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