TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
NEVI'IM
PROPHETS
KETUVIM
WRITINGS
Chapter 16
Translation and Transliteration of
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1A man may arrange his thoughts, But what he says depends on Hashem.
אלְאָדָם מַעַרְכֵי־לֵב וּמֵיְהֹוָה מַעֲנֵה לָשׁוֹן׃
2All the ways of a man seem right to him, But Hashem probes motives.
בכָּל־דַּרְכֵי־אִישׁ זַךְ בְּעֵינָיו וְתֹכֵן רוּחוֹת יְהֹוָה׃
3Entrust your affairs to Hashem, And your plans will succeed.
גגֹּל אֶל־יְהֹוָה מַעֲשֶׂיךָ וְיִכֹּנוּ מַחְשְׁבֹתֶיךָ׃
4Hashem made everything for a purpose, Even the wicked for an evil day.
KOL pa-AL a-do-NAI l'-ma-a-NAY-hu v'-gam ra-SHA l'-YOM ra-AH
דכֹּל פָּעַל יְהֹוָה לַמַּעֲנֵהוּ וְגַם־רָשָׁע לְיוֹם רָעָה׃
16:4 Hashem made everything for a purpose
Since we know that Hashem is good, sometimes we assume that bad things happen despite Him. This verse reminds us that everything, even that which we perceive as evil, was created by God for a purpose. Though the reason is not always clear, we must look for the good that comes from every situation. The slavery in Egypt, for example, led to the formation of the Nation of Israel, the giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai, and ultimately the acquisition of the Land of Israel. With this verse in mind, we can rest assured that Israel’s many enemies and the threats facing the Jewish state today are also part of Hashem’s divine plan and will lead to the greatest good: The redemption of Israel and the world.
5Every haughty person is an abomination to Hashem; Assuredly, he will not go unpunished.
התּוֹעֲבַת יְהֹוָה כָּל־גְּבַהּ־לֵב יָד לְיָד לֹא יִנָּקֶה׃
6Iniquity is expiated by loyalty and faithfulness, And evil is avoided through fear of Hashem.
ובְּחֶסֶד וֶאֱמֶת יְכֻפַּר עָוׂן וּבְיִרְאַת יְהֹוָה סוּר מֵרָע׃
7When Hashem is pleased with a man's conduct, He may turn even his enemies into allies.
זבִּרְצוֹת יְהֹוָה דַּרְכֵי־אִישׁ גַּם־אוֹיְבָיו יַשְׁלִם אִתּוֹ׃
8Better a little with righteousness Than a large income with injustice.
חטוֹב־מְעַט בִּצְדָקָה מֵרֹב תְּבוּאוֹת בְּלֹא מִשְׁפָּט׃
9A man may plot out his course, But it is Hashem who directs his steps.
טלֵב אָדָם יְחַשֵּׁב דַּרְכּוֹ וַיהֹוָה יָכִין צַעֲדוֹ׃
10There is magic on the lips of the king; He cannot err in judgment.
יקֶסֶם עַל־שִׂפְתֵי־מֶלֶךְ בְּמִשְׁפָּט לֹא יִמְעַל־פִּיו׃
11Honest scales and balances are Hashem's; All the weights in the bag are His work.
יאפֶּלֶס וּמֹאזְנֵי מִשְׁפָּט לַיהֹוָה מַעֲשֵׂהוּ כָּל־אַבְנֵי־כִיס׃
12Wicked deeds are an abomination to kings, For the throne is established by righteousness.
יבתּוֹעֲבַת מְלָכִים עֲשׂוֹת רֶשַׁע כִּי בִצְדָקָה יִכּוֹן כִּסֵּא׃
13Truthful speech wins the favor of kings; They love those who speak honestly.
יגרְצוֹן מְלָכִים שִׂפְתֵי־צֶדֶק וְדֹבֵר יְשָׁרִים יֶאֱהָב׃
14The king's wrath is a messenger of death, But a wise man can appease it.
