Proverbs 16
1 The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the Lord.
1 לְאָדָ֥ם מַֽעַרְכֵי־לֵ֑ב וּ֝מֵיְהוָ֗ה מַעֲנֵ֥ה לָשֽׁוֹן׃
2 All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the Lord weigheth the spirits.
2 כָּֽל־דַּרְכֵי־אִ֭ישׁ זַ֣ךְ בְּעֵינָ֑יו וְתֹכֵ֖ן רוּח֣וֹת יְהוָֽה׃
3 Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established.
3 גֹּ֣ל אֶל־יְהוָ֣ה מַעֲשֶׂ֑יךָ וְ֝יִכֹּ֗נוּ מַחְשְׁבֹתֶֽיךָ׃
4 The Lord hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.
4 כֹּ֤ל פָּעַ֣ל יְ֭הוָה לַֽמַּעֲנֵ֑הוּ וְגַם־רָ֝שָׁ֗ע לְי֣וֹם רָעָֽה׃
5 Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord: though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished.
5 תּוֹעֲבַ֣ת יְ֭הוָה כָּל־גְּבַהּ־לֵ֑ב יָ֥ד לְ֝יָ֗ד לֹ֣א יִנָּקֶֽה׃
6 By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the Lord men depart from evil.
6 בְּחֶ֣סֶד וֶ֭אֱמֶת יְכֻפַּ֣ר עָוֺ֑ן וּבְיִרְאַ֥ת יְ֝הוָ֗ה ס֣וּר מֵרָֽע׃
7 When a man's ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.
7 בִּרְצ֣וֹת יְ֭הוָה דַּרְכֵי־אִ֑ישׁ גַּם־א֝וֹיְבָ֗יו יַשְׁלִ֥ם אִתּֽוֹ׃
8 Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues without right.
8 טוֹב־מְ֭עַט בִּצְדָקָ֑ה מֵרֹ֥ב תְּ֝בוּא֗וֹת בְּלֹ֣א מִשְׁפָּֽט׃
9 A man's heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps.
9 לֵ֣ב אָ֭דָם יְחַשֵּׁ֣ב דַּרְכּ֑וֹ וַֽ֝יהוָ֗ה יָכִ֥ין צַעֲדֽוֹ׃
10 A divine sentence is in the lips of the king: his mouth transgresseth not in judgment.
10 קֶ֤סֶם ׀ עַֽל־שִׂפְתֵי־מֶ֑לֶךְ בְּ֝מִשְׁפָּ֗ט לֹ֣א יִמְעַל־פִּֽיו׃
11 A just weight and balance are the Lord's: all the weights of the bag are his work.
11 פֶּ֤לֶס ׀ וּמֹאזְנֵ֣י מִ֭שְׁפָּט לַֽיהוָ֑ה מַ֝עֲשֵׂ֗הוּ כָּל־אַבְנֵי־כִֽיס׃
12 It is an abomination to kings to commit wickedness: for the throne is established by righteousness.
12 תּוֹעֲבַ֣ת מְ֭לָכִים עֲשׂ֣וֹת רֶ֑שַׁע כִּ֥י בִ֝צְדָקָ֗ה יִכּ֥וֹן כִּסֵּֽא׃
13 Righteous lips are the delight of kings; and they love him that speaketh right.
13 רְצ֣וֹן מְ֭לָכִים שִׂפְתֵי־צֶ֑דֶק וְדֹבֵ֖ר יְשָׁרִ֣ים יֶאֱהָֽב׃
14 The wrath of a king is as messengers of death: but a wise man will pacify it.
14 חֲמַת־מֶ֥לֶךְ מַלְאֲכֵי־מָ֑וֶת וְאִ֖ישׁ חָכָ֣ם יְכַפְּרֶֽנָּה׃
15 In the light of the king's countenance is life; and his favour is as a cloud of the latter rain.
15 בְּאוֹר־פְּנֵי־מֶ֥לֶךְ חַיִּ֑ים וּ֝רְצוֹנ֗וֹ כְּעָ֣ב מַלְקֽוֹשׁ׃
16 How much better is it to get wisdom than gold! and to get understanding rather to be chosen than silver!
16 קְֽנֹה־חָכְמָ֗ה מַה־טּ֥וֹב מֵחָר֑וּץ וּקְנ֥וֹת בִּ֝ינָ֗ה נִבְחָ֥ר מִכָּֽסֶף׃
17 The highway of the upright is to depart from evil: he that keepeth his way preserveth his soul.
17 מְסִלַּ֣ת יְ֭שָׁרִים ס֣וּר מֵרָ֑ע שֹׁמֵ֥ר נַ֝פְשׁ֗וֹ נֹצֵ֥ר דַּרְכּֽוֹ׃
18 Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.
