1 Man may order his thoughts,
but the word on his tongue is from God.
2 A man's life may seem thoroughly pure to himself,
but the Lord weighs the spirit.
3 Commit your work to the Lord,
and so will your plans succeed.
4 God created each thing for an end of its own,
even the wicked for the day of disaster.
5 All the proud-minded the Lord abhors;
assuredly none will escape unpunished.
6 By kindness and faithfulness sin is atoned for,
and through fear of the Lord men escape disaster.
7 When the Lord is pleased with the ways of a man,
he makes even his foes to become his friends.
8 Better a little, with righteousness.
than great revenues with injustice.
9 Man plans out his way,
but the Lord directs his steps.
10 The lips of the king are an oracle,
and the sentence he utters infallible.
11 Balance and scales are the Lord's,
all the weights of the bag are his work.
12 Kings shrink with abhorrence from wrong-doing,
for a throne is established by righteousness.
13 Honest lips are a king's delight;
he loves the man that speaks truly.
14 The wrath of a king bodes death,
but a wise man knows how to appease it.
15 When the king's face shines, there is life:
like a cloud of spring-rain is his favour.
16 Wisdom is better to win than gold,
and understanding is choicer than silver.
17 The path of the upright avoids misfortune;
he guards his life who gives heed to his way.
18 Pride goes before destruction.
and a haughty spirit before a fall.
19 Better be lowly of mind with the poor
than divide the spoil with the great.
20 He that gives heed to the word will be prosperous;
happy the man who trusts the Lord.
21 Wise men are called men of insight,
and winsome speech adds to persuasiveness.
22 To a wise man is wisdom a fountain of life,
but fools are chastised by their folly.
23 A wise mind utters thoughtful speech.
and touches the lips to persuasiveness.
24 Winsome words are a honeycomb,
sweet to the soul and healing to the body.
25 Many a way seems straight to a man
Which leads at the last to death.
26 The labourer's appetite labours for him,
for his hungry mouth urges him on.
27 A depraved man digs a pit of mischief,
while his lips are touched as with scorching fire.
28 A false man scatters discord,
and a whisperer separates friends.
29 A man of violence entices his neighbour,
and leads him into a hurtful way.
30 He who closes his eyes is devising some lie;
He who tightens his lips has concocted some mischief.
31 The grey head is a crown of glory,
which is won by a righteous life.
32 Patience is better than warrior's strength,
and to rule o'er oneself than to capture a city.
33 The lot is cast into the lap,
but the issue lies wholly with God.