counsel

¹⁵The way of the foolish is right in his own eyes. But whoever is wise listens to counsels.

¹⁴Where there is no governor, the people shall fall. But where there is much counsel, well-being shall be.

⁸I will give you understanding, and I will instruct you in this way, in which you will walk. I will fix my eyes upon you.

⁶king Rehoboam took counsel with the elders who had assisted before his father Solomon while he was still living. And he said, “What counsel do you give to me, so that I may respond to this people?” ⁷They said to him, “If today you will obey and serve this people, and yield to their petition, and if you will speak lenient words to them, they will be your servants for all days.” ⁸But he abandoned the counsel of the old men, which they had given to him. And he consulted the young men who had been raised with him, and who were assisting him. ⁹And he said to them: “What counsel do you give to me, so that I may respond to this people, who have said to me: ‘Make light the yoke that your father imposed on us?’ ” ¹⁰And the young men who had been raised with him, said: “You shall speak in this way to this people, who have spoken to you, saying: ‘Your father weighed down our yoke. You should relieve us.’ You shall say this to them: ‘My little finger is thicker than the back of my father. ¹¹And now, my father placed a heavy yoke upon you, but I will add more upon your yoke. My father cut you with whips, but I will beat you with scorpions.’ ”

¹It is for man to prepare the soul, and for the Lord to govern the tongue. ²All the ways of a man are open to his eyes; the Lord is the one who weighs spirits. ³Open your works to the Lord, and your intentions will be set in order. ⁴The Lord has wrought all things because of himself. Likewise the impious is for the evil day. ⁵All the arrogant are an abomination to the Lord. Even if hand will be joined to hand, he is not innocent. The beginning of a good way is to do justice. And this is more acceptable with God than to immolate sacrifices. ⁶By mercy and truth, iniquity is redeemed. And by the fear of the Lord, one turns away from evil.

⁵Have confidence in the Lord with all your heart, and do not depend upon your own prudence. ⁶In all your ways, consider him, and he himself will direct your steps.

²⁰Listen to counsel and take up discipline, so that you may be wise in your latter days.

¹⁰⁵Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my paths.

¹⁶All Scripture, having been divinely inspired, is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in justice, ¹⁷so that the man of God may be perfect, having been trained for every good work.

²²If they had stood in my counsel, and if I had made my words known to my people, certainly I would have turned them away from their evil ways and from their most wicked plans.