< Proverbs 16 >

1 The plans of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the LORD.
לְאָדָם מַעַרְכֵי־לֵב וּמֵיְהֹוָה מַעֲנֵה לָשֽׁוֹן׃
2 All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes, but the LORD weighs the motives.
כׇּֽל־דַּרְכֵי־אִישׁ זַךְ בְּעֵינָיו וְתֹכֵן רוּחוֹת יְהֹוָֽה׃
3 Commit your deeds to the LORD, and your plans shall succeed.
גֹּל אֶל־יְהֹוָה מַעֲשֶׂיךָ וְיִכֹּנוּ מַחְשְׁבֹתֶֽיךָ׃
4 The LORD has made everything for its own end— yes, even the wicked for the day of evil.
כֹּל פָּעַל יְהֹוָה לַֽמַּעֲנֵהוּ וְגַם־רָשָׁע לְיוֹם רָעָֽה׃
5 Everyone who is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD; they shall certainly not be unpunished.
תּוֹעֲבַת יְהֹוָה כׇּל־גְּבַהּ־לֵב יָד לְיָד לֹא יִנָּקֶֽה׃
6 By mercy and truth iniquity is atoned for. By the fear of the LORD men depart from evil.
בְּחֶסֶד וֶאֱמֶת יְכֻפַּר עָוֺן וּבְיִרְאַת יְהֹוָה סוּר מֵרָֽע׃
7 When a man’s ways please the LORD, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.
בִּרְצוֹת יְהֹוָה דַּרְכֵי־אִישׁ גַּם־אוֹיְבָיו יַשְׁלִם אִתּֽוֹ׃
8 Better is a little with righteousness, than great revenues with injustice.
טוֹב־מְעַט בִּצְדָקָה מֵרֹב תְּבוּאוֹת בְּלֹא מִשְׁפָּֽט׃
9 A man’s heart plans his course, but the LORD directs his steps.
לֵב אָדָם יְחַשֵּׁב דַּרְכּוֹ וַיהֹוָה יָכִין צַעֲדֽוֹ׃
10 Inspired judgements are on the lips of the king. He shall not betray his mouth.
קֶסֶם ׀ עַֽל־שִׂפְתֵי־מֶלֶךְ בְּמִשְׁפָּט לֹא יִמְעַל־פִּֽיו׃
11 Honest balances and scales are the LORD’s; all the weights in the bag are his work.
פֶּלֶס ׀ וּמֹאזְנֵי מִשְׁפָּט לַיהֹוָה מַעֲשֵׂהוּ כׇּל־אַבְנֵי־כִֽיס׃
12 It is an abomination for kings to do wrong, for the throne is established by righteousness.
תּוֹעֲבַת מְלָכִים עֲשׂוֹת רֶשַׁע כִּי בִצְדָקָה יִכּוֹן כִּסֵּֽא׃
13 Righteous lips are the delight of kings. They value one who speaks the truth.
רְצוֹן מְלָכִים שִׂפְתֵי־צֶדֶק וְדֹבֵר יְשָׁרִים יֶאֱהָֽב׃
14 The king’s wrath is a messenger of death, but a wise man will pacify it.
חֲמַת־מֶלֶךְ מַלְאֲכֵי־מָוֶת וְאִישׁ חָכָם יְכַפְּרֶֽנָּה׃
15 In the light of the king’s face is life. His favour is like a cloud of the spring rain.
בְּאוֹר־פְּנֵי־מֶלֶךְ חַיִּים וּרְצוֹנוֹ כְּעָב מַלְקֽוֹשׁ׃
16 How much better it is to get wisdom than gold! Yes, to get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.
קְֽנֹה־חׇכְמָה מַה־טּוֹב מֵחָרוּץ וּקְנוֹת בִּינָה נִבְחָר מִכָּֽסֶף׃
17 The highway of the upright is to depart from evil. He who keeps his way preserves his soul.
