1To humans belong the plans of the heart,
but from the Lord comes the proper answer of the tongue.
2All a person’s ways seem pure to them,
but motives are weighed by the Lord.
3Commit to the Lord whatever you do,
and he will establish your plans.
4The Lord works out everything to its proper end—
even the wicked for a day of disaster.
5The Lord detests all the proud of heart.
Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished.
6Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for;
through the fear of the Lord evil is avoided.
7When the Lord takes pleasure in anyone’s way,
he causes their enemies to make peace with them.
8Better a little with righteousness
than much gain with injustice.
9In their hearts humans plan their course,
but the Lord establishes their steps.
10The lips of a king speak as an oracle,
and his mouth does not betray justice.
11Honest scales and balances belong to the Lord;
all the weights in the bag are of his making.
12Kings detest wrongdoing,
for a throne is established through righteousness.
13Kings take pleasure in honest lips;
they value the one who speaks what is right.
14A king’s wrath is a messenger of death,
but the wise will appease it.
15When a king’s face brightens, it means life;
his favor is like a rain cloud in spring.
16How much better to get wisdom than gold,
to get insight rather than silver!
17The highway of the upright avoids evil;
those who guard their ways preserve their lives.
18Pride goes before destruction,
a haughty spirit before a fall.
19Better to be lowly in spirit along with the oppressed
than to share plunder with the proud.
20Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers,16:20 Or whoever speaks prudently finds what is good
and blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord.
21The wise in heart are called discerning,
and gracious words promote instruction.16:21 Or words make a person persuasive
22Prudence is a fountain of life to the prudent,
but folly brings punishment to fools.
23The hearts of the wise make their mouths prudent,
and their lips promote instruction.16:23 Or prudent / and make their lips persuasive
24Gracious words are a honeycomb,
sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.
25There is a way that appears to be right,
but in the end it leads to death.
26The appetite of laborers works for them;
their hunger drives them on.
27A scoundrel plots evil,
and on their lips it is like a scorching fire.
28A perverse person stirs up conflict,
and a gossip separates close friends.
29A violent person entices their neighbor
and leads them down a path that is not good.
30Whoever winks with their eye is plotting perversity;
whoever purses their lips is bent on evil.
31Gray hair is a crown of splendor;
it is attained in the way of righteousness.
32Better a patient person than a warrior,
one with self-control than one who takes a city.
33The lot is cast into the lap,
but its every decision is from the Lord.
1Zolinga za mu mtima ndi za munthu,
koma kwa Yehova ndiye kumachokera yankho.
2Zochita zonse za munthu zimaoneka zabwino pamaso pake,
koma Yehova ndiye amasanthula zolinga zako.
3Pereka ntchito zako zonse mʼmanja mwa Yehova,
ndipo zolinga zako zidzachitikadi.
4Yehova amachita zonse ndi cholinga chake,
ngakhale anthu oyipa kuti aone tsiku latsoka.
5Munthu aliyense wodzikuza amamunyansa Yehova.
Koma dziwani izi: Iwo sadzakhala osalangidwa.
6Chifukwa cha chikondi chosasinthika ndi kukhulupirika, munthu amakhululukidwa machimo ake;
chifukwa cha kuopa Yehova munthu amapewa zoyipa.
7Pamene makhalidwe a munthu akondweretsa Yehova,
ngakhale adani ake amakhala naye mwa mtendere.
8Kuli bwino kukhala ndi zinthu pangʼono zozipeza mwachilungamo,
kusiyana ndi kukhala ndi zinthu zambiri zozipeza popanda chilungamo.
9Mtima wa munthu umalingalira zochita,
koma Yehova ndiye amakhazikitsa njira zake.
10Mawu a mfumu ali ngati mawu ochokera kwa Mulungu;
ndipo pakamwa pake sipalakwa poweruza mlandu.
11Miyeso ndi masikelo achilungamo zimachokera kwa Yehova;
miyala yonse yoyesera ya mʼthumba anayipanga ndi Yehova.
12Kuchita zoyipa kumanyansa mafumu,
pakuti chilungamo ndiye maziko a ufumu wake.
13Mawu owona amakondweretsa mfumu.
Iyo imakonda munthu woyankhula choonadi.
14Ukali wa mfumu ndi mthenga wa imfa,
koma munthu wanzeru amawupepesa ukaliwo.
15Kuwala kwa nkhope ya mfumu kumapatsa moyo;
ndipo kukoma mtima kwake kuli ngati mitambo ya mvula nthawi ya chilimwe.
16Nʼkwabwino kwambiri kupeza nzeru kupambana golide.
Kukhala womvetsa bwino zinthu nʼkwabwino kupambana ndi kukhala ndi siliva.
17Msewu wa munthu wowongoka mtima umapewa zoyipa;
wopenyetsetsa kumene akupita amasunga moyo wake.
18Kunyada kumafikitsa ku chiwonongeko,
ndipo munthu wodzikuza adzagwa.
19Nʼkwabwino kukhala ndi mtima wodzichepetsa pakati pa anthu oponderezedwa,
kusiyana ndi kugawana zolanda ndi anthu onyada.
20Munthu womvera malangizo zinthu zimamuyendera bwino,
ndipo wodala ndi amene amadalira Yehova.
21A mtima wanzeru amatchedwa ozindikira zinthu,
ndipo mawu ake okoma amawonjezera nzeru.
22Kumvetsa zinthu ndi kasupe wa moyo kwa iwo amene ali nako,
koma uchitsiru umabweretsa chilango kwa zitsiru.
23Mtima wanzeru umathandiza munthu kuyankhula mwa nzeru,
ndipo mawu ake amawonjezera nzeru.
24Mawu okometsera ali ngati chisa cha njuchi,
amakoma mu mtima ndipo amalimbitsa thupi.
25Pali njira ina yooneka ngati yowongoka kwa munthu
koma kumatsiriziro kwake ndi imfa.
26Njala ya munthu wantchito imamuthandiza kulimbikira;
njalayo imamukakamiza kuchitapo kanthu.
27Munthu wopanda pake amakonzekera kuchita zoyipa
ndipo mawu ake ali ngati moto wopsereza.
28Munthu woyipa mtima amayambitsa mikangano,
ndipo miseche imalekanitsa anthu okondana kwambiri.
29Munthu wandewu amakopa mnansi wake,
ndipo amamuyendetsa njira imene si yabwino.
30Amene amatsinzinira maso ake amalingalira zinthu zokhota;
amene amachita msunamo amakonzeka kuchita zoyipa.
31Imvi zili ngati chipewa chaufumu chaulemerero;
munthu amazipeza akakhala moyo wolungama.
32Munthu wosapsa mtima msanga amaposa munthu wankhondo,
munthu wowugwira mtima wake amaposa amene amalanda mzinda.
33Maere amaponyedwa pa mfunga,
koma ndiye Yehova amene amalongosola zonse.
