Proverbs 16-19

Proverbs 16

¹The purposes of the heart are of man, but the answer of the tongue is from Jehovah.

²All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but Jehovah weigheth the spirits.

³Commit thy works unto Jehovah, and thy thoughts shall be established.

⁴Jehovah hath wrought everything on his own account, yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.

⁵Every proud heart is an abomination to Jehovah: hand for hand, he shall not be held innocent.

⁶By loving-kindness and truth iniquity is atoned for; and by the fear of Jehovah men depart from evil.

⁷When a man's ways please Jehovah, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.

⁸Better is a little with righteousness, than great revenues without right.

⁹The heart of man deviseth his way, but Jehovah directeth his steps.

¹⁰An oracle is on the lips of the king: his mouth will not err in judgment.

¹¹The just balance and scales are Jehovah's; all the weights of the bag are his work.

¹²It is an abomination to kings to commit wickedness; for the throne is established by righteousness.

¹³Righteous lips are the delight of kings, and they love him that speaketh aright.

¹⁴The fury of a king is as messengers of death; but a wise man will pacify it.

¹⁵In the light of the king's countenance is life, and his favour is as a cloud of the latter rain.

¹⁶How much better is it to get wisdom than fine gold, and the getting of intelligence to be preferred to silver!

¹⁷The highway of the upright is to depart from evil: he that taketh heed to his way keepeth his soul.

¹⁸Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.

¹⁹Better is it to be of a humble spirit with the meek, than to divide the spoil with the proud.

²⁰He that giveth heed to the word shall find good; and whoso confideth in Jehovah, happy is he.

²¹The wise in heart is called intelligent, and the sweetness of the lips increaseth learning.

²²Wisdom is a fountain of life for him that hath it; but the instruction of fools is folly.

²³The heart of the wise maketh his mouth intelligent, and upon his lips increaseth learning.

²⁴Pleasant words are as a honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health for the bones.

²⁵There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof is the ways of death.

²⁶The appetite of the labourer laboureth for him, for his mouth urgeth him on.

²⁷A man of Belial diggeth up evil, and on his lips there is as a scorching fire.

²⁸A false man soweth contention; and a talebearer separateth very friends.

²⁹A violent man enticeth his neighbour, and leadeth him into a way that is not good.

³⁰He that shutteth his eyes, it is to devise froward things; biting his lips, he bringeth evil to pass.

³¹The hoary head is a crown of glory, if it is found in the way of righteousness.

³²He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.

³³The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole decision is of Jehovah.

Proverbs 17

¹Better is a dry morsel, and quietness therewith, than a house full of feasting with strife.

²A wise servant shall rule over a son that causeth shame, and shall have part in the inheritance among the brethren.

³The fining-pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold; but Jehovah trieth the hearts.

⁴The evil-doer giveth heed to iniquitous lips; the liar giveth ear to a mischievous tongue.

⁵Whoso mocketh a poor man reproacheth his Maker; he that is glad at calamity shall not be held innocent.

⁶Children's children are the crown of old men; and the glory of children are their fathers.

⁷Excellent speech becometh not a vile man; how much less do lying lips a noble!

⁸A gift is a precious stone in the eyes of the possessor: whithersoever it turneth it prospereth.

⁹He that covereth transgression seeketh love; but he that bringeth a matter up again separateth very friends.

¹⁰A reproof entereth more deeply into him that hath understanding than a hundred stripes into a fool.

¹¹An evil man seeketh only rebellion; but a cruel messenger shall be sent against him.

¹²Let a bear robbed of her whelps meet a man rather than a fool in his folly.

¹³Whoso rewardeth evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house.

¹⁴The beginning of contention is as when one letteth out water; therefore leave off strife before it become vehement.

¹⁵He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the righteous, even they both are abomination to Jehovah.

¹⁶To what purpose is there a price in the hand of a fool to get wisdom, seeing he hath no sense?

¹⁷The friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.

¹⁸A senseless man striketh hands, becoming surety for his neighbour.

¹⁹He loveth transgression that loveth a quarrel; he that maketh high his gate seeketh destruction.

²⁰He that hath a perverse heart findeth no good; and he that shifteth about with his tongue falleth into evil.

²¹He that begetteth a fool doeth it to his sorrow, and the father of a vile man hath no joy.

²²A joyful heart promoteth healing; but a broken spirit drieth up the bones.

²³A wicked man taketh a gift out of the bosom, to pervert the paths of judgment.

²⁴Wisdom is before him that hath understanding; but the eyes of a fool are in the ends of the earth.

