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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
22* The insight of those who have insight is a fountain of life, but ignoramuses’ lecturing is ignorance.
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.