מִשְׁלֵי 16

1 לְאָדָם מַעַרְכֵי־לֵב וּמֵיְהֹוָה מַעֲנֵה לָשֽׁוֹן׃

The plans of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the LORD.

2 כׇּֽל־דַּרְכֵי־אִישׁ זַךְ בְּעֵינָיו וְתֹכֵן רוּחוֹת יְהֹוָֽה׃

All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes, but the LORD weighs the motives.

3 גֹּל אֶל־יְהֹוָה מַעֲשֶׂיךָ וְיִכֹּנוּ מַחְשְׁבֹתֶֽיךָ׃

Commit your deeds to the LORD, and your plans shall succeed.

4 כֹּל פָּעַל יְהֹוָה לַֽמַּעֲנֵהוּ וְגַם־רָשָׁע לְיוֹם רָעָֽה׃

The LORD has made everything for its own end— yes, even the wicked for the day of evil.

5 תּוֹעֲבַת יְהֹוָה כׇּל־גְּבַהּ־לֵב יָד לְיָד לֹא יִנָּקֶֽה׃

Everyone who is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD; they shall certainly not be unpunished.

6 בְּחֶסֶד וֶאֱמֶת יְכֻפַּר עָוֺן וּבְיִרְאַת יְהֹוָה סוּר מֵרָֽע׃

By mercy and truth iniquity is atoned for. By the fear of the LORD men depart from evil.

7 בִּרְצוֹת יְהֹוָה דַּרְכֵי־אִישׁ גַּם־אוֹיְבָיו יַשְׁלִם אִתּֽוֹ׃

When a man’s ways please the LORD, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.

8 טוֹב־מְעַט בִּצְדָקָה מֵרֹב תְּבוּאוֹת בְּלֹא מִשְׁפָּֽט׃

Better is a little with righteousness, than great revenues with injustice.

9 לֵב אָדָם יְחַשֵּׁב דַּרְכּוֹ וַיהֹוָה יָכִין צַעֲדֽוֹ׃

A man’s heart plans his course, but the LORD directs his steps.

10 קֶסֶם ׀ עַֽל־שִׂפְתֵי־מֶלֶךְ בְּמִשְׁפָּט לֹא יִמְעַל־פִּֽיו׃

Inspired judgements are on the lips of the king. He shall not betray his mouth.

11 פֶּלֶס ׀ וּמֹאזְנֵי מִשְׁפָּט לַיהֹוָה מַעֲשֵׂהוּ כׇּל־אַבְנֵי־כִֽיס׃

Honest balances and scales are the LORD’s; all the weights in the bag are his work.

12 תּוֹעֲבַת מְלָכִים עֲשׂוֹת רֶשַׁע כִּי בִצְדָקָה יִכּוֹן כִּסֵּֽא׃

It is an abomination for kings to do wrong, for the throne is established by righteousness.

13 רְצוֹן מְלָכִים שִׂפְתֵי־צֶדֶק וְדֹבֵר יְשָׁרִים יֶאֱהָֽב׃

Righteous lips are the delight of kings. They value one who speaks the truth.

14 חֲמַת־מֶלֶךְ מַלְאֲכֵי־מָוֶת וְאִישׁ חָכָם יְכַפְּרֶֽנָּה׃

The king’s wrath is a messenger of death, but a wise man will pacify it.

15 בְּאוֹר־פְּנֵי־מֶלֶךְ חַיִּים וּרְצוֹנוֹ כְּעָב מַלְקֽוֹשׁ׃

In the light of the king’s face is life. His favour is like a cloud of the spring rain.

16 קְֽנֹה־חׇכְמָה מַה־טּוֹב מֵחָרוּץ וּקְנוֹת בִּינָה נִבְחָר מִכָּֽסֶף׃

How much better it is to get wisdom than gold! Yes, to get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.

17 מְסִלַּת יְשָׁרִים סוּר מֵרָע שֹׁמֵר נַפְשׁוֹ נֹצֵר דַּרְכּֽוֹ׃

The highway of the upright is to depart from evil. He who keeps his way preserves his soul.

