< מִשְׁלֵי 16 >
לְאָדָ֥ם מַֽעַרְכֵי־לֵ֑ב וּ֝מֵיְהוָ֗ה מַעֲנֵ֥ה לָשֹֽׁון׃ | 1 |
Human beings may make plans in their minds, but the final decision is the Lord's.
כָּֽל־דַּרְכֵי־אִ֭ישׁ זַ֣ךְ בְּעֵינָ֑יו וְתֹכֵ֖ן רוּחֹ֣ות יְהוָֽה׃ | 2 |
People think that whatever they do is fine, but the Lord looks at their intentions.
גֹּ֣ל אֶל־יְהוָ֣ה מַעֲשֶׂ֑יךָ וְ֝יִכֹּ֗נוּ מַחְשְׁבֹתֶֽיךָ׃ | 3 |
Trust whatever you do to the Lord, and your plans will be successful.
כֹּ֤ל פָּעַ֣ל יְ֭הוָה לַֽמַּעֲנֵ֑הוּ וְגַם־רָ֝שָׁ֗ע לְיֹ֣ום רָעָֽה׃ | 4 |
The Lord has a purpose in everything he does, even the wicked for the day of trouble.
תֹּועֲבַ֣ת יְ֭הוָה כָּל־גְּבַהּ־לֵ֑ב יָ֥ד לְ֝יָ֗ד לֹ֣א יִנָּקֶֽה׃ | 5 |
The Lord hates the arrogant. You can be certain of this: the wicked won't go unpunished.
בְּחֶ֣סֶד וֶ֭אֱמֶת יְכֻפַּ֣ר עָוֹ֑ן וּבְיִרְאַ֥ת יְ֝הוָ֗ה ס֣וּר מֵרָֽע׃ | 6 |
Sin is forgiven through trustworthy love and faithfulness; by honoring the Lord people are saved from evil.
בִּרְצֹ֣ות יְ֭הוָה דַּרְכֵי־אִ֑ישׁ גַּם־אֹ֝ויְבָ֗יו יַשְׁלִ֥ם אִתֹּֽו׃ | 7 |
When the way that people live pleases the Lord, he makes even their enemies be at peace with them.
טֹוב־מְ֭עַט בִּצְדָקָ֑ה מֵרֹ֥ב תְּ֝בוּאֹ֗ות בְּלֹ֣א מִשְׁפָּֽט׃ | 8 |
Better to have just a little and be honest than to have a lot and be dishonest.
לֵ֣ב אָ֭דָם יְחַשֵּׁ֣ב דַּרְכֹּ֑ו וַֽ֝יהוָ֗ה יָכִ֥ין צַעֲדֹֽו׃ | 9 |
You can plan in your mind what to do, but the Lord will guide you.
קֶ֤סֶם ׀ עַֽל־שִׂפְתֵי־מֶ֑לֶךְ בְּ֝מִשְׁפָּ֗ט לֹ֣א יִמְעַל־פִּֽיו׃ | 10 |
The king is inspired in what he says; he is not unreliable in his decisions.
פֶּ֤לֶס ׀ וּמֹאזְנֵ֣י מִ֭שְׁפָּט לַֽיהוָ֑ה מַ֝עֲשֵׂ֗הוּ כָּל־אַבְנֵי־כִֽיס׃ | 11 |
Accurate scales and balances are important to the Lord. He has determined all the weights in the bag.
תֹּועֲבַ֣ת מְ֭לָכִים עֲשֹׂ֣ות רֶ֑שַׁע כִּ֥י בִ֝צְדָקָ֗ה יִכֹּ֥ון כִּסֵּֽא׃ | 12 |
It's a terrible thing for a king to do evil, for his throne is based on doing right.
רְצֹ֣ון מְ֭לָכִים שִׂפְתֵי־צֶ֑דֶק וְדֹבֵ֖ר יְשָׁרִ֣ים יֶאֱהָֽב׃ | 13 |
People who tell the truth please kings; they love those who say what is right.
חֲמַת־מֶ֥לֶךְ מַלְאֲכֵי־מָ֑וֶת וְאִ֖ישׁ חָכָ֣ם יְכַפְּרֶֽנָּה׃ | 14 |
An angry king can put you to death. If you're wise you'll try and calm him down.
בְּאֹור־פְּנֵי־מֶ֥לֶךְ חַיִּ֑ים וּ֝רְצֹונֹ֗ו כְּעָ֣ב מַלְקֹֽושׁ׃ | 15 |
If the king is smiling, you'll live; his blessing is like the clouds that bring spring rain.
קְֽנֹה־חָכְמָ֗ה מַה־טֹּ֥וב מֵחָר֑וּץ וּקְנֹ֥ות בִּ֝ינָ֗ה נִבְחָ֥ר מִכָּֽסֶף׃ | 16 |
Far better to get wisdom than gold; far better to choose knowledge than silver.
מְסִלַּ֣ת יְ֭שָׁרִים ס֣וּר מֵרָ֑ע שֹׁמֵ֥ר נַ֝פְשֹׁ֗ו נֹצֵ֥ר דַּרְכֹּֽו׃ | 17 |
The highway of the good leads away from evil. If you watch where you're going you'll save your life.
