16 Dee Hoat Ordnunje sent fa Menschheit, un dee Auntwuat fonn dee Tung fonn däm Herr Gott.

Aul däm Mensch siene Wäaj sent rein enn siene eajne Uage; oba dee Herr Gott deit dee Jeiste mäte.

Laj diene Woakje opp däm Herr Gott, dan woare diene Jedanke jesäajent senne.

Dee Herr Gott haft aules jemoakt fa sien Tswakj; jo, soogoa dee Gottloose fa dän beesa Dach.

Dee Herr Gott hausst jieda eena dee en stoltet Hoat haft; wan Henj uk toop fote, woat hee doch nijch oone Schult senne.

Dee Sind woat bedakjt derjch Erboarme un Woarheit; un Mensche dreihe fonn Beeset wajch derjch däm Herr Gott siene Forjcht.

Wan en Maun siene Wäaj fa däm Herr Gott sien Jefaule sent, dan moakt Hee soogoa siene Fiend met am enn Fräd senne.

Bäta es en kjlien bät met Jerajchtichkjeit aus groota Jewenst oone Rajcht.

En Maun sien Hoat plont sien Wajch; oba Dee Herr Gott deit siene Staupe ordne.

10 Doa es ne Räd enn däm Kjeenijch siene leppe; sien Mul es nijch hinjalestich enn Jerejcht.

11 En rajchtet Jewijcht Schol es däm Herr Gott siene; aul dee Steene enn dee Tausch sent sien Woakj.

12 Daut es en Dinkj tom hausse wan dee Kjeenijch Gottlooset aunjeit; dan dee Troon woat bestädijcht derjch Jerajchtichkjeit.

13 Jerajchte Leppe sent dee Kjeenije äa Fejneaje; un dee ha däm Leef dee opprajchtijch räde deit.

14 En Kjeenijch siene Oaja es soo aus eena dee Norejcht bringt fonn Doot; oba en weisa Maun woat daut bedakje.

15 Doa es Läwe enn daut Lijcht fonn däm Kjeenijch sien Jesecht; un sien Gonnst es soo aus ne Wolkj dee lota Räajen brinjt.

16 Woo fäl bäta es daut Weisheit to kjriehe aus Golt! Un Festentnis es bäta to wäle aus Selwa.

17 Dee Opprajchte äa Wajch es fonn Beeset wajch to dreihe; wäa siene Seel bewoat jeft Oobacht opp sien Wajch.

18 Stolltheit kjemt fer Fenijchte; un en Huachmootja Jeist fer en Faule.

19 Daut es bäta en deemootje Jeist to habe met dee Oame aus dän Raup enn to deele met dee Stollte.

20 Wäa fäasejchtijch haundelt woat Goots finje; un wäa enn däm Herr Gott fetruehe deit, woo froo es Soona!

21 Dee Weise enn Hoat sele Fäasejchtijch jenant woare; un Leppe Seetnis deit Leare femeare.

22 Fäasejcht es ne Läweskjwal to dän dee daut habe; oba daut unjarejchte fonn Noare es Domheit.

23 Däm Weisa sien Hoat moakt sien Mul Fäasejchtijch, un hee deit leare toolaje opp siene Leppe.

24 Scheene Wead sent soo aus en Äwafluss fonn Honnijch, seet to dee Seel un heele to dee Knoakes.

25 Doa es en Wajch dee schient rajcht to senne to Maun sien Jesejcht, oba daut Enj doafonn es dee Doodes Wajch.

26 Wäa oabeide deit, oabeit fa sikj selfst; oba sien Mul deit am aunsporne.

27 En weatloosa Maun deit Beeset plone; un daut es soo aus en Fia daut opp siene Leppe brennt.

28 En fekjeada Maun deit Striet feuasoake; un wäa fuschelt deit goode Frind utaneen brinje.

29 En rosenda Maun lockt sien Noba, un feuasoakt däm enn en Wajch to gone daut nijch goot es.

30 Wäa siene Uage too moakt fedreide Dinje to doone, siene Leppe toop kjniepe, dee brinjt Beeset äwadäl.

31 En greiwa Kopp es ne Kroon fonn Harlijchkjeit; daut es enn dän Wajch fonn Jerjachtijchkjeit to finje.

32 En Mensch dee langsam es oajalijch to woare es bäta aus dee Majchtja; un wäa sien Jeist beharscht aus soona dee ne Staut enn nemt.

33 Daut Looss woat enn dee Schoot jeschmäte, oba aul daut ennordne es fonn däm Herr Gott.

16 To humans belong the plans of the heart,
    but from the Lord comes the proper answer of the tongue.(A)

All a person’s ways seem pure to them,(B)
    but motives are weighed(C) by the Lord.(D)

Commit to the Lord whatever you do,
    and he will establish your plans.(E)

The Lord works out everything to its proper end(F)
    even the wicked for a day of disaster.(G)

The Lord detests all the proud of heart.(H)
    Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished.(I)

Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for;
    through the fear of the Lord(J) evil is avoided.(K)

When the Lord takes pleasure in anyone’s way,
    he causes their enemies to make peace(L) with them.(M)

Better a little with righteousness
    than much gain(N) with injustice.(O)

In their hearts humans plan their course,
    but the Lord establishes their steps.(P)

10 The lips of a king speak as an oracle,
    and his mouth does not betray justice.(Q)

11 Honest scales and balances belong to the Lord;
    all the weights in the bag are of his making.(R)

12 Kings detest wrongdoing,
    for a throne is established through righteousness.(S)

13 Kings take pleasure in honest lips;
    they value the one who speaks what is right.(T)

14 A king’s wrath is a messenger of death,(U)
    but the wise will appease it.(V)

15 When a king’s face brightens, it means life;(W)
    his favor is like a rain cloud in spring.(X)

16 How much better to get wisdom than gold,
    to get insight(Y) rather than silver!(Z)

17 The highway of the upright avoids evil;
    those who guard their ways preserve their lives.(AA)

18 Pride(AB) goes before destruction,
    a haughty spirit(AC) before a fall.(AD)

19 Better to be lowly in spirit along with the oppressed
    than to share plunder with the proud.

20 Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers,[a](AE)
    and blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord.(AF)

21 The wise in heart are called discerning,
    and gracious words promote instruction.[b](AG)

22 Prudence is a fountain of life to the prudent,(AH)
    but folly brings punishment to fools.

23 The hearts of the wise make their mouths prudent,(AI)
    and their lips promote instruction.[c](AJ)

24 Gracious words are a honeycomb,(AK)
    sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.(AL)

25 There is a way that appears to be right,(AM)
    but in the end it leads to death.(AN)

26 The appetite of laborers works for them;
    their hunger drives them on.

27 A scoundrel(AO) plots evil,
    and on their lips it is like a scorching fire.(AP)

28 A perverse person stirs up conflict,(AQ)
    and a gossip separates close friends.(AR)

29 A violent person entices their neighbor
    and leads them down a path that is not good.(AS)

30 Whoever winks(AT) with their eye is plotting perversity;
    whoever purses their lips is bent on evil.

31 Gray hair is a crown of splendor;(AU)
    it is attained in the way of righteousness.

32 Better a patient person than a warrior,
    one with self-control than one who takes a city.

33 The lot is cast(AV) into the lap,
    but its every decision(AW) is from the Lord.(AX)

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 16:20 Or whoever speaks prudently finds what is good
  2. Proverbs 16:21 Or words make a person persuasive
  3. Proverbs 16:23 Or prudent / and make their lips persuasive

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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