Proverbs 16 · The Lantern

The Reply of the Tongue Is from the LORD

The arrangements of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the LORD.

All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the LORD weighs the spirits.

Roll your deeds onto the LORD, and your thoughts will be established.

The LORD has made everything for its answer, and even the wicked for the day of evil.

Only God does what is good, acting from love of goodness for its own sake and not moved by fear or hope of reward. As Solomon says, "The Lord has done all things for his own sake." For the sake of his own goodness he bestows an abundance of goodness upon the worthy and the unworthy, because he can neither be wearied by wrongdoing nor provoked to painful emotion by human wickedn…

The Lord has made everything for its own purpose, etc. The Lord had no other cause for creating the invisible or visible creature than His will, that He might show His goodness to the rational creature, whom He would make eternally blessed: and also the one who of his own will abandoned the good of his condition, that is, the devil and his followers, He justly condemned with se…

Every haughty of heart is an abomination to the LORD; hand to hand, he will not go unpunished.

By loyal love and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for, and by the fear of the LORD one turns from evil.

When the LORD is pleased with a man’s ways, he makes even his enemies be at peace with him.

Better a little with righteousness than much produce without judgment.

The heart of a man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his step.

A divination is on the lips of a king; in judgment his mouth does not betray.

A balance and scales of judgment belong to the LORD; all the weights of the bag are his work.

Doing wickedness is an abomination to kings, for a throne is established by righteousness.

Lips of righteousness are the favor of kings, and he loves one who speaks upright things.

The rage of a king is messengers of death, but a wise man will atone for it.

In the light of a king’s face is life, and his favor is like a cloud of the spring rain.

Acquiring wisdom — how much better than gold! And acquiring understanding is choicer than silver.

The highway of the upright is to turn from evil; one who guards his way keeps his soul.

Before a breaking, pride; and before a stumbling, haughtiness of spirit.

Better to be lowly of spirit with the afflicted than to divide spoil with the proud.

One who acts with good sense in a matter will find good, and happy is he who trusts in the LORD.

The wise of heart will be called understanding, and sweetness of lips increases learning.

Good sense is a fountain of life to its owners, but the discipline of stubborn fools is folly.

The heart of the wise gives good sense to his mouth, and on his lips increases learning.

Sayings of pleasantness are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bone.

This course … will bring you honor and true glory. With your ears opened to give heed and your hands ready to execute the command you have heard, let your tongue be silent and keep your heart under custody. Be slow and dull for idle talk but knowing and wise in hearkening to the saving words of the holy Scriptures.

It came to pass that our Ambrose was born while his father, Ambrose, was administering the prefectureship of the Gallic provinces. On one occasion, when the child had been placed in a cradle in his father's courtyard and was asleep with his mouth open, a swarm of bees suddenly approached and covered his face, so that they were continually flying in and out of his mouth.

A honeycomb, composed words, etc. Many can sweetly pronounce good things through eloquence to those who love and favor them, which, however, they themselves do not love nor care to do. But words proceed only from the inner sweetness of your soul, which lead to the health of your bones, that is, to the spiritual growth of your virtues.

There is a way that is straight before a man, but its end is the ways of death.

The soul of a laborer labors for him, for his mouth presses him on.

A worthless man digs up evil, and on his lip is like a scorching fire.

A man of perversities sends out discord, and a whisperer separates a close friend.

A man of violence entices his neighbor and leads him in a way that is not good.

He who shuts his eyes to plot perversities, who purses his lips, has completed evil.

Gray hair is a crown of beauty; it is found in the way of righteousness.

Better one slow to anger than a mighty man, and one who rules his spirit than one who captures a city.

If you are angry, be angry with yourselves, because you are roused, and you will not sin. For he who is angry with himself, because he has been so easily roused, ceases to be angry with another. But he who wishes to prove his anger is righteous only gets the more inflamed and quickly falls into sin.

Better is the patient than the mighty, and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh cities. For victory over cities is a less thing, because that which is subdued is without; but a far greater thing is that which is conquered by patience, since the mind itself is by itself overcome, and subjects itself to itself, when patience compels it to bridle itself within.

The third middle way is fortitude, which is concerned with fears and acts of valor. A man needs it in order to be neither fainthearted nor rash, but that he be able to bear frightful trials and even death. For some men do fall into cowardice and faintheartedness.

The lot is cast into the lap, but its every judgment is from the LORD.

Proverbs16

The Reply of the Tongue Is from the LORD