Proverbs 16:9–13

²¹There are many devices in a man’s heart; nevertheless the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand.

²³The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way.

¹THE preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the Lord.

²⁴Man’s goings are of the Lord; how can a man then understand his own way?

²³¶ O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.

³⁰There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the Lord.

¹⁰Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:

¹BEHOLD, a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in judgment.

²And a man shall be as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest; as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land.

¹⁵And Joseph said unto them, What deed is this that ye have done? wot ye not that such a man as I can certainly divine?

⁵Is not this it in which my lord drinketh, and whereby indeed he divineth? ye have done evil in so doing.

²⁸And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had judged; and they feared the king: for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him, to do judgment.

³The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God.

⁴And he shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds; as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain.

⁷Ye who turn judgment to wormwood, and leave off righteousness in the earth,

¹⁸And it shall be, when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book out of that which is before the priests the Levites:

¹⁹And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the Lord his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them:

²⁰That his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, and that he turn not aside from the commandment, to the right hand, or to the left: to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he, and his children, in the midst of Israel.

⁴They have spoken words, swearing falsely in making a covenant: thus judgment springeth up as hemlock in the furrows of the field.

⁵¶ Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.

⁶In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.

¹²It is an abomination to kings to commit wickedness: for the throne is established by righteousness.

¹³Righteous lips are the delight of kings; and they love him that speaketh right.

⁶Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre.

⁷Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.

¹GIVE the king thy judgments, O God, and thy righteousness unto the king’s son.

²He shall judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with judgment.

³The mountains shall bring peace to the people, and the little hills, by righteousness.

⁴He shall judge the poor of the people, he shall save the children of the needy, and shall break in pieces the oppressor.

¹²¶ Shall horses run upon the rock? will one plow there with oxen? for ye have turned judgment into gall, and the fruit of righteousness into hemlock:

⁴The king’s strength also loveth judgment; thou dost establish equity, thou executest judgment and righteousness in Jacob.

¹A FALSE balance is abomination to the Lord: but a just weight is his delight.

¹⁰Divers weights, and divers measures, both of them are alike abomination to the Lord.

²³Divers weights are an abomination unto the Lord; and a false balance is not good.

¹³¶ Thou shalt not have in thy bag divers weights, a great and a small.

¹⁴Thou shalt not have in thine house divers measures, a great and a small.

¹⁵But thou shalt have a perfect and just weight, a perfect and just measure shalt thou have: that thy days may be lengthened in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.

¹⁰Ye shall have just balances, and a just ephah, and a just bath.

⁷¶ He is a merchant, the balances of deceit are in his hand: he loveth to oppress.

³⁵¶ Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment, in meteyard, in weight, or in measure.

³⁶Just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin, shall ye have: I am the Lord your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt.

⁵Saying, When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell corn? and the sabbath, that we may set forth wheat, making the ephah small, and the shekel great, and falsifying the balances by deceit?

¹¹Shall I count them pure with the wicked balances, and with the bag of deceitful weights?

⁵Take away the wicked from before the king, and his throne shall be established in righteousness.

¹⁴The king that faithfully judgeth the poor, his throne shall be established for ever.

⁴⁸But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.

⁹He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination.

¹⁶For all that do such things, and all that do unrighteously, are an abomination unto the Lord thy God.

¹⁸Every purpose is established by counsel: and with good advice make war.

⁴The king’s strength also loveth judgment; thou dost establish equity, thou executest judgment and righteousness in Jacob.

¹¹And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.

³⁵The king’s favour is toward a wise servant: but his wrath is against him that causeth shame.

¹¹He that loveth pureness of heart, for the grace of his lips the king shall be his friend.

⁵Whoso privily slandereth his neighbour, him will I cut off: him that hath an high look and a proud heart will not I suffer.

⁶Mine eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me: he that walketh in a perfect way, he shall serve me.

⁷He that worketh deceit shall not dwell within my house: he that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight.