Daily Wisdom Plan

Proverbs 16,17,18

Proverbs 16

1We can make our own plans, but the LORD gives the right answer.

2People may be pure in their own eyes, but the LORD examines their motives.

3Commit your actions to the LORD, and your plans will succeed.

4The LORD has made everything for his own purposes, even the wicked for a day of disaster.

5The LORD detests the proud; they will surely be punished.

6Unfailing love and faithfulness make atonement for sin. By fearing the LORD, people avoid evil.

7When people’s lives please the LORD, even their enemies are at peace with them.

8Better to have little, with godliness, than to be rich and dishonest.

9We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps.

10The king speaks with divine wisdom; he must never judge unfairly.

11The LORD demands accurate scales and balances; he sets the standards for fairness.

12A king detests wrongdoing, for his rule is built on justice.

13The king is pleased with words from righteous lips; he loves those who speak honestly.

14The anger of the king is a deadly threat; the wise will try to appease it.

15When the king smiles, there is life; his favor refreshes like a spring rain.

16How much better to get wisdom than gold, and good judgment than silver!

17The path of the virtuous leads away from evil; whoever follows that path is safe.

18Pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall.

19Better to live humbly with the poor than to share plunder with the proud.

20Those who listen to instruction will prosper; those who trust the LORD will be joyful.

21The wise are known for their understanding, and pleasant words are persuasive.

22Discretion is a life-giving fountain to those who possess it, but discipline is wasted on fools.

23From a wise mind comes wise speech; the words of the wise are persuasive.

24Kind words are like honey — sweet to the soul and healthy for the body.

25There is a path before each person that seems right, but it ends in death.

26It is good for workers to have an appetite; an empty stomach drives them on.

27Scoundrels create trouble; their words are a destructive blaze.

28A troublemaker plants seeds of strife; gossip separates the best of friends.

29Violent people mislead their companions, leading them down a harmful path.

30With narrowed eyes, people plot evil; with a smirk, they plan their mischief.

31Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is gained by living a godly life.

32Better to be patient than powerful; better to have self-control than to conquer a city.

33We may throw the dice, but the LORD determines how they fall.

Proverbs 17

1Better a dry crust eaten in peace than a house filled with feasting — and conflict.

2A wise servant will rule over the master’s disgraceful son and will share the inheritance of the master’s children.

3Fire tests the purity of silver and gold, but the LORD tests the heart.

4Wrongdoers eagerly listen to gossip; liars pay close attention to slander.

5Those who mock the poor insult their Maker; those who rejoice at the misfortune of others will be punished.

6Grandchildren are the crowning glory of the aged; parents are the pride of their children.

7Eloquent words are not fitting for a fool; even less are lies fitting for a ruler.

8A bribe is like a lucky charm; whoever gives one will prosper!

9Love prospers when a fault is forgiven, but dwelling on it separates close friends.

10A single rebuke does more for a person of understanding than a hundred lashes on the back of a fool.

11Evil people are eager for rebellion, but they will be severely punished.

12It is safer to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than to confront a fool caught in foolishness.

13If you repay good with evil, evil will never leave your house.

14Starting a quarrel is like opening a floodgate, so stop before a dispute breaks out.

15Acquitting the guilty and condemning the innocent — both are detestable to the LORD.

16It is senseless to pay to educate a fool, since he has no heart for learning.

17A friend is always loyal, and a brother is born to help in time of need.

18It’s poor judgment to guarantee another person’s debt or put up security for a friend.

19Anyone who loves to quarrel loves sin; anyone who trusts in high walls invites disaster.

20The crooked heart will not prosper; the lying tongue tumbles into trouble.

21It is painful to be the parent of a fool; there is no joy for the father of a rebel.

22A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength.

23The wicked take secret bribes to pervert the course of justice.

24Sensible people keep their eyes glued on wisdom, but a fool’s eyes wander to the ends of the earth.

25Foolish children bring grief to their father and bitterness to the one who gave them birth.

26It is wrong to punish the godly for being good or to flog leaders for being honest.

27A truly wise person uses few words; a person with understanding is even-tempered.

28Even fools are thought wise when they keep silent; with their mouths shut, they seem intelligent.

Proverbs 18

1Unfriendly people care only about themselves; they lash out at common sense.

2Fools have no interest in understanding; they only want to air their own opinions.

3Doing wrong leads to disgrace, and scandalous behavior brings contempt.

4Wise words are like deep waters; wisdom flows from the wise like a bubbling brook.

5It is not right to acquit the guilty or deny justice to the innocent.

6Fools’ words get them into constant quarrels; they are asking for a beating.

7The mouths of fools are their ruin; they trap themselves with their lips.

8Rumors are dainty morsels that sink deep into one’s heart.

9A lazy person is as bad as someone who destroys things.

10The name of the LORD is a strong fortress; the godly run to him and are safe.

11The rich think of their wealth as a strong defense; they imagine it to be a high wall of safety.

12Haughtiness goes before destruction; humility precedes honor.

13Spouting off before listening to the facts is both shameful and foolish.

14The human spirit can endure a sick body, but who can bear a crushed spirit?

15Intelligent people are always ready to learn. Their ears are open for knowledge.

16Giving a gift can open doors; it gives access to important people!

17The first to speak in court sounds right — until the cross-examination begins.

18Flipping a coin can end arguments; it settles disputes between powerful opponents.

19An offended friend is harder to win back than a fortified city. Arguments separate friends like a gate locked with bars.

20Wise words satisfy like a good meal; the right words bring satisfaction.

21The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences.

22The man who finds a wife finds a treasure, and he receives favor from the LORD.

23The poor plead for mercy; the rich answer with insults.

24There are “friends” who destroy each other, but a real friend sticks closer than a brother.