< Proverbs 16 >

1 The plans of the heart belong to man, but the reply of the tongue is from the LORD.
לְאָדָ֥ם מַֽעַרְכֵי־לֵ֑ב וּ֝מֵיְהוָ֗ה מַעֲנֵ֥ה לָשֹֽׁון׃
2 All a man’s ways are pure in his own eyes, but his motives are weighed out by the LORD.
כָּֽל־דַּרְכֵי־אִ֭ישׁ זַ֣ךְ בְּעֵינָ֑יו וְתֹכֵ֖ן רוּחֹ֣ות יְהוָֽה׃
3 Commit your works to the LORD and your plans will be achieved.
גֹּ֣ל אֶל־יְהוָ֣ה מַעֲשֶׂ֑יךָ וְ֝יִכֹּ֗נוּ מַחְשְׁבֹתֶֽיךָ׃
4 The LORD has made everything for His purpose— even the wicked for the day of disaster.
כֹּ֤ל פָּעַ֣ל יְ֭הוָה לַֽמַּעֲנֵ֑הוּ וְגַם־רָ֝שָׁ֗ע לְיֹ֣ום רָעָֽה׃
5 Everyone who is proud in heart is detestable to the LORD; be assured that he will not go unpunished.
תֹּועֲבַ֣ת יְ֭הוָה כָּל־גְּבַהּ־לֵ֑ב יָ֥ד לְ֝יָ֗ד לֹ֣א יִנָּקֶֽה׃
6 By loving devotion and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for, and by the fear of the LORD one turns aside from evil.
בְּחֶ֣סֶד וֶ֭אֱמֶת יְכֻפַּ֣ר עָוֹ֑ן וּבְיִרְאַ֥ת יְ֝הוָ֗ה ס֣וּר מֵרָֽע׃
7 When a man’s ways please the LORD, He makes even the man’s enemies live at peace with him.
בִּרְצֹ֣ות יְ֭הוָה דַּרְכֵי־אִ֑ישׁ גַּם־אֹ֝ויְבָ֗יו יַשְׁלִ֥ם אִתֹּֽו׃
8 Better a little with righteousness than great gain with injustice.
טֹוב־מְ֭עַט בִּצְדָקָ֑ה מֵרֹ֥ב תְּ֝בוּאֹ֗ות בְּלֹ֣א מִשְׁפָּֽט׃
9 A man’s heart plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.
לֵ֣ב אָ֭דָם יְחַשֵּׁ֣ב דַּרְכֹּ֑ו וַֽ֝יהוָ֗ה יָכִ֥ין צַעֲדֹֽו׃
10 A divine verdict is on the lips of a king; his mouth must not betray justice.
קֶ֤סֶם ׀ עַֽל־שִׂפְתֵי־מֶ֑לֶךְ בְּ֝מִשְׁפָּ֗ט לֹ֣א יִמְעַל־פִּֽיו׃
11 Honest scales and balances are from the LORD; all the weights in the bag are His concern.
פֶּ֤לֶס ׀ וּמֹאזְנֵ֣י מִ֭שְׁפָּט לַֽיהוָ֑ה מַ֝עֲשֵׂ֗הוּ כָּל־אַבְנֵי־כִֽיס׃
12 Wicked behavior is detestable to kings, for a throne is established through righteousness.
תֹּועֲבַ֣ת מְ֭לָכִים עֲשֹׂ֣ות רֶ֑שַׁע כִּ֥י בִ֝צְדָקָ֗ה יִכֹּ֥ון כִּסֵּֽא׃
13 Righteous lips are a king’s delight, and he who speaks honestly is beloved.
רְצֹ֣ון מְ֭לָכִים שִׂפְתֵי־צֶ֑דֶק וְדֹבֵ֖ר יְשָׁרִ֣ים יֶאֱהָֽב׃
14 The wrath of a king is a messenger of death, but a wise man will pacify it.
חֲמַת־מֶ֥לֶךְ מַלְאֲכֵי־מָ֑וֶת וְאִ֖ישׁ חָכָ֣ם יְכַפְּרֶֽנָּה׃
15 When a king’s face brightens, there is life; his favor is like a rain cloud in spring.
בְּאֹור־פְּנֵי־מֶ֥לֶךְ חַיִּ֑ים וּ֝רְצֹונֹ֗ו כְּעָ֣ב מַלְקֹֽושׁ׃
16 How much better to acquire wisdom than gold! To gain understanding is more desirable than silver.
קְֽנֹה־חָכְמָ֗ה מַה־טֹּ֥וב מֵחָר֑וּץ וּקְנֹ֥ות בִּ֝ינָ֗ה נִבְחָ֥ר מִכָּֽסֶף׃
17 The highway of the upright leads away from evil; he who guards his way protects his life.
מְסִלַּ֣ת יְ֭שָׁרִים ס֣וּר מֵרָ֑ע שֹׁמֵ֥ר נַ֝פְשֹׁ֗ו נֹצֵ֥ר דַּרְכֹּֽו׃
18 Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.
