Daily Bread

¹⁰ The lips of a king speak as an oracle,
    and his mouth does not betray justice.^(A)

¹¹ Honest scales and balances belong to the Lord;
    all the weights in the bag are of his making.^(B)

¹² Kings detest wrongdoing,
    for a throne is established through righteousness.^(C)

¹³ Kings take pleasure in honest lips;
    they value the one who speaks what is right.^(D)

¹⁴ A king’s wrath is a messenger of death,^(E)
    but the wise will appease it.^(F)

¹⁵ When a king’s face brightens, it means life;^(G)
    his favor is like a rain cloud in spring.^(H)

¹⁶ How much better to get wisdom than gold,
    to get insight^(I) rather than silver!^(J)

¹⁷ The highway of the upright avoids evil;
    those who guard their ways preserve their lives.^(K)

¹⁸ Pride^(L) goes before destruction,
    a haughty spirit^(M) before a fall.^(N)

¹⁹ Better to be lowly in spirit along with the oppressed
    than to share plunder with the proud.

²⁰ Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers,^[a](O)
    and blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord.^(P)

²¹ The wise in heart are called discerning,
    and gracious words promote instruction.^[b](Q)

²² Prudence is a fountain of life to the prudent,^(R)
    but folly brings punishment to fools.

²³ The hearts of the wise make their mouths prudent,^(S)
    and their lips promote instruction.^[c](T)

²⁴ Gracious words are a honeycomb,^(U)
    sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.^(V)

²⁵ There is a way that appears to be right,^(W)
    but in the end it leads to death.^(X)

²⁶ The appetite of laborers works for them;
    their hunger drives them on.

²⁷ A scoundrel^(Y) plots evil,
    and on their lips it is like a scorching fire.^(Z)

²⁸ A perverse person stirs up conflict,^(AA)
    and a gossip separates close friends.^(AB)

²⁹ A violent person entices their neighbor
    and leads them down a path that is not good.^(AC)

³⁰ Whoever winks^(AD) with their eye is plotting perversity;
    whoever purses their lips is bent on evil.

³¹ Gray hair is a crown of splendor;^(AE)
    it is attained in the way of righteousness.

³² Better a patient person than a warrior,
    one with self-control than one who takes a city.

³³ The lot is cast^(AF) into the lap,
    but its every decision^(AG) is from the Lord.^(AH)