gossip separates the best of friends.

29 Violent people mislead their companions, leading them down a harmful path.

30 With narrowed eyes, people plot evil; with a smirk, they plan their mischief.

31 Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is gained by living a godly life.

32 Better to be patient than powerful; better to have self-control than to conquer a city.

33 We may throw the dice, but the Lord determines how they fall. — Proverbs 16 | New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Cross References: Genesis 40:2; Exodus 15:9; 1 Samuel 2:3; 1 Samuel 17:42; 1 Kings 3:28; Job 28:15; Job 29:23; Psalm 2:12; Psalm 19:10; Psalm 37:16; Psalm 37:23; Proverbs 1:10; Proverbs 3:1-2; Proverbs 3:22; Proverbs 6:14; Proverbs 6:29; Proverbs 11:1; Proverbs 12:15; Proverbs 15:33; Proverbs 19:16; Proverbs 22:11; Ecclesiastes 6:7; Matthew 11:25; Matthew 12:34; Luke 11:41; Acts 1:26; Romans 9:22; James 1:19; James 3:6; 1 Peter 3:13; 1 Peter 5:7