לִפְנֵי־שֶׁ֥בֶר גָּאֹ֑ון וְלִפְנֵ֥י כִ֝שָּׁלֹ֗ון גֹּ֣בַהּ רֽוּחַ׃ | 18 |
Pride leads to destruction; and an arrogant spirit leads to a fall.
טֹ֣וב שְׁפַל־ר֭וּחַ אֶת־עֲנִיִּים (עֲנָוִ֑ים) מֵֽחַלֵּ֥ק שָׁ֝לָ֗ל אֶת־גֵּאִֽים׃ | 19 |
Better to have a humble spirit and live with the poor than to share plunder with the proud.
מַשְׂכִּ֣יל עַל־דָּ֭בָר יִמְצָא־טֹ֑וב וּבֹוטֵ֖חַ בַּיהוָ֣ה אַשְׁרָֽיו׃ | 20 |
If you pay attention to wise instruction you will do well; you'll be happy if you trust in the Lord.
לַחֲכַם־לֵ֭ב יִקָּרֵ֣א נָבֹ֑ון וּמֶ֥תֶק שְׂ֝פָתַ֗יִם יֹסִ֥יף לֶֽקַח׃ | 21 |
If you think wisely you'll be called perceptive; if you speak pleasantly you'll be persuasive.
מְקֹ֣ור חַ֭יִּים שֵׂ֣כֶל בְּעָלָ֑יו וּמוּסַ֖ר אֱוִלִ֣ים אִוֶּֽלֶת׃ | 22 |
If you have good sense it will be a fountain of life to you, but stupid people are punished by their stupidity.
לֵ֣ב חָ֭כָם יַשְׂכִּ֣יל פִּ֑יהוּ וְעַל־שְׂ֝פָתָ֗יו יֹסִ֥יף לֶֽקַח׃ | 23 |
A wise mind makes sure to say sensible things; the words spoken are persuasive.
צוּף־דְּ֭בַשׁ אִמְרֵי־נֹ֑עַם מָתֹ֥וק לַ֝נֶּפֶשׁ וּמַרְפֵּ֥א לָעָֽצֶם׃ | 24 |
Kind words are like a honeycomb—they taste sweet and are healthy for the body.
יֵ֤שׁ דֶּ֣רֶךְ יָ֭שָׁר לִפְנֵי־אִ֑ישׁ וְ֝אַחֲרִיתָ֗הּ דַּרְכֵי־מָֽוֶת׃ | 25 |
There's a way that seems to be right, but in the end it's the way of death.
נֶ֣פֶשׁ עָ֭מֵל עָ֣מְלָה לֹּ֑ו כִּֽי־אָכַ֖ף עָלָ֣יו פִּֽיהוּ׃ | 26 |
A good appetite helps workers—hunger encourages them.
אִ֣ישׁ בְּ֭לִיַּעַל כֹּרֶ֣ה רָעָ֑ה וְעַל־שְׂפָתָיו (שְׂ֝פָתֹ֗ו) כְּאֵ֣שׁ צָרָֽבֶת׃ | 27 |
Worthless people plot evil and their words burn like fire.
אִ֣ישׁ תַּ֭הְפֻּכֹות יְשַׁלַּ֣ח מָדֹ֑ון וְ֝נִרְגָּ֗ן מַפְרִ֥יד אַלּֽוּף׃ | 28 |
Quarrelsome people cause conflict, and a gossip comes between the closest friends.
אִ֣ישׁ חָ֭מָס יְפַתֶּ֣ה רֵעֵ֑הוּ וְ֝הֹולִיכֹ֗ו בְּדֶ֣רֶךְ לֹא־טֹֽוב׃ | 29 |
Violent people lure their friends, and lead them in a direction that's not good for them.
עֹצֶ֣ה עֵ֭ינָיו לַחְשֹׁ֣ב תַּהְפֻּכֹ֑ות קֹרֵ֥ץ שְׂ֝פָתָ֗יו כִּלָּ֥ה רָעָֽה׃ | 30 |
People who give you a sly wink are plotting bad things; they purse their lips and make evil happen.
עֲטֶ֣רֶת תִּפְאֶ֣רֶת שֵׂיבָ֑ה בְּדֶ֥רֶךְ צְ֝דָקָ֗ה תִּמָּצֵֽא׃ | 31 |
Gray hair is a glorious crown; it's achieved by living right.
טֹ֤וב אֶ֣רֶךְ אַ֭פַּיִם מִגִּבֹּ֑ור וּמֹשֵׁ֥ל בְּ֝רוּחֹ֗ו מִלֹּכֵ֥ד עִֽיר׃ | 32 |
Better to be slow to anger than to be powerful, better to have self-control than to conquer a town.
בַּ֭חֵיק יוּטַ֣ל אֶת־הַגֹּורָ֑ל וּ֝מֵיְהוָ֗ה כָּל־מִשְׁפָּטֹֽו׃ | 33 |
The lot is thrown into the lap, but the Lord makes every decision.