Proverbs 16
1 Arrangements of the heart [are] of man, An answer of the tongue from YHWH.
People plan what they want to do, but Yahweh is the one who decides [MTY] what really will happen.
2 All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, And YHWH is pondering the spirits.
People may think that their actions are right, but Yahweh really knows why people do what they do.
3 Roll your works to YHWH, And your purposes are established,
(Request/Rely on) Yahweh to direct what you plan to do; [if you do that], you will succeed in what you plan.
4 YHWH has worked all things for Himself, And also the wicked—for a day of evil.
Yahweh knows why he does everything that he does; he has even prepared the wicked for the time that he will punish them.
5 Every proud one of heart [is] an abomination to YHWH, Hand to hand—he is not acquitted.
Yahweh hates/detests everyone who is proud [IDM]; you can be certain [IDM] that they will be punished [LIT].
6 Iniquity is pardoned in kindness and truth, And in the fear of YHWH Turn aside from evil.
Be loyal to Yahweh and faithfully [obey] him; if you do that, he will forgive you for having sinned. If we revere him, nothing evil will happen to us (OR, he will prevent evil things from happening to us).
7 When a man’s ways please YHWH, even his enemies, He causes to be at peace with him.
When our behavior pleases Yahweh, he even causes our enemies to act peacefully toward us.
8 Better [is] a little with righteousness, Than abundance of increase without justice.
It is better to have a small amount of money that is earned honestly than to have a lot of money that is acquired dishonestly.
9 The heart of man devises his way, And YHWH establishes his step.
People plan what they want to do, but Yahweh directs/determines what they will [really] be able to do.
10 An oath [is] on the lips of a king, In judgment his mouth does not trespass.
[If] God directs what a king says, what he decides is [always] right/fair.
11 A just beam and balances [are] YHWH’s, All the stones of the bag [are] His work.
Yahweh wants us to use scales that are correct; the weights in his bag are correct, [because] he made them.
12 Doing wickedness [is] an abomination to kings, For a throne is established by righteousness.
Kings detest those who do evil, because [it is people doing what] is fair/right that causes their governments to be [MTY] strong.
13 Righteous lips [are] the delight of kings, And he loves whoever is speaking uprightly,
Kings are delighted to hear people say [MTY] what is true; they love those who say what is right/honest.
14 The fury of a king [is] messengers of death, And a wise man pacifies it.
If a king becomes angry, he [may] command that someone be executed, [so] wise people will [try to] cause him to be calm.
15 In the light of a king’s face [is] life, And his goodwill [is] as a cloud of the spring rain.
If a king has a smile [MTY] on his face, he will enable people to have a [long] life (OR, he will not order people to be executed); his being pleased [with people] is [as delightful] as rain in the springtime [when seeds are planted].
16 To get wisdom—how much better than gold, And to get understanding—to be chosen [more] than silver!
Becoming wise is better than aquiring gold; getting good understanding/insight is better than acquiring silver.
17 A highway of the upright [is] to turn from evil, Whoever is preserving his soul is watching his way.
Those whose behavior [MET] is good/right turn away from doing evil; those who guard their conduct [MTY] protect their lives.
18 Pride [is] before destruction, And before stumbling—a haughty spirit.
Being proud will (lead to your having/cause you to have) disasters; despising others will result in your being ruined.
19 Better is humility of spirit with the poor, Than to apportion spoil with the proud.
It is better to be humble and poor than [to associate with] proud [people] and [to become rich by] dividing with them (plunder/goods captured in a battle).
20 The wise in any matter finds good, And whoever is trusting in YHWH, O his blessedness.
Those who heed good teaching/instruction will prosper; happy are those who trust in Yahweh.
21 For the wise in heart is called intelligent, And sweetness of lips increases learning.
People say that those who are wise learn what is right/good behavior, and those who talk pleasantly [are able to] influence others [to do what is right].
22 Understanding [is] a fountain of life to its possessors, The instruction of fools is folly.
Being wise is [like having] a fountain that gives life [MET], but foolish people are punished as a result of their acting foolishly.
23 The heart of the wise causes his mouth to act wisely, And he increases learning by his lips,
Those who are wise think carefully before they talk, and as a result they are able to influence/persuade others [to do what is right].
24 Sayings of pleasantness [are] a honeycomb, Sweet to the soul, and healing to the bone.
Kind words are like honey [SIM]: We enjoy them both, and both cause our bodies to be healthy/strong.
25 There is a way right before a man, And its latter end—ways of death.
There are some kinds of behavior [MET] that people think are right, but (walking on those roads [MET]/continually doing those things) causes those people to die.
26 A laboring man has labored for himself, For his mouth has caused [him] to bend over it.
If a worker (has an appetite/is hungry), that urges him to work hard because he [SYN] wants to [earn money to buy things to] eat.
27 A worthless man is preparing evil, And on his lips [is] as a burning fire.
Worthless people plan [ways to cause] trouble [for others], and [even] what they say [injures people] like a hot fire does [SIM].
28 A contrary man sends forth contention, A tale-bearer is separating a familiar friend.
Deceitful people cause strife/quarreling among other people; those who say false things about other people cause people who are friends to become enemies.
29 A violent man entices his neighbor, And causes him to go in a way [that is] not good.
Those who act violently entice/encourage others [to also act violently] and lead them along a road that will end in disaster.
30 Consulting his eyes to devise contrary things, Moving his lips he has accomplished evil.
People [sometimes] show with [one of] their eyes [to signal to their friends that they are] planning to do something to harm [others]; they smirk when they are about to do something evil.
31 Grey hairs [are] a crown of beauty, It is found in the way of righteousness.
Gray hair is [like] a glorious crown [MET] that is given to people who have always behaved righteously.
32 Better [is] the [one] slow to anger than the mighty, And the ruler over his spirit than he who is taking a city.
Those who do not become angry quickly are better than those who are powerful; it is better to (control your temper/keep yourself from becoming very angry) than to conquer a city.
33 The lot is cast into the center, And all its judgment [is] from YHWH!
People (cast lots/throw marked stones) [to decide what should be done], but God is the one who truly decides what will happen.
