מִשְׁלֵי 16

1 לְאָדָ֥ם מַֽעַרְכֵי־לֵ֑ב וּ֝מֵיְהוָ֗ה מַעֲנֵ֥ה לָשֽׁוֹן׃

Of man [are] arrangements of the heart, And from Jehovah an answer of the tongue.

2 כָּֽל־דַּרְכֵי־אִ֭ישׁ זַ֣ךְ בְּעֵינָ֑יו וְתֹכֵ֖ן רוּח֣וֹת יְהוָֽה׃

All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, And Jehovah is pondering the spirits.

3 גֹּ֣ל אֶל־יְהוָ֣ה מַעֲשֶׂ֑יךָ וְ֝יִכֹּ֗נוּ מַחְשְׁבֹתֶֽיךָ׃

Roll unto Jehovah thy works, And established are thy purposes,

4 כֹּ֤ל פָּעַ֣ל יְ֭הוָה לַֽמַּעֲנֵ֑הוּ וְגַם־רָ֝שָׁ֗ע לְי֣וֹם רָעָֽה׃

All things hath Jehovah wrought for Himself, And also the wicked [worketh] for a day of evil.

5 תּוֹעֲבַ֣ת יְ֭הוָה כָּל־גְּבַהּ־לֵ֑ב יָ֥ד לְ֝יָ֗ד לֹ֣א יִנָּקֶֽה׃

An abomination to Jehovah [is] every proud one of heart, Hand to hand he is not acquitted.

6 בְּחֶ֣סֶד וֶ֭אֱמֶת יְכֻפַּ֣ר עָוֺ֑ן וּבְיִרְאַ֥ת יְ֝הוָ֗ה ס֣וּר מֵרָֽע׃

In kindness and truth pardoned is iniquity, And in the fear of Jehovah Turn thou aside from evil.

7 בִּרְצ֣וֹת יְ֭הוָה דַּרְכֵי־אִ֑ישׁ גַּם־א֝וֹיְבָ֗יו יַשְׁלִ֥ם אִתּֽוֹ׃

When a man's ways please Jehovah, even his enemies, He causeth to be at peace with him.

8 טוֹב־מְ֭עַט בִּצְדָקָ֑ה מֵרֹ֥ב תְּ֝בוּא֗וֹת בְּלֹ֣א מִשְׁפָּֽט׃

Better [is] a little with righteousness, Than abundance of increase without justice.

9 לֵ֣ב אָ֭דָם יְחַשֵּׁ֣ב דַּרְכּ֑וֹ וַֽ֝יהוָ֗ה יָכִ֥ין צַעֲדֽוֹ׃

The heart of man deviseth his way, And Jehovah establisheth his step.

10 קֶ֤סֶם ׀ עַֽל־שִׂפְתֵי ־מֶ֑לֶךְ בְּ֝מִשְׁפָּ֗ט לֹ֣א יִמְעַל־פִּֽיו׃

An oath [is] on the lips of a king, In judgment his mouth trespasseth not.

11 פֶּ֤לֶס ׀ וּמֹאזְנֵ֣י מִ֭שְׁפָּט לַֽיהוָ֑ה מַ֝עֲשֵׂ֗הוּ כָּל־אַבְנֵי־כִֽיס׃

A just beam and balances [are] Jehovah's, His work [are] all the stones of the bag.

12 תּוֹעֲבַ֣ת מְ֭לָכִים עֲשׂ֣וֹת רֶ֑שַׁע כִּ֥י בִ֝צְדָקָ֗ה יִכּ֥וֹן כִּסֵּֽא׃

An abomination to kings [is] doing wickedness, For by righteousness is a throne established.

13 רְצ֣וֹן מְ֭לָכִים שִׂפְתֵי־צֶ֑דֶק וְדֹבֵ֖ר יְשָׁרִ֣ים יֶאֱהָֽב׃

The delight of kings [are] righteous lips, And whoso is speaking uprightly he loveth,

14 חֲמַת־מֶ֥לֶךְ מַלְאֲכֵי־מָ֑וֶת וְאִ֖ישׁ חָכָ֣ם יְכַפְּרֶֽנָּה׃

The fury of a king [is] messengers of death, And a wise man pacifieth it.

15 בְּאוֹר־פְּנֵי־מֶ֥לֶךְ חַיִּ֑ים וּ֝רְצוֹנ֗וֹ כְּעָ֣ב מַלְקֽוֹשׁ׃

In the light of a king's face [is] life, And his good-will [is] as a cloud of the latter rain.

16 קְֽנֹה־חָכְמָ֗ה מַה־טּ֥וֹב מֵחָר֑וּץ וּקְנ֥וֹת בִּ֝ינָ֗ה נִבְחָ֥ר מִכָּֽסֶף׃

To get wisdom — how much better than gold, And to get understanding to be chosen than silver!

17 מְסִלַּ֣ת יְ֭שָׁרִים ס֣וּר מֵרָ֑ע שֹׁמֵ֥ר נַ֝פְשׁ֗וֹ נֹצֵ֥ר דַּרְכּֽוֹ׃

A highway of the upright [is], 'Turn from evil,' Whoso is preserving his soul is watching his way.