18 לִפְנֵי־שֶׁבֶר גָּאוֹן וְלִפְנֵי כִשָּׁלוֹן גֹּבַהּ רֽוּחַ׃

Pride goes before destruction, and an arrogant spirit before a fall.

19 טוֹב שְׁפַל־רוּחַ אֶת־[עֲנָוִים] (עניים) מֵחַלֵּק שָׁלָל אֶת־גֵּאִֽים׃

It is better to be of a lowly spirit with the poor, than to divide the plunder with the proud.

20 מַשְׂכִּיל עַל־דָּבָר יִמְצָא־טוֹב וּבוֹטֵחַ בַּיהֹוָה אַשְׁרָֽיו׃

He who heeds the Word finds prosperity. Whoever trusts in the LORD is blessed.

21 לַֽחֲכַם־לֵב יִקָּרֵא נָבוֹן וּמֶתֶק שְׂפָתַיִם יֹסִיף לֶֽקַח׃

The wise in heart shall be called prudent. Pleasantness of the lips promotes instruction.

22 מְקוֹר חַיִּים שֵׂכֶל בְּעָלָיו וּמוּסַר אֱוִלִים אִוֶּֽלֶת׃

Understanding is a fountain of life to one who has it, but the punishment of fools is their folly.

23 לֵב חָכָם יַשְׂכִּיל פִּיהוּ וְעַל־שְׂפָתָיו יֹסִיף לֶֽקַח׃

The heart of the wise instructs his mouth, and adds learning to his lips.

24 צוּף־דְּבַשׁ אִמְרֵי־נֹעַם מָתוֹק לַנֶּפֶשׁ וּמַרְפֵּא לָעָֽצֶם׃

Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.

25 יֵשׁ דֶּרֶךְ יָשָׁר לִפְנֵי־אִישׁ וְאַחֲרִיתָהּ דַּרְכֵי־מָֽוֶת׃

There is a way which seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.

26 נֶפֶשׁ עָמֵל עָמְלָה לּוֹ כִּֽי־אָכַף עָלָיו פִּֽיהוּ׃

The appetite of the labouring man labours for him, for his mouth urges him on.

27 אִישׁ בְּלִיַּעַל כֹּרֶה רָעָה וְעַל־[שְׂפָתוֹ] (שפתיו) כְּאֵשׁ צָרָֽבֶת׃

A worthless man devises mischief. His speech is like a scorching fire.

28 אִישׁ תַּהְפֻּכוֹת יְשַׁלַּח מָדוֹן וְנִרְגָּן מַפְרִיד אַלּֽוּף׃

A perverse man stirs up strife. A whisperer separates close friends.

29 אִישׁ חָמָס יְפַתֶּה רֵעֵהוּ וְהוֹלִיכוֹ בְּדֶרֶךְ לֹא־טֽוֹב׃

A man of violence entices his neighbour, and leads him in a way that is not good.

30 עֹצֶה עֵינָיו לַחְשֹׁב תַּהְפֻּכוֹת קֹרֵץ שְׂפָתָיו כִּלָּה רָעָֽה׃

One who winks his eyes to plot perversities, one who compresses his lips, is bent on evil.

31 עֲטֶרֶת תִּפְאֶרֶת שֵׂיבָה בְּדֶרֶךְ צְדָקָה תִּמָּצֵֽא׃

Grey hair is a crown of glory. It is attained by a life of righteousness.

32 טוֹב אֶרֶךְ אַפַּיִם מִגִּבּוֹר וּמֹשֵׁל בְּרוּחוֹ מִלֹּכֵד עִֽיר׃

One who is slow to anger is better than the mighty; one who rules his spirit, than he who takes a city.

33 בַּחֵיק יוּטַל אֶת־הַגּוֹרָל וּמֵיְהֹוָה כׇּל־מִשְׁפָּטֽוֹ׃

The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD.