Proverbs 16

1 It is for man to prepare the soul, and for the Lord to govern the tongue.

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

2 All the ways of a man are open to his eyes; the Lord is the one who weighs spirits.

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

3 Open your works to the Lord, and your intentions will be set in order.

Commit thy works to Jehovah, and thy purposes shall be established.

4 The Lord has wrought all things because of himself. Likewise the impious is for the evil day.

Jehovah has made everything for its own end, yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.

5 All the arrogant are an abomination to the Lord. Even if hand will be joined to hand, he is not innocent. The beginning of a good way is to do justice. And this is more acceptable with God than to immolate sacrifices.

Everyone who is proud in heart is an abomination to Jehovah. Hand in hand, he shall not be unpunished.

6 By mercy and truth, iniquity is redeemed. And by the fear of the Lord, one turns away from evil.

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

7 When the ways of man will please the Lord, he will convert even his enemies to peace.

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

8 Better is a little with justice, than many fruits with iniquity.

Better is a little, with righteousness, than great revenues with injustice.

9 The heart of man disposes his way. But it is for Lord to direct his steps.

A man's heart devises his way, but Jehovah directs his steps.

10 Foreknowledge is in the lips of the king. His mouth shall not err in judgment.

A divine sentence is in the lips of the king. His mouth shall not transgress in judgment.

11 Weights and scales are judgments of the Lord. And all the stones in the bag are his work.

A just balance and scales are Jehovah's. All the weights of the bag are his work.

12 Those who act impiously are abominable to the king. For the throne is made firm by justice.

It is an abomination to kings to commit wickedness, for the throne is established by righteousness.

13 Just lips are the will of kings. He who speaks honestly shall be loved.

Righteous lips are the delight of kings, and they love him who speaks right.

14 The indignation of a king is a herald of death. And the wise man will appease it.

The wrath of a king is messengers of death, but a wise man will pacify it.

15 In the cheerfulness of the king’s countenance, there is life. And his clemency is like belated rain.

In the light of the king's countenance is life, and his favor is as a cloud of the latter rain.

16 Possess wisdom, for it is better than gold. And acquire prudence, for it is more precious than silver.

How much better it is to get wisdom than gold! Yea, to get understanding is rather to be chosen than silver.

17 The path of the just turns away from evils. He who guards his soul preserves his way.

The highway of the upright is to depart from evil. He who keeps his way preserves his soul.

18 Arrogance precedes destruction. And the spirit is exalted before a fall.

Pride is before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.

19 It is better to be humbled with the meek, than to divide spoils with the arrogant.

Better it is to be of a lowly spirit with the poor, than to divide the spoil with the proud.

20 The learned in word shall find good things. And whoever hopes in the Lord is blessed.

He who gives heed to the word shall find good, and whoever trusts in Jehovah, happy is he.

21 Whoever is wise in heart shall be called prudent. And whoever is sweet in eloquence shall attain to what is greater.

The wise in heart shall be called prudent, and the sweetness of the lips increases learning.

22 Learning is a fountain of life to one who possesses it. The doctrine of the foolish is senseless.

Understanding is a well-spring of life to him who has it, but the correction of fools is folly.

23 The heart of the wise shall instruct his mouth and add grace to his lips.

The heart of the wise instructs his mouth, and adds learning to his lips.

24 Careful words are a honeycomb: sweet to the soul and healthful to the bones.

Pleasant words are a honeycomb: Sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.

25 There is a way which seems right to a man, and its end result leads to death.

There is a way which seems right to a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

26 The soul of the laborer labors for himself, because his mouth has driven him to it.

The appetite of the laboring man labors for him, for his mouth urges him.

27 The impious man digs up evil, and in his lips is a burning fire.

A worthless man devises mischief, and in his lips there is as a scorching fire.

28 A perverse man stirs up lawsuits. And one who is verbose divides leaders.

A perverse man scatters abroad strife, and a whisperer separates chief friends.

29 A man of iniquity entices his friend, and he leads him along a way that is not good.

A man of violence entices his neighbor, and leads him in a way that is not good.

30 Whoever, with astonished eyes, thinks up depravities, biting his lips, accomplishes evil.

He who shuts his eyes devises perverse things. He who moves his lips brings evil to pass.

31 Old age is a crown of dignity, when it is found in the ways of justice.

The hoary head is a crown of glory. It shall be found in the way of righteousness.

32 A patient man is better than a strong one. And whoever rules his soul is better than one who assaults cities.

He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit, than he who takes a city.

33 Lots are cast into the lap, but they are tempered by the Lord.

The lot is cast into the lap, but the whole disposing thereof is of Jehovah.