מִשְׁלֵי 16

1 לְאָדָם מַֽעַרְכֵי־לֵב וּמֵיְהוָה מַעֲנֵה לָשֽׁוֹן׃

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

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

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

3 גֹּל אֶל־יְהוָה מַעֲשֶׂיךָ וְיִכֹּנוּ מַחְשְׁבֹתֶֽיךָ׃

Commit your deeds to Yahweh, and your plans shall succeed.

4 כֹּל פָּעַל יְהוָה לַֽמַּעֲנֵהוּ וְגַם־רָשָׁע לְיוֹם רָעָֽה׃

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

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

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

6 בְּחֶסֶד וֶאֱמֶת יְכֻפַּר עָוֺן וּבְיִרְאַת יְהוָה סוּר מֵרָֽע׃

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

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

When a man’s ways please Yahweh, 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 וַֽיהוָה יָכִין צַעֲדֽוֹ׃

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

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

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

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

Honest balances and scales are Yahweh’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 favor is like a cloud of the spring rain.

16 קְֽנֹה־חָכְמָה 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־עניים עֲנָוִים מֵֽחַלֵּק 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 בַּיהוָה אַשְׁרָֽיו׃

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

21 לַחֲכַם־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 laboring man labors for him, for his mouth urges him on.

27 אִישׁ בְּלִיַּעַל כֹּרֶה רָעָה וְעַל־שפתיו שְׂפָתוֹ 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 neighbor, 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׃

Gray 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 וּמֵיְהוָה כָּל־מִשְׁפָּטֽוֹ׃

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