לִפְנֵי־שֶׁ֥בֶר גָּאֹ֑ון וְלִפְנֵ֥י כִ֝שָּׁלֹ֗ון גֹּ֣בַהּ רֽוּחַ׃
19 It is better to be lowly in spirit among the humble than to divide the spoil with the proud.
טֹ֣וב שְׁפַל־ר֭וּחַ אֶת־עֲנִיִּים (עֲנָוִ֑ים) מֵֽחַלֵּ֥ק שָׁ֝לָ֗ל אֶת־גֵּאִֽים׃
20 Whoever heeds instruction will find success, and blessed is he who trusts in the LORD.
מַשְׂכִּ֣יל עַל־דָּ֭בָר יִמְצָא־טֹ֑וב וּבֹוטֵ֖חַ בַּיהוָ֣ה אַשְׁרָֽיו׃
21 The wise in heart are called discerning, and pleasant speech promotes instruction.
לַחֲכַם־לֵ֭ב יִקָּרֵ֣א נָבֹ֑ון וּמֶ֥תֶק שְׂ֝פָתַ֗יִם יֹסִ֥יף לֶֽקַח׃
22 Understanding is a fountain of life to its possessor, but the discipline of fools is folly.
מְקֹ֣ור חַ֭יִּים שֵׂ֣כֶל בְּעָלָ֑יו וּמוּסַ֖ר אֱוִלִ֣ים אִוֶּֽלֶת׃
23 The heart of the wise man instructs his mouth and adds persuasiveness to his lips.
לֵ֣ב חָ֭כָם יַשְׂכִּ֣יל פִּ֑יהוּ וְעַל־שְׂ֝פָתָ֗יו יֹסִ֥יף לֶֽקַח׃
24 Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.
צוּף־דְּ֭בַשׁ אִמְרֵי־נֹ֑עַם מָתֹ֥וק לַ֝נֶּפֶשׁ וּמַרְפֵּ֥א לָעָֽצֶם׃
25 There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.
יֵ֤שׁ דֶּ֣רֶךְ יָ֭שָׁר לִפְנֵי־אִ֑ישׁ וְ֝אַחֲרִיתָ֗הּ דַּרְכֵי־מָֽוֶת׃
26 A worker’s appetite works for him because his hunger drives him onward.
נֶ֣פֶשׁ עָ֭מֵל עָ֣מְלָה לֹּ֑ו כִּֽי־אָכַ֖ף עָלָ֣יו פִּֽיהוּ׃
27 A worthless man digs up evil, and his speech is like a scorching fire.
אִ֣ישׁ בְּ֭לִיַּעַל כֹּרֶ֣ה רָעָ֑ה וְעַל־שְׂפָתָיו (שְׂ֝פָתֹ֗ו) כְּאֵ֣שׁ צָרָֽבֶת׃
28 A perverse man spreads dissension, and a gossip divides close friends.
אִ֣ישׁ תַּ֭הְפֻּכֹות יְשַׁלַּ֣ח מָדֹ֑ון וְ֝נִרְגָּ֗ן מַפְרִ֥יד אַלּֽוּף׃
29 A violent man entices his neighbor and leads him down a path that is not good.
אִ֣ישׁ חָ֭מָס יְפַתֶּ֣ה רֵעֵ֑הוּ וְ֝הֹולִיכֹ֗ו בְּדֶ֣רֶךְ לֹא־טֹֽוב׃
30 He who winks his eye devises perversity; he who purses his lips is bent on evil.
עֹצֶ֣ה עֵ֭ינָיו לַחְשֹׁ֣ב תַּהְפֻּכֹ֑ות קֹרֵ֥ץ שְׂ֝פָתָ֗יו כִּלָּ֥ה רָעָֽה׃
31 Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is attained along the path of righteousness.
עֲטֶ֣רֶת תִּפְאֶ֣רֶת שֵׂיבָ֑ה בְּדֶ֥רֶךְ צְ֝דָקָ֗ה תִּמָּצֵֽא׃
32 He who is slow to anger is better than a warrior, and he who controls his temper is greater than one who captures a city.
טֹ֤וב אֶ֣רֶךְ אַ֭פַּיִם מִגִּבֹּ֑ור וּמֹשֵׁ֥ל בְּ֝רוּחֹ֗ו מִלֹּכֵ֥ד עִֽיר׃
33 The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD.
בַּ֭חֵיק יוּטַ֣ל אֶת־הַגֹּורָ֑ל וּ֝מֵיְהוָ֗ה כָּל־מִשְׁפָּטֹֽו׃

< Proverbs 16 >