Proverbs 16 מִשְׁלֵי פרק ט״ז

Masoretic Text, word by word with English glosses, the English verse beneath each. Open Proverbs 16 in the interlinear reader for transliteration, roots and notes.

1. 1

   לְאָדָםto manמַעַרְכֵי־לֵבthe preparations of the heartוּמֵיְהֹוָהand from the LORDמַעֲנֵהthe answer ofלָשׁוֹן׃tongue

   The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the LORD.

2. 2

   כׇּל־דַּרְכֵי־אִישׁall the ways of man ofזַךְare pureבְּעֵינָיוin his eyesוְתֹכֵןand is weighingרוּחוֹתspirits ofיְהֹוָה׃the LORD

   All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the LORD weigheth the spirits.

3. 3

   גֹּלrollאֶל־יְהֹוָהto the LORDמַעֲשֶׂיךָyour worksוְיִכֹּנוּso they may be establishedמַחְשְׁבֹתֶיךָ׃your thoughts

   Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established.

4. 4

   כֹּלallפָּעַלwroughtיְהֹוָהthe LORDלַמַּעֲנֵהוּfor its purposeוְגַם־רָשָׁעand also wickedלְיוֹםto dayרָעָה׃evil

   The LORD hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.

5. 5

   תּוֹעֲבַתan abomination beforeיְהֹוָהthe LORDכׇּל־גְּבַהּ־לֵבall the haughty of heartיָדhandלְיָדto handלֹאnotיִנָּקֶה׃he will go unpunished

   Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD: though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished.

6. 6

   בְּחֶסֶדin the grace ofוֶאֱמֶתand truthיְכֻפַּרshall be atonedעָוֺןiniquityוּבְיִרְאַתand is by the fear ofיְהֹוָהthe LORDסוּרdepartמֵרָע׃from evil

   By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil.

7. 7

   בִּרְצוֹתwhen is pleased withיְהֹוָהthe LORDדַּרְכֵי־אִישׁthe ways of man ofגַּם־אוֹיְבָיוalso his enemiesיַשְׁלִםhe causes to be at peaceאִתּוֹ׃with him

   When a man's ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.

8. 8

   טוֹב־מְעַטgood somewhatבִּצְדָקָהin righteousnessמֵרֹבfrom the multitude ofתְּבוּאוֹתcropsבְּלֹאwithoutמִשְׁפָּט׃judgment

   Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues without right.

9. 9

   לֵבheartאָדָםmanיְחַשֵּׁבit plansדַּרְכּוֹhis wayוַיהֹוָהand the LORDיָכִיןpreparesצַעֲדוֹ׃his steps

   A man's heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps.

10. 10

    קֶסֶםdivinationעַל־שִׂפְתֵי־מֶלֶךְupon the lips of king ofבְּמִשְׁפָּטin judgmentלֹאnotיִמְעַל־פִּיו׃his mouth transgresses not

    A divine sentence is in the lips of the king: his mouth transgresseth not in judgment.

11. 11

    פֶּלֶסa just weightוּמֹאזְנֵיand scales ofמִשְׁפָּטjudgmentלַיהֹוָהto the LORDמַעֲשֵׂהוּhis workכׇּל־אַבְנֵי־כִיס׃all stones of the bag

    A just weight and balance are the LORD's: all the weights of the bag are his work.

12. 12

    תּוֹעֲבַתan abomination beforeמְלָכִיםkingsעֲשׂוֹתdoרֶשַׁעwickednessכִּיforבִצְדָקָהin righteousnessיִכּוֹןshall it standכִּסֵּא׃throne

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

13. 13

    רְצוֹןthe will ofמְלָכִיםkingsשִׂפְתֵי־צֶדֶקthe lips of righteousnessוְדֹבֵרand speakingיְשָׁרִיםthe uprightיֶאֱהָב׃he loves

    Righteous lips are the delight of kings; and they love him that speaketh right.

14. 14

    חֲמַת־מֶלֶךְthe wrath of king ofמַלְאֲכֵי־מָוֶתmessengers of deathוְאִישׁand a manחָכָםwiseיְכַפְּרֶנָּה׃will pacify it

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

15. 15

    בְּאוֹר־פְּנֵי־מֶלֶךְin the light of face of king ofחַיִּיםlifeוּרְצוֹנוֹand his favorכְּעָבlike a cloud ofמַלְקוֹשׁ׃spring rain

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

16. 16

    קְנֹה־חׇכְמָהto acquire wisdomמַה־טּוֹבwhat is goodמֵחָרוּץmore than goldוּקְנוֹתand to acquireבִּינָהunderstandingנִבְחָרchoiceמִכָּסֶף׃more than silver

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

17. 17

    מְסִלַּתthe highway ofיְשָׁרִיםthe uprightסוּרdepartמֵרָעfrom evilשֹׁמֵרwho keepsנַפְשׁוֹhis soulנֹצֵרpreservesדַּרְכּוֹ׃his way

    The highway of the upright is to depart from evil: he that keepeth his way preserveth his soul.

