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.
116:1 Mt 10:19; Mit 19:21Mipango ya moyoni ni ya mwanadamu,
bali jibu la ulimi hutoka kwa Bwana.
216:2 1Sam 16:7; 2Nya 6:30; Lk 16:15; Dan 5:27Njia zote za mtu huonekana safi machoni pake mwenyewe,
bali makusudi hupimwa na Bwana.
316:3 2Nya 20:20; Za 20:4Mkabidhi Bwana lolote ufanyalo,
nayo mipango yako itafanikiwa.
416:4 Isa 43:7; Kut 9:16; 2Nya 34:24; Rum 9:22Bwana hufanya kila kitu kwa kusudi lake mwenyewe;
hata waovu kwa siku ya maangamizi.
516:5 Za 40:4; Mit 6:16; 11:20-21Bwana huwachukia sana wote wenye kiburi cha moyo.
Uwe na hakika kwa hili: Hawataepuka kuadhibiwa.
616:6 Kut 20:20; Mit 14:16; Dan 4:26Kwa upendo na uaminifu uovu huondolewa;
kwa kumcha Bwana mtu hujiepusha na ubaya.
716:7 Kol 1:10; Mwa 39:21; Za 105:15; Yer 39:12; 40:1; 42:12; Dan 1:9Njia za mtu zinapompendeza Bwana,
huwafanya hata adui zake waishi naye kwa amani.
816:8 Za 37:16; Mit 15:16; 17:1; Mhu 4:6Afadhali kitu kidogo pamoja na haki
kuliko mapato mengi pamoja na udhalimu.
916:9 Yer 10:23Moyo wa mtu huifikiri njia yake,
bali Bwana huelekeza hatua zake.
1016:10 Mit 17:7Midomo ya mfalme huzungumza kwa hekima ya kiungu,
wala kinywa chake hakipotoshi haki.
1116:11 Law 19:36; Mit 11:1; Eze 45:10Vipimo na mizani za halali hutoka kwa Bwana;
mawe yote ya kupimia yaliyo katika mfuko ameyafanya yeye.
1216:12 Mit 26:28; 25:5; 29:14; 31:5Wafalme huchukia sana kutenda maovu,
kwa maana kiti cha ufalme hufanywa imara kwa njia ya haki.
1316:13 Mit 22:11Wafalme hufurahia midomo ya uaminifu;
humthamini mtu asemaye kweli.
1416:14 Mwa 40:2; Ay 29:24Ghadhabu ya mfalme ni mjumbe wa mauti,
bali mtu mwenye hekima ataituliza.
1516:15 2Nya 36:16; Mit 29:1; Yer 19:1116:15 Mwa 40:2; Ay 29:24; Mit 19:12; 25:2-7Uso wa mfalme ungʼaapo, inamaanisha uhai;
upendeleo wake ni kama wingu la mvua wakati wa vuli.
1616:16 Za 49:20; Ay 28:15; Mit 3:13-14Ni bora kiasi gani kupata hekima kuliko dhahabu,
kuchagua ufahamu kuliko fedha!
1716:17 Mit 4:24-27; Isa 35:8; Mdo 24:16Njia kuu ya wanyofu huepuka ubaya;
yeye aichungaye njia yake, huchunga maisha yake.
1816:18 Es 5:12; Mit 29:23Kiburi hutangulia maangamizi,
roho ya majivuno hutangulia maanguko.
19Ni afadhali kuwa mnyenyekevu katika roho
miongoni mwa walioonewa
kuliko kugawana nyara pamoja na wenye kiburi.
2016:20 Isa 30:18; Za 32:10; Yer 17:7Yeyote anayekubali mafundisho hustawi,
tena amebarikiwa yeye anayemtumaini Bwana.
2116:21 Mit 16:23Wenye hekima moyoni huitwa wenye ufahamu,
na maneno ya kupendeza huchochea mafundisho.
2216:22 Mit 10:11Ufahamu ni chemchemi ya uzima kwa wale walio nao,
bali upumbavu huleta adhabu kwa wapumbavu.
2316:23 Ay 15:5; Mit 16:21Moyo wa mtu mwenye hekima huongoza kinywa chake,
na midomo yake huchochea mafundisho.
2416:24 Mit 24:13-14Maneno ya kupendeza ni kama sega la asali,
ni matamu kwa nafsi na uponyaji kwenye mifupa.
2516:25 Mit 12:15; 14:12; Es 3:6Iko njia ionekanayo kuwa sawa kwa mtu,
bali mwisho wake huelekeza mautini.
2616:26 Mit 9:12; Mhu 6:7Shauku ya mfanyakazi humhimiza kufanya kazi;
njaa yake humsukuma aendelee.
2716:27 Yak 3:6Mtu mbaya kabisa hupanga mabaya,
maneno yake ni kama moto uunguzao.
2816:28 Mit 14:17; 17:9Mtu mpotovu huchochea ugomvi,
nayo maongezi ya upuzi hutenganisha marafiki wa karibu.
29Mtu mkali humvuta jirani yake
na kumwongoza katika mapito yale mabaya.
3016:30 Mit 6:13Yeye akonyezaye kwa jicho lake anapanga upotovu;
naye akazaye midomo yake amenuia mabaya.
3116:31 Mit 20:29Mvi ni taji ya utukufu;
hupatikana kwa maisha ya uadilifu.
3216:32 Mit 19:11Ni afadhali mtu mstahimilivu kuliko shujaa,
mtu anayeitawala hasira yake kuliko yule autekaye mji.
3316:33 Yos 7:14; Yn 1:7Kura hupigwa kwa siri,
lakini kila uamuzi wake hutoka kwa Bwana.
