Proverbs 16-19

Proverbs 16

¹Of man are arrangements of the heart, And from Jehovah an answer of the tongue.

²All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, And Jehovah is pondering the spirits.

³Roll unto Jehovah thy works, And established are thy purposes,

⁴All things hath Jehovah wrought for Himself, And also the wicked worketh for a day of evil.

⁵An abomination to Jehovah is every proud one of heart, Hand to hand he is not acquitted.

⁶In kindness and truth pardoned is iniquity, And in the fear of Jehovah Turn thou aside from evil.

⁷When a man's ways please Jehovah, even his enemies, He causeth to be at peace with him.

⁸Better is a little with righteousness, Than abundance of increase without justice.

⁹The heart of man deviseth his way, And Jehovah establisheth his step.

¹⁰An oath is on the lips of a king, In judgment his mouth trespasseth not.

¹¹A just beam and balances are Jehovah's, His work are all the stones of the bag.

¹²An abomination to kings is doing wickedness, For by righteousness is a throne established.

¹³The delight of kings are righteous lips, And whoso is speaking uprightly he loveth,

¹⁴The fury of a king is messengers of death, And a wise man pacifieth it.

¹⁵In the light of a king's face is life, And his good-will is as a cloud of the latter rain.

¹⁶To get wisdom -- how much better than gold, And to get understanding to be chosen than silver!

¹⁷A highway of the upright is, ‘Turn from evil,' Whoso is preserving his soul is watching his way.

¹⁸Before destruction is pride, And before stumbling -- a haughty spirit.'

¹⁹Better is humility of spirit with the poor, Than to apportion spoil with the proud.

²⁰The wise in any matter findeth good, And whoso is trusting in Jehovah, O his happiness.

²¹To the wise in heart is called, ‘Intelligent,' And sweetness of lips increaseth learning.

²²A fountain of life is understanding to its possessors, The instruction of fools is folly.

²³The heart of the wise causeth his mouth to act wisely, And by his lips he increaseth learning,

²⁴Sayings of pleasantness are a honeycomb, Sweet to the soul, and healing to the bone.

²⁵There is a way right before a man, And its latter end -- ways of death.

²⁶A labouring man hath laboured for himself, For his mouth hath caused him to bend over it.

²⁷A worthless man is preparing evil, And on his lips -- as a burning fire.

²⁸A froward man sendeth forth contention, A tale-bearer is separating a familiar friend.

²⁹A violent man enticeth his neighbour, And hath causeth him to go in a way not good.

³⁰Consulting his eyes to devise froward things, Moving his lips he hath accomplished evil.

³¹A crown of beauty are grey hairs, In the way of righteousness it is found.

³²Better is the slow to anger than the mighty, And the ruler over his spirit than he who is taking a city.

³³Into the centre is the lot cast, And from Jehovah is all its judgment!

Proverbs 17

¹Better is a dry morsel, and rest with it, Than a house full of the sacrifices of strife.

²A wise servant ruleth over a son causing shame, And in the midst of brethren He apportioneth an inheritance.

³A refining pot is for silver, and a furnace for gold, And the trier of hearts is Jehovah.

⁴An evil doer is attentive to lips of vanity, Falsehood is giving ear to a mischievous tongue.

⁵Whoso is mocking at the poor Hath reproached his Maker, Whoso is rejoicing at calamity is not acquitted.

⁶Sons' sons are the crown of old men, And the glory of sons are their fathers.

⁷Not comely for a fool is a lip of excellency, Much less for a noble a lip of falsehood.

⁸A stone of grace is the bribe in the eyes of its possessors, Whithersoever it turneth, it prospereth.

⁹Whoso is covering transgression is seeking love, And whoso is repeating a matter Is separating a familiar friend.

¹⁰Rebuke cometh down on the intelligent More than a hundred stripes on a fool.

¹¹An evil man seeketh only rebellion, And a fierce messenger is sent against him.

¹²The meeting of a bereaved bear by a man, And -- not a fool in his folly.

¹³Whoso is returning evil for good, Evil moveth not from his house.

¹⁴The beginning of contention is a letting out of waters, And before it is meddled with leave the strife.

¹⁵Whoso is justifying the wicked, And condemning the righteous, Even both of these are an abomination to Jehovah.

¹⁶Why is this -- a price in the hand of a fool to buy wisdom, And a heart there is none?

¹⁷At all times is the friend loving, And a brother for adversity is born.

¹⁸A man lacking heart is striking hands, A surety he becometh before his friend.

¹⁹Whoso is loving transgression is loving debate, Whoso is making high his entrance is seeking destruction.

²⁰The perverse of heart findeth not good, And the turned in his tongue falleth into evil.

²¹Whoso is begetting a fool hath affliction for it, Yea, the father of a fool rejoiceth not.

²²A rejoicing heart doth good to the body, And a smitten spirit drieth the bone.

²³A bribe from the bosom the wicked taketh, To turn aside the paths of judgment.

