16:17 The highway 1 of the upright is to turn 2 away from evil;
the one who guards 3 his way safeguards his life. 4
16:18 Pride 5 goes 6 before destruction,
and a haughty spirit before a fall. 7
16:19 It is better to be lowly in spirit 8 with the afflicted
than to share the spoils 9 with the proud.
16:20 The one who deals wisely 10 in a matter 11 will find success, 12
and blessed 13 is the one who trusts in the Lord. 14
16:21 The one who is wise in heart 15 is called 16 discerning,
and kind speech 17 increases persuasiveness. 18
16:22 Insight 19 is like 20 a life-giving fountain 21 to the one who possesses it,
but folly leads to the discipline of fools. 22
16:23 A wise person’s heart 23 makes his speech wise 24
and it adds persuasiveness 25 to his words. 26
16:24 Pleasant words are like 27 a honeycomb, 28
sweet to the soul and healing 29 to the bones.
16:25 There is a way that seems right to a person, 30
but its end is the way that leads to death. 31
16:26 A laborer’s 32 appetite 33 works on his behalf, 34
for his hunger 35 urges him to work. 36
16:27 A wicked scoundrel 37 digs up 38 evil,
and his slander 39 is like a scorching fire. 40
16:28 A perverse person 41 spreads dissension,
and a gossip separates the closest friends. 42
16:29 A violent person 43 entices 44 his neighbor,
and leads him down a path that is terrible. 45
16:30 The one who winks his eyes 46 devises perverse things,
and 47 one who compresses his lips 48 brings about 49 evil.
16:31 Gray hair is like 50 a crown of glory; 51
it is attained 52 in the path of righteousness. 53
16:32 Better to be slow to anger 54 than to be a mighty warrior,
and one who controls his temper 55 is better than 56 one who captures a city. 57
16:33 The dice are thrown into the lap, 58
but their every decision 59 is from the Lord. 60