18 לִפְנֵי־שֶׁ֥בֶר גָּא֑וֹן וְלִפְנֵ֥י כִ֝שָּׁל֗וֹן גֹּ֣בַהּ רֽוּחַ׃

Before destruction [is] pride, And before stumbling — a haughty spirit.'

19 ט֣וֹב שְׁפַל־ר֭וּחַ אֶת־עניים מֵֽחַלֵּ֥ק שָׁ֝לָ֗ל אֶת־גֵּאִֽים׃

Better is humility of spirit with the poor, Than to apportion spoil with the proud.

20 מַשְׂכִּ֣יל עַל־דָּ֭בָר יִמְצָא־ט֑וֹב וּבוֹטֵ֖חַ בַּיהוָ֣ה אַשְׁרָֽיו׃

The wise in any matter findeth good, And whoso is trusting in Jehovah, O his happiness.

21 לַחֲכַם־לֵ֭ב יִקָּרֵ֣א נָב֑וֹן וּמֶ֥תֶק שְׂ֝פָתַ֗יִם יֹסִ֥יף לֶֽקַח׃

To the wise in heart is called, 'Intelligent,' And sweetness of lips increaseth learning.

22 מְק֣וֹר חַ֭יִּים שֵׂ֣כֶל בְּעָלָ֑יו וּמוּסַ֖ר אֱוִלִ֣ים אִוֶּֽלֶת׃

A fountain of life [is] understanding to its possessors, The instruction of fools is folly.

23 לֵ֣ב חָ֭כָם יַשְׂכִּ֣יל פִּ֑יהוּ וְעַל־שְׂ֝פָתָ֗יו יֹסִ֥יף לֶֽקַח׃

The heart of the wise causeth his mouth to act wisely, And by his lips he increaseth learning,

24 צוּף־דְּ֭בַשׁ אִמְרֵי־נֹ֑עַם מָת֥וֹק לַ֝נֶּפֶשׁ וּמַרְפֵּ֥א לָעָֽצֶם׃

Sayings of pleasantness [are] a honeycomb, Sweet to the soul, and healing to the bone.

25 יֵ֤שׁ דֶּ֣רֶךְ יָ֭שָׁר לִפְנֵי־אִ֑ישׁ וְ֝אַחֲרִיתָ֗הּ דַּרְכֵי־מָֽוֶת ׃

There is a way right before a man, And its latter end — ways of death.

26 נֶ֣פֶשׁ עָ֭מֵל עָ֣מְלָה לּ֑וֹ כִּֽי־אָכַ֖ף עָלָ֣יו פִּֽיהוּ׃

A labouring man hath laboured for himself, For his mouth hath caused [him] to bend over it.

27 אִ֣ישׁ בְּ֭לִיַּעַל כֹּרֶ֣ה רָעָ֑ה וְעַל־שפתיו כְּאֵ֣שׁ צָרָֽבֶת׃

A worthless man is preparing evil, And on his lips — as a burning fire.

28 אִ֣ישׁ תַּ֭הְפֻּכוֹת יְשַׁלַּ֣ח מָד֑וֹן וְ֝נִרְגָּ֗ן מַפְרִ֥יד אַלּֽוּף׃

A froward man sendeth forth contention, A tale-bearer is separating a familiar friend.

29 אִ֣ישׁ חָ֭מָס יְפַתֶּ֣ה רֵעֵ֑הוּ וְ֝הוֹלִיכ֗וֹ בְּדֶ֣רֶךְ לֹא־טֽוֹב׃

A violent man enticeth his neighbour, And hath causeth him to go in a way not good.

30 עֹצֶ֣ה עֵ֭ינָיו לַחְשֹׁ֣ב תַּהְפֻּכ֑וֹת קֹרֵ֥ץ שְׂ֝פָתָ֗יו כִּלָּ֥ה רָעָֽה׃

Consulting his eyes to devise froward things, Moving his lips he hath accomplished evil.

31 עֲטֶ֣רֶת תִּפְאֶ֣רֶת שֵׂיבָ֑ה בְּדֶ֥רֶךְ צְ֝דָקָ֗ה תִּמָּצֵֽא׃

A crown of beauty [are] grey hairs, In the way of righteousness it is found.

32 ט֤וֹב אֶ֣רֶךְ אַ֭פַּיִם מִגִּבּ֑וֹר וּמֹשֵׁ֥ל בְּ֝רוּח֗וֹ מִלֹּכֵ֥ד עִֽיר׃

Better [is] the slow to anger than the mighty, And the ruler over his spirit than he who is taking a city.

33 בַּ֭חֵיק יוּטַ֣ל אֶת־הַגּוֹרָ֑ל וּ֝מֵיְהוָ֗ה כָּל־מִשְׁפָּטֽוֹ ׃

Into the centre is the lot cast, And from Jehovah [is] all its judgment!