Chapter 16

1 To humans belong the plans of the heart,

but from the Lord comes the proper answer of the tongue.

2 All a person’s ways seem pure to them,

but motives are weighed by the Lord.

3 Commit to the Lord whatever you do,

and he will establish your plans.

4 The Lord works out everything to its proper end—

even the wicked for a day of disaster.

5 The Lord detests all the proud of heart.

Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished.

6 Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for;

through the fear of the Lord evil is avoided.

7 When the Lord takes pleasure in anyone’s way,

he causes their enemies to make peace with them.

8 Better a little with righteousness

than much gain with injustice.

9 In their hearts humans plan their course,

but the Lord establishes their steps.

10 The lips of a king speak as an oracle,

and his mouth does not betray justice.

11 Honest scales and balances belong to the Lord;

all the weights in the bag are of his making.

12 Kings detest wrongdoing,

for a throne is established through righteousness.

13 Kings take pleasure in honest lips;

they value the one who speaks what is right.

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

but the wise will appease it.

15 When a king’s face brightens, it means life;

his favor is like a rain cloud in spring.

16 How much better to get wisdom than gold,

to get insight rather than silver!

17 The highway of the upright avoids evil;

those who guard their ways preserve their lives.

18 Pride goes before destruction,

a haughty spirit before a fall.

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,

and blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord.

21 The wise in heart are called discerning,

and gracious words promote instruction.

22 Prudence is a fountain of life to the prudent,

but folly brings punishment to fools.

23 The hearts of the wise make their mouths prudent,

and their lips promote instruction.

24 Gracious words are a honeycomb,

sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.

25 There is a way that appears to be right,

but in the end it leads to death.

26 The appetite of laborers works for them;

their hunger drives them on.

27 A scoundrel plots evil,

and on their lips it is like a scorching fire.

28 A perverse person stirs up conflict,

and a gossip separates close friends.

29 A violent person entices their neighbor

and leads them down a path that is not good.

30 Whoever winks with their eye is plotting perversity;

whoever purses their lips is bent on evil.

31 Gray hair is a crown of splendor;

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 into the lap,

but its every decision is from the Lord.

Chapter 17

1 Better a dry crust with peace and quiet

than a house full of feasting, with strife.

2 A prudent servant will rule over a disgraceful son

and will share the inheritance as one of the family.

3 The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold,

but the Lord tests the heart.

4 A wicked person listens to deceitful lips;

a liar pays attention to a destructive tongue.

5 Whoever mocks the poor shows contempt for their Maker;

whoever gloats over disaster will not go unpunished.

6 Children’s children are a crown to the aged,

and parents are the pride of their children.

7 Eloquent lips are unsuited to a godless fool—

how much worse lying lips to a ruler!

8 A bribe is seen as a charm by the one who gives it;

they think success will come at every turn.

9 Whoever would foster love covers over an offense,

but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.

10 A rebuke impresses a discerning person

more than a hundred lashes a fool.

11 Evildoers foster rebellion against God;

the messenger of death will be sent against them.

12 Better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs

than a fool bent on folly.

13 Evil will never leave the house

of one who pays back evil for good.

14 Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam;

so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out.

15 Acquitting the guilty and condemning the innocent—

the Lord detests them both.

16 Why should fools have money in hand to buy wisdom,

when they are not able to understand it?

17 A friend loves at all times,

and a brother is born for a time of adversity.

18 One who has no sense shakes hands in pledge

and puts up security for a neighbor.

19 Whoever loves a quarrel loves sin;

whoever builds a high gate invites destruction.

20 One whose heart is corrupt does not prosper;

one whose tongue is perverse falls into trouble.

21 To have a fool for a child brings grief;

there is no joy for the parent of a godless fool.

22 A cheerful heart is good medicine,

but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.

23 The wicked accept bribes in secret

to pervert the course of justice.

24 A discerning person keeps wisdom in view,

but a fool’s eyes wander to the ends of the earth.

25 A foolish son brings grief to his father

and bitterness to the mother who bore him.

26 If imposing a fine on the innocent is not good,

surely to flog honest officials is not right.

27 The one who has knowledge uses words with restraint,

and whoever has understanding is even-tempered.

28 Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent,

and discerning if they hold their tongues.

Chapter 18

1 An unfriendly person pursues selfish ends

and against all sound judgment starts quarrels.

2 Fools find no pleasure in understanding

but delight in airing their own opinions.

3 When wickedness comes, so does contempt,

and with shame comes reproach.

4 The words of the mouth are deep waters,

but the fountain of wisdom is a rushing stream.

5 It is not good to be partial to the wicked

and so deprive the innocent of justice.

6 The lips of fools bring them strife,

and their mouths invite a beating.

7 The mouths of fools are their undoing,

and their lips are a snare to their very lives.

8 The words of a gossip are like choice morsels;

they go down to the inmost parts.

9 One who is slack in his work

is brother to one who destroys.

10 The name of the Lord is a fortified tower;

the righteous run to it and are safe.

11 The wealth of the rich is their fortified city;

they imagine it a wall too high to scale.

12 Before a downfall the heart is haughty,

but humility comes before honor.

13 To answer before listening—

that is folly and shame.

14 The human spirit can endure in sickness,

but a crushed spirit who can bear?

15 The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge,

for the ears of the wise seek it out.

16 A gift opens the way

and ushers the giver into the presence of the great.

17 In a lawsuit the first to speak seems right,

until someone comes forward and cross-examines.

18 Casting the lot settles disputes

and keeps strong opponents apart.

19 A brother wronged is more unyielding than a fortified city;

disputes are like the barred gates of a citadel.

20 From the fruit of their mouth a person’s stomach is filled;

with the harvest of their lips they are satisfied.

21 The tongue has the power of life and death,

and those who love it will eat its fruit.

22 He who finds a wife finds what is good

and receives favor from the Lord.

23 The poor plead for mercy,

but the rich answer harshly.

24 One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin,

but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

Chapter 12

A Living Sacrifice

1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Humble Service in the Body of Christ

3 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.

4 For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5 so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; 7 if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; 8 if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.

Love in Action

9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. 11Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13 Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.

17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. 18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19 Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.

20 On the contrary:

“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;

if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.

In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”

21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.