²⁴The face of the intelligent is to wisdom, And the eyes of a fool -- at the end of the earth.

²⁵A provocation to his father is a foolish son, And bitterness to her that bare him.

²⁶Also, to fine the righteous is not good, To smite nobles for uprightness.

²⁷One acquainted with knowledge is sparing his words, And the cool of temper is a man of understanding.

²⁸Even a fool keeping silence is reckoned wise, He who is shutting his lips intelligent!

Proverbs 18

¹For an object of desire he who is separated doth seek, With all wisdom he intermeddleth.

²A fool delighteth not in understanding, But -- in uncovering his heart.

³With the coming of the wicked come also hath contempt, And with shame -- reproach.

⁴Deep waters are the words of a man's mouth, The fountain of wisdom is a flowing brook.

⁵Acceptance of the face of the wicked is not good, To turn aside the righteous in judgment.

⁶The lips of a fool enter into strife, And his mouth for stripes calleth.

⁷The mouth of a fool is ruin to him, And his lips are the snare of his soul.

⁸The words of a tale-bearer are as self-inflicted wounds, And they have gone down to the inner parts of the heart.

⁹He also that is remiss in his work, A brother he is to a destroyer.

¹⁰A tower of strength is the name of Jehovah, Into it the righteous runneth, and is set on high.

¹¹The wealth of the rich is the city of his strength, And as a wall set on high in his own imagination.

¹²Before destruction the heart of man is high, And before honour is humility.

¹³Whoso is answering a matter before he heareth, Folly it is to him and shame.

¹⁴The spirit of a man sustaineth his sickness, And a smitten spirit who doth bear?

¹⁵The heart of the intelligent getteth knowledge, And the ear of the wise seeketh knowledge.

¹⁶The gift of a man maketh room for him, And before the great it leadeth him.

¹⁷Righteous is the first in his own cause, His neighbour cometh and hath searched him.

¹⁸The lot causeth contentions to cease, And between the mighty it separateth.

¹⁹A brother transgressed against is as a strong city, And contentions as the bar of a palace.

²⁰From the fruit of a man's mouth is his belly satisfied, From the increase of his lips he is satisfied.

²¹Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those loving it eat its fruit.

²²Whoso hath found a wife hath found good, And bringeth out good-will from Jehovah.

²³With supplications doth the poor speak, And the rich answereth fierce things.

²⁴A man with friends is to show himself friendly, And there is a lover adhering more than a brother!

Proverbs 19

¹Better is the poor walking in his integrity, Than the perverse in his lips, who is a fool.

²Also, without knowledge the soul is not good, And the hasty in feet is sinning.

³The folly of man perverteth his way, And against Jehovah is his heart wroth.

⁴Wealth addeth many friends, And the poor from his neighbour is separated.

⁵A false witness is not acquitted, Whoso breatheth out lies is not delivered.

⁶Many entreat the face of the noble, And all have made friendship to a man of gifts.

⁷All the brethren of the poor have hated him, Surely also his friends have been far from him, He is pursuing words -- they are not!

⁸Whoso is getting heart is loving his soul, He is keeping understanding to find good.

⁹A false witness is not acquitted, And whoso breatheth out lies perisheth.

¹⁰Luxury is not comely for a fool, Much less for a servant to rule among princes.

¹¹The wisdom of a man hath deferred his anger, And his glory is to pass over transgression.

¹²The wrath of a king is a growl as of a young lion, And as dew on the herb his good-will.

¹³A calamity to his father is a foolish son, And the contentions of a wife are a continual dropping.

¹⁴House and wealth are the inheritance of fathers, And from Jehovah is an understanding wife.

¹⁵Sloth causeth deep sleep to fall, And an indolent soul doth hunger.

¹⁶Whoso is keeping the command is keeping his soul, Whoso is despising His ways dieth.

¹⁷Whoso is lending to Jehovah is favouring the poor, And his deed He repayeth to him.

¹⁸Chastise thy son, for there is hope, And to put him to death lift not up thy soul.

¹⁹A man of great wrath is bearing punishment, For, if thou dost deliver, yet again thou dost add.

²⁰Hear counsel and receive instruction, So that thou art wise in thy latter end.

²¹Many are the purposes in a man's heart, And the counsel of Jehovah it standeth.

²²The desirableness of a man is his kindness, And better is the poor than a liar.

²³The fear of Jehovah is to life, And satisfied he remaineth -- he is not charged with evil.

²⁴The slothful hath hidden his hand in a dish, Even unto his mouth he bringeth it not back.

²⁵A scorner smite, and the simple acts prudently, And give reproof to the intelligent, He understandeth knowledge.

²⁶Whoso is spoiling a father causeth a mother to flee, A son causing shame, and bringing confusion.

²⁷Cease, my son, to hear instruction -- To err from sayings of knowledge.

²⁸A worthless witness scorneth judgment, And the mouth of the wicked swalloweth iniquity.

²⁹Judgments have been prepared for scorners, And stripes for the back of fools!