Essential 100-Day 45

Proverbs 16-18

1 The plans of the heart belong to man,
    but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.
² All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes,
    but the Lord weighs the spirit.
³ Commit your work to the Lord,
    and your plans will be established.
⁴ The Lord has made everything for its purpose,
    even the wicked for the day of trouble.
⁵ Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the Lord;
    be assured, he will not go unpunished.
⁶ By steadfast love and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for,
    and by the fear of the Lord one turns away from evil.
⁷ When a man’s ways please the Lord,
    he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.
⁸ Better is a little with righteousness
    than great revenues with injustice.
⁹ The heart of man plans his way,
    but the Lord establishes his steps.
¹⁰ An oracle is on the lips of a king;
    his mouth does not sin in judgment.
¹¹ A just balance and scales are the Lord’s;
    all the weights in the bag are his work.
¹² It is an abomination to kings to do evil,
    for the throne is established by righteousness.
¹³ Righteous lips are the delight of a king,
    and he loves him who speaks what is right.
¹⁴ A king’s wrath is a messenger of death,
    and a wise man will appease it.
¹⁵ In the light of a king’s face there is life,
    and his favor is like the clouds that bring the spring rain.
¹⁶ How much better to get wisdom than gold!
    To get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.
¹⁷ The highway of the upright turns aside from evil;
    whoever guards his way preserves his life.
¹⁸ Pride goes before destruction,
    and a haughty spirit before a fall.
¹⁹ It is better to be of a lowly spirit with the poor
    than to divide the spoil with the proud.
²⁰ Whoever gives thought to the word will discover good,
    and blessed is he who trusts in the Lord.
²¹ The wise of heart is called discerning,
    and sweetness of speech increases persuasiveness.
²² Good sense is a fountain of life to him who has it,
    but the instruction of fools is folly.
²³ The heart of the wise makes his speech judicious
    and adds persuasiveness to his lips.
²⁴ Gracious words are like a honeycomb,
    sweetness to the soul and health to the body.
²⁵ There is a way that seems right to a man,
    but its end is the way to death.
²⁶ A worker’s appetite works for him;
    his mouth urges him on.
²⁷ A worthless man plots evil,
    and his speech is like a scorching fire.
²⁸ A dishonest man spreads strife,
    and a whisperer separates close friends.
²⁹ A man of violence entices his neighbor
    and leads him in a way that is not good.
³⁰ Whoever winks his eyes plans dishonest things;
    he who purses his lips brings evil to pass.
³¹ Gray hair is a crown of glory;
    it is gained in a righteous life.
³² Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty,
    and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.
³³ The lot is cast into the lap,
    but its every decision is from the Lord.

Chapter 17
1 Better is a dry morsel with quiet
    than a house full of feasting with strife.
² A servant who deals wisely will rule over a son who acts shamefully
    and will share the inheritance as one of the brothers.
³ The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold,
    and the Lord tests hearts.
⁴ An evildoer listens to wicked lips,
    and a liar gives ear to a mischievous tongue.
⁵ Whoever mocks the poor insults his Maker;
    he who is glad at calamity will not go unpunished.
⁶ Grandchildren are the crown of the aged,
    and the glory of children is their fathers.
⁷ Fine speech is not becoming to a fool;
    still less is false speech to a prince.
⁸ A bribe is like a magic stone in the eyes of the one who gives it;
    wherever he turns he prospers.
⁹ Whoever covers an offense seeks love,
    but he who repeats a matter separates close friends.
¹⁰ A rebuke goes deeper into a man of understanding
    than a hundred blows into a fool.
¹¹ An evil man seeks only rebellion,
    and a cruel messenger will be sent against him.
¹² Let a man meet a she-bear robbed of her cubs
    rather than a fool in his folly.
¹³ If anyone returns evil for good,
    evil will not depart from his house.
¹⁴ The beginning of strife is like letting out water,
    so quit before the quarrel breaks out.
¹⁵ He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous
    are both alike an abomination to the Lord.
¹⁶ Why should a fool have money in his hand to buy wisdom
    when he has no sense?
¹⁷ A friend loves at all times,
    and a brother is born for adversity.
¹⁸ One who lacks sense gives a pledge
    and puts up security in the presence of his neighbor.
¹⁹ Whoever loves transgression loves strife;
    he who makes his door high seeks destruction.
²⁰ A man of crooked heart does not discover good,
    and one with a dishonest tongue falls into calamity.
²¹ He who sires a fool gets himself sorrow,
    and the father of a fool has no joy.
²² A joyful heart is good medicine,
    but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.
²³ The wicked accepts a bribe in secret
    to pervert the ways of justice.
²⁴ The discerning sets his face toward wisdom,
    but the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth.
²⁵ A foolish son is a grief to his father
    and bitterness to her who bore him.
²⁶ To impose a fine on a righteous man is not good,
    nor to strike the noble for their uprightness.
²⁷ Whoever restrains his words has knowledge,
    and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding.
²⁸ Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise;
    when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent.

Chapter 18
1 Whoever isolates himself seeks his own desire;
    he breaks out against all sound judgment.
² A fool takes no pleasure in understanding,
    but only in expressing his opinion.
³ When wickedness comes, contempt comes also,
    and with dishonor comes disgrace.
⁴ The words of a man’s mouth are deep waters;
    the fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook.
⁵ It is not good to be partial to the wicked
    or to deprive the righteous of justice.
⁶ A fool’s lips walk into a fight,
    and his mouth invites a beating.
⁷ A fool’s mouth is his ruin,
    and his lips are a snare to his soul.
⁸ The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels;
    they go down into the inner parts of the body.
⁹ Whoever is slack in his work
    is a brother to him who destroys.
¹⁰ The name of the Lord is a strong tower;
    the righteous man runs into it and is safe.
¹¹ A rich man’s wealth is his strong city,
    and like a high wall in his imagination.
¹² Before destruction a man’s heart is haughty,
    but humility comes before honor.
¹³ If one gives an answer before he hears,
    it is his folly and shame.
¹⁴ A man’s spirit will endure sickness,
    but a crushed spirit who can bear?
¹⁵ An intelligent heart acquires knowledge,
    and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.
¹⁶ A man’s gift makes room for him
    and brings him before the great.
¹⁷ The one who states his case first seems right,
    until the other comes and examines him.
¹⁸ The lot puts an end to quarrels
    and decides between powerful contenders.
¹⁹ A brother offended is more unyielding than a strong city,
    and quarreling is like the bars of a castle.
²⁰ From the fruit of a man’s mouth his stomach is satisfied;
    he is satisfied by the yield of his lips.
²¹ Death and life are in the power of the tongue,
    and those who love it will eat its fruits.
²² He who finds a wife finds a good thing
    and obtains favor from the Lord.
²³ The poor use entreaties,
    but the rich answer roughly.
²⁴ A man of many companions may come to ruin,
    but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.