Proverbs 16

NEW JERUSALEM	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 A human heart makes the plans, Yahweh gives the answer.	1 It is for man to prepare the soul, and for the Lord to govern the tongue.
2 A person's own acts seem right to the doer, but Yahweh is the weigher of souls.	2 All the ways of a man are open to his eyes; the Lord is the one who weighs spirits.
3 Commend what you do to Yahweh, and what you plan wil be achieved.	3 Open your works to the Lord, and your intentions will be set in order.
4 Yahweh made everything for its own purpose, yes, even the wicked for the day of disaster.	4 The Lord has wrought all things because of himself. Likewise the impious is for the evil day.
5 Every arrogant heart is abhorrent to Yahweh: be sure this wil not go unpunished.	5 All the arrogant are an abomination to the Lord. Even if hand will be joined to hand, he is not innocent. The beginning of a good way is to do justice. And this is more acceptable with God than to immolate sacrifices.
6 By faithful love and constancy sin is expiated; by fear of Yahweh evil is avoided.	6 By mercy and truth, iniquity is redeemed. And by the fear of the Lord, one turns away from evil.
7 Let Yahweh be pleased with someone's way of life and he makes that person's very enemies intofriends.	7 When the ways of man will please the Lord, he will convert even his enemies to peace.
8 Better have little and with it uprightness than great revenues with injustice.	8 Better is a little with justice, than many fruits with iniquity.
9 The human heart may plan a course, but it is Yahweh who makes the steps secure.	9 The heart of man disposes his way. But it is for Lord to direct his steps.
10 The lips of the king utter prophecies, he keeps faith when he speaks in judgement.	10 Foreknowledge is in the lips of the king. His mouth shall not err in judgment.
11 The balances and scales belong to Yahweh, al the weights in the bag are of his making.	11 Weights and scales are judgments of the Lord. And all the stones in the bag are his work.
12 Evil-doing is abhorrent to kings, since uprightness is a throne's foundation.	12 Those who act impiously are abominable to the king. For the throne is made firm by justice.
13 Upright lips are welcome to a king, he loves someone of honest words.	13 Just lips are the will of kings. He who speaks honestly shall be loved.
14 The king's wrath is the herald of death, but the wise will appease it.	14 The indignation of a king is a herald of death. And the wise man will appease it.
15 When the king's face brightens it spel s life, his favour is like the rain in spring.	15 In the cheerfulness of the king’s countenance, there is life. And his clemency is like belated rain.
16 Better gain wisdom than gold, choose understanding in preference to silver.	16 Possess wisdom, for it is better than gold. And acquire prudence, for it is more precious than silver.
17 To turn from evil is the way of the honest; whoever watches the path keeps life safe.	17 The path of the just turns away from evils. He who guards his soul preserves his way.
18 Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fal .	18 Arrogance precedes destruction. And the spirit is exalted before a fall.
19 Better be humble with the poor than share the booty with the proud.	19 It is better to be humbled with the meek, than to divide spoils with the arrogant.
20 Whoever listens closely to the word finds happiness; whoever trusts Yahweh is blessed.	20 The learned in word shall find good things. And whoever hopes in the Lord is blessed.
21 The wise of heart is acclaimed as intel igent, sweetness of speech increases knowledge.	21 Whoever is wise in heart shall be called prudent. And whoever is sweet in eloquence shall attain to what is greater.
22 Shrewdness is a fountain of life for its possessor, the fol y of fools is their own punishment.	22 Learning is a fountain of life to one who possesses it. The doctrine of the foolish is senseless.
23 The heart of the wise lends shrewdness to speech and makes words more persuasive.	23 The heart of the wise shall instruct his mouth and add grace to his lips.
24 Kindly words are a honeycomb, sweet to the taste, wholesome to the body.	24 Careful words are a honeycomb: sweet to the soul and healthful to the bones.
25 There is a way that some think straight, but it leads in the end to death.	25 There is a way which seems right to a man, and its end result leads to death.
26 A worker's appetite works on his behalf, for his hunger urges him on.	26 The soul of the laborer labors for himself, because his mouth has driven him to it.
27 A worthless person concocts evil, such a one's talk is like a scorching fire.	27 The impious man digs up evil, and in his lips is a burning fire.
28 A troublemaker sows strife, a slanderer divides friend from friend.	28 A perverse man stirs up lawsuits. And one who is verbose divides leaders.
29 The violent lures his neighbour astray and leads him by a way that is not good.	29 A man of iniquity entices his friend, and he leads him along a way that is not good.
30 Whoever narrows the eyes to think up tricks and purses the lips has already done wrong.	30 Whoever, with astonished eyes, thinks up depravities, biting his lips, accomplishes evil.
31 White hairs are a crown of honour, they are found in the ways of uprightness.	31 Old age is a crown of dignity, when it is found in the ways of justice.
32 Better an equable person than a hero, someone with self-mastery than one who takes a city.	32 A patient man is better than a strong one. And whoever rules his soul is better than one who assaults cities.
33 In the fold of the garment the lot is thrown, but from Yahweh comes the decision.	33 Lots are cast into the lap, but they are tempered by the Lord.