²⁵A foolish son is a grief to his father, and bitterness to her that bore him.

²⁶To punish a righteous man is not good, nor to strike nobles because of their uprightness.

²⁷He that hath knowledge spareth his words; and a man of understanding is of a cool spirit.

²⁸Even a fool when he holdeth his peace is reckoned wise, and he that shutteth his lips, intelligent.

Proverbs 18

¹He that separateth himself seeketh his pleasure, he is vehement against all sound wisdom.

²A fool hath no delight in understanding, but only that his heart may reveal itself.

³When the wicked cometh, there cometh also contempt, and with ignominy reproach.

⁴The words of a man's mouth are deep waters, and the fountain of wisdom is a gushing brook.

⁵It is not good to accept the person of the wicked, to wrong the righteous in judgment.

⁶A fool's lips enter into contention, and his mouth calleth for stripes.

⁷A fool's mouth is destruction to him, and his lips are a snare to his soul.

⁸The words of a talebearer are as dainty morsels, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.

⁹He also who is indolent in his work is brother of the destroyer.

¹⁰The name of Jehovah is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.

¹¹The rich man's wealth is his strong city, and as a high wall in his own imagination.

¹²Before destruction the heart of man is haughty; and before honour goeth humility.

¹³He that giveth answer before he heareth, it is folly and shame unto him.

¹⁴The spirit of a man sustaineth his infirmity; but a broken spirit who can bear?

¹⁵The heart of an intelligent man getteth knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeketh knowledge.

¹⁶A man's gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men.

¹⁷He that is first in his own cause seemeth just; but his neighbour cometh and searcheth him.

¹⁸The lot causeth contentions to cease, and parteth between the mighty.

¹⁹A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city; and contentions are as the bars of a palace.

²⁰A man's belly is satisfied with the fruit of his mouth; with the increase of his lips is he satisfied.

²¹Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.

²²Whoso hath found a wife hath found a good thing, and hath obtained favour from Jehovah.

²³He that is poor speaketh with supplications, but the rich answereth roughly.

²⁴A man of many friends will come to ruin but there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.

Proverbs 19

¹Better is a poor man that walketh in his integrity, than he that is perverse in his lips, and is a fool.

²Also that a person be without knowledge is not good; and he that hasteth with his feet maketh false steps.

³The folly of man distorteth his way, and his heart is irritated against Jehovah.

⁴Wealth addeth many friends; but the poor is separated from his friend.

⁵A false witness shall not be held innocent, and he that uttereth lies shall not escape.

⁶Many court the favour of a noble; and every one is friend to a man that giveth.

⁷All the brethren of a poor man hate him; how much more do his friends go far from him: he pursueth them with words, -- they are not to be found.

⁸He that getteth sense loveth his own soul; he that keepeth understanding shall find good.

⁹A false witness shall not be held innocent, and he that uttereth lies shall perish.

¹⁰Good living beseemeth not a fool; how much less for a servant to have rule over princes.

¹¹The discretion of a man maketh him slow to anger, and it is his glory to pass over a transgression.

¹²The king's displeasure is as the roaring of a lion; but his favour is as dew upon the grass.

¹³A foolish son is the calamity of his father; and the contentions of a wife are a continual dropping.

¹⁴House and wealth are an inheritance from fathers; but a prudent wife is from Jehovah.

¹⁵Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep, and the idle soul shall suffer hunger.

¹⁶He that keepeth the commandment keepeth his soul; he that is careless of his ways shall die.

¹⁷He that is gracious to the poor lendeth unto Jehovah; and what he hath bestowed will he repay unto him.

¹⁸Chasten thy son, seeing there is hope; but set not thy soul upon killing him.

¹⁹A man of great wrath shall suffer punishment; for if thou deliver him, yet thou must do it again.

²⁰Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end.

²¹Many are the thoughts in a man's heart, but the counsel of Jehovah, that doth stand.

²²The charm of a man is his kindness; and a poor man is better than a liar.

²³The fear of Jehovah tendeth to life, and he that hath it shall rest satisfied without being visited with evil.

²⁴A sluggard burieth his hand in the dish, and will not even bring it to his mouth again.

²⁵Smite a scorner, and the simple will beware; reprove the intelligent, and he will understand knowledge.

²⁶He that ruineth his father and chaseth away his mother is a son that causeth shame and bringeth reproach.

²⁷Cease, my son, to hear the instruction which causeth to stray from the words of knowledge.

²⁸A witness of Belial scorneth judgment, and the mouth of the wicked swalloweth down iniquity.

²⁹Judgments are prepared for scorners, and stripes for the back of the foolish.