Proverbs, 16
1. A human heart makes the plans, Yahweh gives the answer.
1. The plans of the mind belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the LORD.
2. A person's own acts seem right to the doer, but Yahweh is the weigher of souls.
2. All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the LORD weighs the spirit.
3. Commend what you do to Yahweh, and what you plan will be achieved.
3. Commit your work to the LORD, and your plans will be established.
4. Yahweh made everything for its own purpose, yes, even the wicked for the day of disaster.
4. The LORD has made everything for its purpose, even the wicked for the day of trouble.
5. Every arrogant heart is abhorrent to Yahweh: be sure this will not go unpunished.
5. Every one who is arrogant is an abomination to the LORD; be assured, he will not go unpunished.
6. By faithful love and constancy sin is expiated; by fear of Yahweh evil is avoided.
6. By loyalty and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for, and by the fear of the LORD a man avoids evil.
7. Let Yahweh be pleased with someone's way of life and he makes that person's very enemies into friends.
7. When a man's ways please the LORD, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.
8. Better have little and with it uprightness than great revenues with injustice.
8. Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues with injustice.
9. The human heart may plan a course, but it is Yahweh who makes the steps secure.
9. A man's mind plans his way, but the LORD directs his steps.
10. The lips of the king utter prophecies, he keeps faith when he speaks in judgement.
10. Inspired decisions are on the lips of a king; his mouth does not sin in judgment.
11. The balances and scales belong to Yahweh, all the weights in the bag are of his making.
11. A just balance and scales are the LORD's; all the weights in the bag are his work.
12. Evil-doing is abhorrent to kings, since uprightness is a throne's foundation.
12. It is an abomination to kings to do evil, for the throne is established by righteousness.
13. Upright lips are welcome to a king, he loves someone of honest words.
13. Righteous lips are the delight of a king, and he loves him who speaks what is right.
14. The king's wrath is the herald of death, but the wise will appease it.
14. A king's wrath is a messenger of death, and a wise man will appease it.
15. When the king's face brightens it spells life, his favour is like the rain in spring.
15. In the light of a king's face there is life, and his favor is like the clouds that bring the spring rain.
16. Better gain wisdom than gold, choose understanding in preference to silver.
16. To get wisdom is better than gold; to get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.
17. To turn from evil is the way of the honest; whoever watches the path keeps life safe.
17. The highway of the upright turns aside from evil; he who guards his way preserves his life.
18. Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.
18. Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.
19. Better be humble with the poor than share the booty with the proud.
19. It is better to be of a lowly spirit with the poor than to divide the spoil with the proud.
20. Whoever listens closely to the word finds happiness; whoever trusts Yahweh is blessed.
20. He who gives heed to the word will prosper, and happy is he who trusts in the LORD.
21. The wise of heart is acclaimed as intelligent, sweetness of speech increases knowledge.
21. The wise of heart is called a man of discernment, and pleasant speech increases persuasiveness.
22. Shrewdness is a fountain of life for its possessor, the folly of fools is their own punishment.
22. Wisdom is a fountain of life to him who has it, but folly is the chastisement of fools.
23. The heart of the wise lends shrewdness to speech and makes words more persuasive.
23. The mind of the wise makes his speech judicious, and adds persuasiveness to his lips.
24. Kindly words are a honeycomb, sweet to the taste, wholesome to the body.
24. Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body.
25. There is a way that some think straight, but it leads in the end to death.
25. There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.
26. A worker's appetite works on his behalf, for his hunger urges him on.
26. A worker's appetite works for him; his mouth urges him on.
27. A worthless person concocts evil, such a one's talk is like a scorching fire.
27. A worthless man plots evil, and his speech is like a scorching fire.
28. A troublemaker sows strife, a slanderer divides friend from friend.
28. A perverse man spreads strife, and a whisperer separates close friends.
29. The violent lures his neighbour astray and leads him by a way that is not good.
29. A man of violence entices his neighbor and leads him in a way that is not good.
30. Whoever narrows the eyes to think up tricks and purses the lips has already done wrong.
30. He who winks his eyes plans perverse things, he who compresses his lips brings evil to pass.
31. White hairs are a crown of honour, they are found in the ways of uprightness.
31. A hoary head is a crown of glory; it is gained in a righteous life.
32. Better an equable person than a hero, someone with self-mastery than one who takes a city.
32. He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.
33. In the fold of the garment the lot is thrown, but from Yahweh comes the decision.
33. The lot is cast into the lap, but the decision is wholly from the LORD.
