Proverbs 16
1 Arrangements of the heart [are] of man, An answer of the tongue from YHWH.
The designs of the heart are man's, but the answer of the tongue comes from the Lord.
2 All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, And YHWH is pondering the spirits.
All a man's ways are clean to himself; but the Lord puts men's spirits into his scales.
3 Roll your works to YHWH, And your purposes are established,
Put your works into the hands of the Lord, and your purposes will be made certain.
4 YHWH has worked all things for Himself, And also the wicked—for a day of evil.
The Lord has made everything for his purpose, even the sinner for the day of evil.
5 Every proud one of heart [is] an abomination to YHWH, Hand to hand—he is not acquitted.
Everyone who has pride in his heart is disgusting to the Lord: he will certainly not go free from punishment.
6 Iniquity is pardoned in kindness and truth, And in the fear of YHWH Turn aside from evil.
By mercy and good faith evil-doing is taken away: and by the fear of the Lord men are turned away from evil.
7 When a man’s ways please YHWH, even his enemies, He causes to be at peace with him.
When a man's ways are pleasing to the Lord, he makes even his haters be at peace with him.
8 Better [is] a little with righteousness, Than abundance of increase without justice.
Better is a little with righteousness, than great wealth with wrongdoing.
9 The heart of man devises his way, And YHWH establishes his step.
A man may make designs for his way, but the Lord is the guide of his steps.
10 An oath [is] on the lips of a king, In judgment his mouth does not trespass.
Decision is in the lips of the king: his mouth will not go wrong in judging.
11 A just beam and balances [are] YHWH’s, All the stones of the bag [are] His work.
True measures and scales are the Lord's: all the weights of the bag are his work.
12 Doing wickedness [is] an abomination to kings, For a throne is established by righteousness.
Evil-doing is disgusting to kings: for the seat of the ruler is based on righteousness.
13 Righteous lips [are] the delight of kings, And he loves whoever is speaking uprightly,
Lips of righteousness are the delight of kings; and he who says what is upright is dear to him.
14 The fury of a king [is] messengers of death, And a wise man pacifies it.
The wrath of the king is like those who give news of death, but a wise man will put peace in place of it.
15 In the light of a king’s face [is] life, And his goodwill [is] as a cloud of the spring rain.
In the light of the king's face there is life; and his approval is like a cloud of spring rain.
16 To get wisdom—how much better than gold, And to get understanding—to be chosen [more] than silver!
How much better it is to get wisdom than gold! and to get knowledge is more to be desired than silver.
17 A highway of the upright [is] to turn from evil, Whoever is preserving his soul is watching his way.
The highway of the upright is to be turned away from evil: he who takes care of his way will keep his soul.
18 Pride [is] before destruction, And before stumbling—a haughty spirit.
Pride goes before destruction, and a stiff spirit before a fall.
19 Better is humility of spirit with the poor, Than to apportion spoil with the proud.
Better it is to have a gentle spirit with the poor, than to take part in the rewards of war with men of pride.
20 The wise in any matter finds good, And whoever is trusting in YHWH, O his blessedness.
He who gives attention to the law of right will get good; and whoever puts his faith in the Lord is happy.
21 For the wise in heart is called intelligent, And sweetness of lips increases learning.
The wise-hearted will be named men of good sense: and by pleasing words learning is increased.
22 Understanding [is] a fountain of life to its possessors, The instruction of fools is folly.
Wisdom is a fountain of life to him who has it; but the punishment of the foolish is their foolish behaviour.
23 The heart of the wise causes his mouth to act wisely, And he increases learning by his lips,
The heart of the wise man is the teacher of his mouth, and gives increased learning to his lips.
24 Sayings of pleasantness [are] a honeycomb, Sweet to the soul, and healing to the bone.
Pleasing words are like honey, sweet to the soul and new life to the bones.
25 There is a way right before a man, And its latter end—ways of death.
There is a way which seems straight before a man, but its end is the ways of death.
26 A laboring man has labored for himself, For his mouth has caused [him] to bend over it.
The desire of the working man is working for him, for his need of food is driving him on.
27 A worthless man is preparing evil, And on his lips [is] as a burning fire.
A good-for-nothing man is a designer of evil, and in his lips there is a burning fire.
28 A contrary man sends forth contention, A tale-bearer is separating a familiar friend.
A man of twisted purposes is a cause of fighting everywhere: and he who says evil secretly makes trouble between friends.
29 A violent man entices his neighbor, And causes him to go in a way [that is] not good.
A violent man puts desire of evil into his neighbour's mind, and makes him go in a way which is not good.
30 Consulting his eyes to devise contrary things, Moving his lips he has accomplished evil.
He whose eyes are shut is a man of twisted purposes, and he who keeps his lips shut tight makes evil come about.
31 Grey hairs [are] a crown of beauty, It is found in the way of righteousness.
The grey head is a crown of glory, if it is seen in the way of righteousness.
32 Better [is] the [one] slow to anger than the mighty, And the ruler over his spirit than he who is taking a city.
He who is slow to be angry is better than a man of war, and he who has control over his spirit than he who takes a town.
33 The lot is cast into the center, And all its judgment [is] from YHWH!
A thing may be put to the decision of chance, but it comes about through the Lord.