18. 18

    לִפְנֵי־שֶׁבֶרbefore destructionגָּאוֹןprideוְלִפְנֵיand beforeכִשָּׁלוֹןstumblingגֹּבַהּhaughtiness ofרוּחַ׃the spirit of

    Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.

19. 19

    טוֹבgoodשְׁפַל־רוּחַto be of a lowly spiritאֶת־[עֲנָוִים]humble people(עניים)מֵחַלֵּקthan to divideשָׁלָלthe spoilאֶת־גֵּאִים׃proud people

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

20. 20

    מַשְׂכִּילwho deals wiselyעַל־דָּבָרin a matterיִמְצָא־טוֹבshall find goodוּבוֹטֵחַand trustingבַּיהֹוָהin the LORDאַשְׁרָיו׃how blessed is he

    He that handleth a matter wisely shall find good: and whoso trusteth in the LORD, happy is he.

21. 21

    לַחֲכַם־לֵבof the wise of heartיִקָּרֵאshall be calledנָבוֹןdiscerningוּמֶתֶקand sweetness ofשְׂפָתַיִםlipsיֹסִיףhe will increaseלֶקַח׃learning

    The wise in heart shall be called prudent: and the sweetness of the lips increaseth learning.

22. 22

    מְקוֹרfountain ofחַיִּיםlifeשֵׂכֶלinsightבְּעָלָיוto him who has itוּמוּסַרand the discipline ofאֱוִלִיםfoolsאִוֶּלֶת׃foolishness

    Understanding is a wellspring of life unto him that hath it: but the instruction of fools is folly.

23. 23

    לֵבheartחָכָםwiseיַשְׂכִּילhe should accomplishפִּיהוּhis mouthוְעַל־שְׂפָתָיוand upon his lipsיֹסִיףhe will increaseלֶקַח׃learning

    The heart of the wise teacheth his mouth, and addeth learning to his lips.

24. 24

    צוּף־דְּבַשׁa honeycombאִמְרֵי־נֹעַםpleasant wordsמָתוֹקsweetלַנֶּפֶשׁto the soulוּמַרְפֵּאand healthלָעָצֶם׃to the bones

    Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.

25. 25

    יֵשׁthere isדֶּרֶךְthe way ofיָשָׁרrightלִפְנֵי־אִישׁbefore man ofוְאַחֲרִיתָהּand her endדַּרְכֵי־מָוֶת׃the ways of death

    There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

26. 26

    נֶפֶשׁsoulעָמֵלof the laborerעָמְלָהit laborsלּוֹto himכִּי־אָכַףfor cravesעָלָיוupon himפִּיהוּ׃his mouth

    He that laboureth laboureth for himself; for his mouth craveth it of him.

27. 27

    אִישׁa manבְּלִיַּעַלBelialכֹּרֶהis digging upרָעָהevilוְעַל־[שְׂפָתוֹ]and upon his lips(שפתיו)כְּאֵשׁwhich is like a fireצָרָבֶת׃scorching

    An ungodly man diggeth up evil: and in his lips there is as a burning fire.

28. 28

    אִישׁa manתַּהְפֻּכוֹתperverse thingsיְשַׁלַּחshall sendמָדוֹןstrifeוְנִרְגָּןand a slandererמַפְרִידis separatingאַלּוּף׃friends

    A froward man soweth strife: and a whisperer separateth chief friends.

29. 29

    אִישׁa manחָמָסviolenceיְפַתֶּהenticesרֵעֵהוּhis neighborוְהוֹלִיכוֹand he leads himבְּדֶרֶךְby the way ofלֹא־טוֹב׃not good

    A violent man enticeth his neighbour, and leadeth him into the way that is not good.

30. 30

    עֹצֶהone who shutsעֵינָיוhis eyesלַחְשֹׁבdevisedתַּהְפֻּכוֹתperverse thingsקֹרֵץhe is winkingשְׂפָתָיוhis lipsכִּלָּהhe brings to passרָעָה׃evil

    He shutteth his eyes to devise froward things: moving his lips he bringeth evil to pass.

31. 31

    עֲטֶרֶתcrown ofתִּפְאֶרֶתthe beauty ofשֵׂיבָהgray hairבְּדֶרֶךְby the way ofצְדָקָהrighteousnessתִּמָּצֵא׃will it be found

    The hoary head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness.

32. 32

    טוֹבgoodאֶרֶךְlong ofאַפַּיִםto angerמִגִּבּוֹרfrom the mightyוּמֹשֵׁלand a rulerבְּרוּחוֹhis spiritמִלֹּכֵדmore than one who capturesעִיר׃the city of

    He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.

33. 33

    בַּחֵיקin the bosomיוּטַלhe shall be thrust downאֶת־הַגּוֹרָלthe lotוּמֵיְהֹוָהand from the LORDכׇּל־מִשְׁפָּטוֹ׃all its disposing

    The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the LORD.