18 לִפְנֵי־שֶׁ֥בֶר גָּא֑וֹן וְלִפְנֵ֥י כִ֝שָּׁל֗וֹן גֹּ֣בַהּ רֽוּחַ׃
19 Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.
19 ט֣וֹב שְׁפַל־ר֭וּחַ אֶת־*עניים **עֲנָוִ֑ים מֵֽחַלֵּ֥ק שָׁ֝לָ֗ל אֶת־גֵּאִֽים׃
20 He that handleth a matter wisely shall find good: and whoso trusteth in the Lord, happy is he.
20 מַשְׂכִּ֣יל עַל־דָּ֭בָר יִמְצָא־ט֑וֹב וּבוֹטֵ֖חַ בַּיהוָ֣ה אַשְׁרָֽיו׃
21 The wise in heart shall be called prudent: and the sweetness of the lips increaseth learning.
21 לַחֲכַם־לֵ֭ב יִקָּרֵ֣א נָב֑וֹן וּמֶ֥תֶק שְׂ֝פָתַ֗יִם יֹסִ֥יף לֶֽקַח׃
22 Understanding is a wellspring of life unto him that hath it: but the instruction of fools is folly.
22 מְק֣וֹר חַ֭יִּים שֵׂ֣כֶל בְּעָלָ֑יו וּמוּסַ֖ר אֱוִלִ֣ים אִוֶּֽלֶת׃
23 The heart of the wise teacheth his mouth, and addeth learning to his lips.
23 לֵ֣ב חָ֭כָם יַשְׂכִּ֣יל פִּ֑יהוּ וְעַל־שְׂ֝פָתָ֗יו יֹסִ֥יף לֶֽקַח׃
24 Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.
24 צוּף־דְּ֭בַשׁ אִמְרֵי־נֹ֑עַם מָת֥וֹק לַ֝נֶּפֶשׁ וּמַרְפֵּ֥א לָעָֽצֶם׃
25 There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.
25 יֵ֤שׁ דֶּ֣רֶךְ יָ֭שָׁר לִפְנֵי־אִ֑ישׁ וְ֝אַחֲרִיתָ֗הּ דַּרְכֵי־מָֽוֶת׃
26 He that laboureth laboureth for himself; for his mouth craveth it of him.
26 נֶ֣פֶשׁ עָ֭מֵל עָ֣מְלָה לּ֑וֹ כִּֽי־אָכַ֖ף עָלָ֣יו פִּֽיהוּ׃
27 An ungodly man diggeth up evil: and in his lips there is as a burning fire.
27 אִ֣ישׁ בְּ֭לִיַּעַל כֹּרֶ֣ה רָעָ֑ה וְעַל־*שפתיו **שְׂ֝פָת֗וֹ כְּאֵ֣שׁ צָרָֽבֶת׃
28 A froward man soweth strife: and a whisperer separateth chief friends.
28 אִ֣ישׁ תַּ֭הְפֻּכוֹת יְשַׁלַּ֣ח מָד֑וֹן וְ֝נִרְגָּ֗ן מַפְרִ֥יד אַלּֽוּף׃
29 A violent man enticeth his neighbour, and leadeth him into the way that is not good.
29 אִ֣ישׁ חָ֭מָס יְפַתֶּ֣ה רֵעֵ֑הוּ וְ֝הוֹלִיכ֗וֹ בְּדֶ֣רֶךְ לֹא־טֽוֹב׃
30 He shutteth his eyes to devise froward things: moving his lips he bringeth evil to pass.
30 עֹצֶ֣ה עֵ֭ינָיו לַחְשֹׁ֣ב תַּהְפֻּכ֑וֹת קֹרֵ֥ץ שְׂ֝פָתָ֗יו כִּלָּ֥ה רָעָֽה׃
31 The hoary head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness.
31 עֲטֶ֣רֶת תִּפְאֶ֣רֶת שֵׂיבָ֑ה בְּדֶ֥רֶךְ צְ֝דָקָ֗ה תִּמָּצֵֽא׃
32 He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.
32 ט֤וֹב אֶ֣רֶךְ אַ֭פַּיִם מִגִּבּ֑וֹר וּמֹשֵׁ֥ל בְּ֝רוּח֗וֹ מִלֹּכֵ֥ד עִֽיר׃
33 The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord.
33 בַּ֭חֵיק יוּטַ֣ל אֶת־הַגּוֹרָ֑ל וּ֝מֵיְהוָ֗ה כָּל־מִשְׁפָּטֽוֹ׃
About the Hebrew Text
The Hebrew text displayed here follows the Westminster Leningrad Codex.