Proverbs

16 Man’s are cogitations of the heart,

but from Jehovah is the answer for the tongue.

2 A man feels as if all his courses were irreproachable,

but Jehovah gauges spirits.

3 Turn your affairs over to Jehovah

and have your plans confirmed.

4 Jehovah made everything to play its part,

and even a wrong-doer for a day of disaster.

5 Any pretentious man is what Jehovah detests;

hand on hand he will not be cleared.

6* By friendliness and loyalty guilt is purged,

and by fearing Jehovah one avoids what is bad.

7 When Jehovah approves a man’s courses

he makes even his enemies live on good terms with him.

8 Better a little by right

than a large income by injustice.

9 Man’s heart plans his course

but Jehovah places his steps.

10* Clairvoyance sits on a king’s lips;

in giving judgment his mouth will not play false.

11** Steelyard and scales are matter for Jehovah’s judgment;

all standard weights are his work.

12 The doing of wrong is a thing kings abominate,

because it is by right that a throne is made firm.

13 Right-speaking lips are what a king approves,

and one who speaks straightforwardly he loves.

14** A king’s ire means messengers of death,

and a wise man will appease it.

15* In cheerfulness on a king’s face there is life,

and his approval is like a spring rain-cloud.

16 Get wisdom; how much better it is than hard gold!

and getting discretion is preferable to silver.

17 Avoidance of evil is straightforward men’s highway;

he who watches his course is guarding his life.

18 Pride goes before a crash

and a pretentious spirit before a tumble.

19* Better lowliness of spirit in humble men’s company

than dividing booty with proud men.

20 One who handles a matter cannily will have good results;

but one who trusts in Jehovah, happy he!

21 A wise-hearted man will be called a sage,

but pleasingness of lips will add to influence.

23 A wise man’s heart makes his mouth skillful

and adds to the influence of his lips.

24 Pleasant words are a comb of honey,

sweetness for the palate and health for the bones.

25* There is such a thing as a road that lies smooth before a man

but the last part of it is the recesses of death.

26 A hardworking man’s appetite works for him,

because his mouth sees to his working.

27 A reprobate is a furnace of harm

and has on his lip what is like a searing fire.

28 A mischief-maker starts quarrels

and a scandalmonger alienates a bosom friend.

29 A scoundrel inveigles his friend

and makes him take a course there is no good in.

30 One who shuts his eyes tight is thinking up mischief;

one who moves his lips has got up something bad.

31 White hair is a magnificent coronet;

it will be found by a course of right-doing.

32 A patient man is better than a champion fighter,

and one who has command over his spirit than one who takes a city.

33 The lot is tossed in the fold of your mantle,

but every decision it gives is from Jehovah.