< Proverbs 16 >

1 It is for man to prepare the soul, and for the Lord to govern the tongue.
Arrangements of the heart [are] of man, An answer of the tongue from YHWH.
2 All the ways of a man are open to his eyes; the Lord is the one who weighs spirits.
All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, And YHWH is pondering the spirits.
3 Open your works to the Lord, and your intentions will be set in order.
Roll your works to YHWH, And your purposes are established,
4 The Lord has wrought all things because of himself. Likewise the impious is for the evil day.
YHWH has worked all things for Himself, And also the wicked—for a day of evil.
5 All 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.
Every proud one of heart [is] an abomination to YHWH, Hand to hand—he is not acquitted.
6 By mercy and truth, iniquity is redeemed. And by the fear of the Lord, one turns away from evil.
Iniquity is pardoned in kindness and truth, And in the fear of YHWH Turn aside from evil.
7 When the ways of man will please the Lord, he will convert even his enemies to peace.
When a man’s ways please YHWH, even his enemies, He causes to be at peace with him.
8 Better is a little with justice, than many fruits with iniquity.
Better [is] a little with righteousness, Than abundance of increase without justice.
9 The heart of man disposes his way. But it is for Lord to direct his steps.
The heart of man devises his way, And YHWH establishes his step.
10 Foreknowledge is in the lips of the king. His mouth shall not err in judgment.
An oath [is] on the lips of a king, In judgment his mouth does not trespass.
11 Weights and scales are judgments of the Lord. And all the stones in the bag are his work.
A just beam and balances [are] YHWH’s, All the stones of the bag [are] His work.
12 Those who act impiously are abominable to the king. For the throne is made firm by justice.
Doing wickedness [is] an abomination to kings, For a throne is established by righteousness.
13 Just lips are the will of kings. He who speaks honestly shall be loved.
Righteous lips [are] the delight of kings, And he loves whoever is speaking uprightly,
14 The indignation of a king is a herald of death. And the wise man will appease it.
The fury of a king [is] messengers of death, And a wise man pacifies it.
15 In the cheerfulness of the king’s countenance, there is life. And his clemency is like belated rain.
In the light of a king’s face [is] life, And his goodwill [is] as a cloud of the spring rain.
16 Possess wisdom, for it is better than gold. And acquire prudence, for it is more precious than silver.
To get wisdom—how much better than gold, And to get understanding—to be chosen [more] than silver!
17 The path of the just turns away from evils. He who guards his soul preserves his way.
A highway of the upright [is] to turn from evil, Whoever is preserving his soul is watching his way.
18 Arrogance precedes destruction. And the spirit is exalted before a fall.
Pride [is] before destruction, And before stumbling—a haughty spirit.
19 It is better to be humbled with the meek, than to divide spoils with the arrogant.
Better is humility of spirit with the poor, Than to apportion spoil with the proud.
20 The learned in word shall find good things. And whoever hopes in the Lord is blessed.
The wise in any matter finds good, And whoever is trusting in YHWH, O his blessedness.
21 Whoever is wise in heart shall be called prudent. And whoever is sweet in eloquence shall attain to what is greater.
For the wise in heart is called intelligent, And sweetness of lips increases learning.
22 Learning is a fountain of life to one who possesses it. The doctrine of the foolish is senseless.
Understanding [is] a fountain of life to its possessors, The instruction of fools is folly.
23 The heart of the wise shall instruct his mouth and add grace to his lips.
The heart of the wise causes his mouth to act wisely, And he increases learning by his lips,
24 Careful words are a honeycomb: sweet to the soul and healthful to the bones.
Sayings of pleasantness [are] a honeycomb, Sweet to the soul, and healing to the bone.
25 There is a way which seems right to a man, and its end result leads to death.
There is a way right before a man, And its latter end—ways of death.
26 The soul of the laborer labors for himself, because his mouth has driven him to it.
A laboring man has labored for himself, For his mouth has caused [him] to bend over it.
27 The impious man digs up evil, and in his lips is a burning fire.
A worthless man is preparing evil, And on his lips [is] as a burning fire.
28 A perverse man stirs up lawsuits. And one who is verbose divides leaders.
A contrary man sends forth contention, A tale-bearer is separating a familiar friend.
29 A man of iniquity entices his friend, and he leads him along a way that is not good.
A violent man entices his neighbor, And causes him to go in a way [that is] not good.
30 Whoever, with astonished eyes, thinks up depravities, biting his lips, accomplishes evil.
Consulting his eyes to devise contrary things, Moving his lips he has accomplished evil.
31 Old age is a crown of dignity, when it is found in the ways of justice.
Grey hairs [are] a crown of beauty, It is found in the way of righteousness.
32 A patient man is better than a strong one. And whoever rules his soul is better than one who assaults cities.
Better [is] the [one] slow to anger than the mighty, And the ruler over his spirit than he who is taking a city.
33 Lots are cast into the lap, but they are tempered by the Lord.
The lot is cast into the center, And all its judgment [is] from YHWH!

< Proverbs 16 >