מִשְׁלֵי 16

1 לְאָדָם מַֽעַרְכֵי־לֵב וּמֵיְהוָה מַעֲנֵה לָשֽׁוֹן׃

2 כָּֽל־דַּרְכֵי־אִישׁ זַךְ בְּעֵינָיו וְתֹכֵן רוּחוֹת יְהוָֽה׃

All the works of the humble [man] are manifest with God; but the ungodly shall perish in an evil day.

3 גֹּל אֶל־יְהוָה מַעֲשֶׂיךָ וְיִכֹּנוּ מַחְשְׁבֹתֶֽיךָ׃

4 כֹּל פָּעַל יְהוָה לַֽמַּעֲנֵהוּ וְגַם־רָשָׁע לְיוֹם רָעָֽה׃

5 תּוֹעֲבַת יְהוָה כָּל־גְּבַהּ־לֵב יָד לְיָד לֹא יִנָּקֶֽה׃

Every one that is proud in heart is unclean before God, and he that unjustly strikes hands with hand shall not be held guiltless. The beginning of a good way is to do justly; and it is more acceptable with God than to offer sacrifices. He that seeks the Lord shall find knowledge with righteousness: and they that rightly seek him shall find peace. All of the works of the Lord [are done] with righteousness; and the ungodly [man] is kept for the evil day.

6 בְּחֶסֶד וֶאֱמֶת יְכֻפַּר עָוֺן וּבְיִרְאַת יְהוָה סוּר מֵרָֽע׃

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

8 טוֹב־מְעַט בִּצְדָקָה מֵרֹב תְּבוּאוֹת בְּלֹא מִשְׁפָּֽט׃

9 לֵב אָדָם יְחַשֵּׁב דַּרְכּוֹ וַֽיהוָה יָכִין צַעֲדֽוֹ׃

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

[There is] an oracle upon the lips of a king; and his mouth shall not err in judgment.

11 פֶּלֶס ׀ וּמֹאזְנֵי מִשְׁפָּט לַֽיהוָה מַעֲשֵׂהוּ כָּל־אַבְנֵי־כִֽיס׃

The poise of the balance is righteousness with the Lord; and his works are righteous measures.

12 תּוֹעֲבַת מְלָכִים עֲשׂוֹת רֶשַׁע כִּי בִצְדָקָה יִכּוֹן כִּסֵּֽא׃

An evil-doer is an abomination to a king; for the throne of rule is established by righteousness.

13 רְצוֹן מְלָכִים שִׂפְתֵי־צֶדֶק וְדֹבֵר יְשָׁרִים יֶאֱהָֽב׃

Righteous lips are acceptable to a king; and he loves right words.

14 חֲמַת־מֶלֶךְ מַלְאֲכֵי־מָוֶת וְאִישׁ חָכָם יְכַפְּרֶֽנָּה׃

The anger of a king is a messenger of death; but a wise man will pacify him.

15 בְּאוֹר־פְּנֵי־מֶלֶךְ חַיִּים וּרְצוֹנוֹ כְּעָב מַלְקֽוֹשׁ׃

The son of a king is in the light of life; and they that are in favor with him are as a cloud of latter rain.

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

The brood of wisdom is more to be chosen than gold, and the brood of prudence more to be chosen than silver.

17 מְסִלַּת יְשָׁרִים סוּר מֵרָע שֹׁמֵר נַפְשׁוֹ נֹצֵר דַּרְכּֽוֹ׃

The paths of life turn aside from evil; and the ways of righteousness are length of life. He that receives instruction shall be in prosperity; and he that regards reproofs shall be made wise. He that keeps his ways, preserves his own soul; and he that loves his life will spare his mouth.

18 לִפְנֵי־שֶׁבֶר גָּאוֹן וְלִפְנֵי כִשָּׁלוֹן גֹּבַהּ רֽוּחַ׃

Pride goes before destruction, and folly before a fall.

19 טוֹב שְׁפַל־רוּחַ אֶת־עניים עֲנָוִים מֵֽחַלֵּק שָׁלָל אֶת־גֵּאִֽים׃

Better is a meek-spirited [man] with lowliness, than one who divides spoils with the proud.

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

[He who is] skillful in business finds good: but he that trusts in God is most blessed.

21 לַחֲכַם־לֵב יִקָּרֵא נָבוֹן וּמֶתֶק שְׂפָתַיִם יֹסִיף לֶֽקַח׃

[Men] call the wise and understanding evil: but they that are pleasing in speech shall hear more.

22 מְקוֹר חַיִּים שֵׂכֶל בְּעָלָיו וּמוּסַר אֱוִלִים אִוֶּֽלֶת׃

Understanding is a fountain of life to its possessors; but the instruction of fools is evil.

23 לֵב חָכָם יַשְׂכִּיל פִּיהוּ וְעַל־שְׂפָתָיו יֹסִיף לֶֽקַח׃

The heart of the wise will discern the [things which proceed] from his own mouth; and on his lips he will wear knowledge.

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

Good words are honeycombs, and the sweetness thereof is a healing of the soul.

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

There are ways that seem to be right to a man, but the end of them looks to the depth of hell. (questioned)

26 נֶפֶשׁ עָמֵל עָמְלָה לּוֹ כִּֽי־אָכַף עָלָיו פִּֽיהוּ׃

A man who labors, labors for himself, and drives from [him] his own ruin.

27 אִישׁ בְּלִיַּעַל כֹּרֶה רָעָה וְעַל־שפתיו שְׂפָתוֹ כְּאֵשׁ צָרָֽבֶת׃

But the perverse bears destruction upon his own mouth: a foolish man digs up evil for himself, and treasures fire on his own lips.

28 אִישׁ תַּהְפֻּכוֹת יְשַׁלַּח מָדוֹן וְנִרְגָּן מַפְרִיד אַלּֽוּף׃

A perverse man spreads mischief, and will kindle a torch of deceit with mischiefs; and he separates friends.

29 אִישׁ חָמָס יְפַתֶּה רֵעֵהוּ וְהוֹלִיכוֹ בְּדֶרֶךְ לֹא־טֽוֹב׃

A transgressor tries [to ensnare] friends, and leads them in ways [that are] not good.

30 עֹצֶה עֵינָיו לַחְשֹׁב תַּהְפֻּכוֹת קֹרֵץ שְׂפָתָיו כִּלָּה רָעָֽה׃

And the man that fixes his eyes devises perverse things, and marks out with his lips all evil: he is a furnace of wickedness.

31 עֲטֶרֶת תִּפְאֶרֶת שֵׂיבָה בְּדֶרֶךְ צְדָקָה תִּמָּצֵֽא׃

Old age is a crown of honor, but it is found in the ways of righteousness.

32 טוֹב אֶרֶךְ אַפַּיִם מִגִּבּוֹר וּמֹשֵׁל בְּרוּחוֹ מִלֹּכֵד עִֽיר׃

A man slow to anger is better than a strong [man]; and he that governs [his] temper better than he that takes a city.

33 בַּחֵיק יוּטַל אֶת־הַגּוֹרָל וּמֵיְהוָה כָּל־מִשְׁפָּטֽוֹ׃

All [evils] come upon the ungodly into [their] bosoms; but all righteous things [come] of the Lord.