the Week of Proper 4 / Ordinary 9
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Proverbs 16
1 To humans belong the plans of the heart,
but from the Lord comes the proper answer of the tongue.(a)
2 All a person's ways seem pure to them,(b)
but motives are weighed(c) by the Lord.(d)
3 Commit to the Lord whatever you do,
and he will establish your plans.(e)
4 The Lord works out everything to its proper end(f)—
even the wicked for a day of disaster.(g)
5 The Lord detests all the proud of heart.(h)
Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished.(i)
6 Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for;
through the fear of the Lord(j) evil is avoided.(k)
7 When the Lord takes pleasure in anyone's way,
he causes their enemies to make peace(l) with them.(m)
8 Better a little with righteousness
than much gain(n) with injustice.(o)
9 In their hearts humans plan their course,
but the Lord establishes their steps.(p)
10 The lips of a king speak as an oracle,
and his mouth does not betray justice.(q)
11 Honest scales and balances belong to the Lord;
all the weights in the bag are of his making.(r)
12 Kings detest wrongdoing,
for a throne is established through righteousness.(s)
13 Kings take pleasure in honest lips;
they value the one who speaks what is right.(t)
14 A king's wrath is a messenger of death,(u)
but the wise will appease it.(v)
15 When a king's face brightens, it means life;(w)
his favor is like a rain cloud in spring.(x)
16 How much better to get wisdom than gold,
to get insight(y) rather than silver!(z)
17 The highway of the upright avoids evil;
those who guard their ways preserve their lives.(aa)
18 Pride(ab) goes before destruction,
a haughty spirit(ac) before a fall.(ad)
19 Better to be lowly in spirit along with the oppressed
than to share plunder with the proud.
20 Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers,[a](ae)
and blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord.(af)
21 The wise in heart are called discerning,
and gracious words promote instruction.[b](ag)
22 Prudence is a fountain of life to the prudent,(ah)
but folly brings punishment to fools.
23 The hearts of the wise make their mouths prudent,(ai)
and their lips promote instruction.[c](aj)
24 Gracious words are a honeycomb,(ak)
sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.(al)
25 There is a way that appears to be right,(am)
but in the end it leads to death.(an)
26 The appetite of laborers works for them;
their hunger drives them on.
27 A scoundrel(ao) plots evil,
and on their lips it is like a scorching fire.(ap)
28 A perverse person stirs up conflict,(aq)
and a gossip separates close friends.(ar)
29 A violent person entices their neighbor
and leads them down a path that is not good.(as)
30 Whoever winks(at) with their eye is plotting perversity;
whoever purses their lips is bent on evil.
31 Gray hair is a crown of splendor;(au)
it is attained in the way of righteousness.
32 Better a patient person than a warrior,
one with self-control than one who takes a city.
33 The lot is cast(av) into the lap,
but its every decision(aw) is from the Lord.(ax)
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