מְסִלַּת יְשָׁרִים סוּר מֵרָע שֹׁמֵר נַפְשׁוֹ נֹצֵר דַּרְכּֽוֹ׃
18 Pride goes before destruction, and an arrogant spirit before a fall.
לִפְנֵי־שֶׁבֶר גָּאוֹן וְלִפְנֵי כִשָּׁלוֹן גֹּבַהּ רֽוּחַ׃
19 It is better to be of a lowly spirit with the poor, than to divide the plunder with the proud.
טוֹב שְׁפַל־רוּחַ אֶת־[עֲנָוִים] (עניים) מֵחַלֵּק שָׁלָל אֶת־גֵּאִֽים׃
20 He who heeds the Word finds prosperity. Whoever trusts in the LORD is blessed.
מַשְׂכִּיל עַל־דָּבָר יִמְצָא־טוֹב וּבוֹטֵחַ בַּיהֹוָה אַשְׁרָֽיו׃
21 The wise in heart shall be called prudent. Pleasantness of the lips promotes instruction.
לַֽחֲכַם־לֵב יִקָּרֵא נָבוֹן וּמֶתֶק שְׂפָתַיִם יֹסִיף לֶֽקַח׃
22 Understanding is a fountain of life to one who has it, but the punishment of fools is their folly.
מְקוֹר חַיִּים שֵׂכֶל בְּעָלָיו וּמוּסַר אֱוִלִים אִוֶּֽלֶת׃
23 The heart of the wise instructs his mouth, and adds learning to his lips.
לֵב חָכָם יַשְׂכִּיל פִּיהוּ וְעַל־שְׂפָתָיו יֹסִיף לֶֽקַח׃
24 Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.
צוּף־דְּבַשׁ אִמְרֵי־נֹעַם מָתוֹק לַנֶּפֶשׁ וּמַרְפֵּא לָעָֽצֶם׃
25 There is a way which seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.
יֵשׁ דֶּרֶךְ יָשָׁר לִפְנֵי־אִישׁ וְאַחֲרִיתָהּ דַּרְכֵי־מָֽוֶת׃
26 The appetite of the labouring man labours for him, for his mouth urges him on.
נֶפֶשׁ עָמֵל עָמְלָה לּוֹ כִּֽי־אָכַף עָלָיו פִּֽיהוּ׃
27 A worthless man devises mischief. His speech is like a scorching fire.
אִישׁ בְּלִיַּעַל כֹּרֶה רָעָה וְעַל־[שְׂפָתוֹ] (שפתיו) כְּאֵשׁ צָרָֽבֶת׃
28 A perverse man stirs up strife. A whisperer separates close friends.
אִישׁ תַּהְפֻּכוֹת יְשַׁלַּח מָדוֹן וְנִרְגָּן מַפְרִיד אַלּֽוּף׃
29 A man of violence entices his neighbour, and leads him in a way that is not good.
אִישׁ חָמָס יְפַתֶּה רֵעֵהוּ וְהוֹלִיכוֹ בְּדֶרֶךְ לֹא־טֽוֹב׃
30 One who winks his eyes to plot perversities, one who compresses his lips, is bent on evil.
עֹצֶה עֵינָיו לַחְשֹׁב תַּהְפֻּכוֹת קֹרֵץ שְׂפָתָיו כִּלָּה רָעָֽה׃
31 Grey hair is a crown of glory. It is attained by a life of righteousness.
עֲטֶרֶת תִּפְאֶרֶת שֵׂיבָה בְּדֶרֶךְ צְדָקָה תִּמָּצֵֽא׃
32 One who is slow to anger is better than the mighty; one who rules his spirit, than he who takes a city.
טוֹב אֶרֶךְ אַפַּיִם מִגִּבּוֹר וּמֹשֵׁל בְּרוּחוֹ מִלֹּכֵד עִֽיר׃
33 The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD.
בַּחֵיק יוּטַל אֶת־הַגּוֹרָל וּמֵיְהֹוָה כׇּל־מִשְׁפָּטֽוֹ׃

< Proverbs 16 >