ידחֲמַת־מֶלֶךְ מַלְאֲכֵי־מָוֶת וְאִישׁ חָכָם יְכַפְּרֶנָּה׃
15The king's smile means life; His favor is like a rain cloud in spring.
טובְּאוֹר־פְּנֵי־מֶלֶךְ חַיִּים וּרְצוֹנוֹ כְּעָב מַלְקוֹשׁ׃
16How much better to acquire wisdom than gold; To acquire understanding is preferable to silver.
טזקְנֹה־חָכְמָה מַה־טּוֹב מֵחָרוּץ וּקְנוֹת בִּינָה נִבְחָר מִכָּסֶף׃
17The highway of the upright avoids evil; He who would preserve his life watches his way.
יזמְסִלַּת יְשָׁרִים סוּר מֵרָע שֹׁמֵר נַפְשׁוֹ נֹצֵר דַּרְכּוֹ׃
18Pride goes before ruin, Arrogance, before failure.
יחלִפְנֵי־שֶׁבֶר גָּאוֹן וְלִפְנֵי כִשָּׁלוֹן גֹּבַהּ רוּחַ׃
19Better to be humble and among the lowly Than to share spoils with the proud.
יטטוֹב שְׁפַל־רוּחַ אֶת־עניים [עֲנָוִים] מֵחַלֵּק שָׁלָל אֶת־גֵּאִים׃
20He who is adept in a matter will attain success; Happy is he who trusts in Hashem.
כמַשְׂכִּיל עַל־דָּבָר יִמְצָא־טוֹב וּבוֹטֵחַ בַּיהֹוָה אַשְׁרָיו׃
21The wise-hearted is called discerning; One whose speech is pleasing gains wisdom.
כאלַחֲכַם־לֵב יִקָּרֵא נָבוֹן וּמֶתֶק שְׂפָתַיִם יֹסִיף לֶקַח׃
22Good sense is a fountain of life to those who have it, And folly is the punishment of fools.
כבמְקוֹר חַיִּים שֵׂכֶל בְּעָלָיו וּמוּסַר אֱוִלִים אִוֶּלֶת׃
23The mind of the wise man makes his speech effective And increases the wisdom on his lips.
כגלֵב חָכָם יַשְׂכִּיל פִּיהוּ וְעַל־שְׂפָתָיו יֹסִיף לֶקַח׃
24Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, Sweet to the palate and a cure for the body.
כדצוּף־דְּבַשׁ אִמְרֵי־נֹעַם מָתוֹק לַנֶּפֶשׁ וּמַרְפֵּא לָעָצֶם׃
25A road may seem right to a man, But in the end it is a road to death.
כהיֵשׁ דֶּרֶךְ יָשָׁר לִפְנֵי־אִישׁ וְאַחֲרִיתָהּ דַּרְכֵי־מָוֶת׃
26The appetite of a laborer labors for him, Because his hunger forces him on.
כונֶפֶשׁ עָמֵל עָמְלָה לּוֹ כִּי־אָכַף עָלָיו פִּיהוּ׃
27A scoundrel plots evil; What is on his lips is like a scorching fire.
כזאִישׁ בְּלִיַּעַל כֹּרֶה רָעָה וְעַל־שפתיו [שְׂפָתוֹ] כְּאֵשׁ צָרָבֶת׃
28A shifty man stirs up strife, And a querulous one alienates his friend.
כחאִישׁ תַּהְפֻּכוֹת יְשַׁלַּח מָדוֹן וְנִרְגָּן מַפְרִיד אַלּוּף׃
29A lawless man misleads his friend, Making him take the wrong way.
כטאִישׁ חָמָס יְפַתֶּה רֵעֵהוּ וְהוֹלִיכוֹ בְּדֶרֶךְ לֹא־טוֹב׃
30He closes his eyes while meditating deception; He purses his lips while deciding upon evil.
לעֹצֶה עֵינָיו לַחְשֹׁב תַּהְפֻּכוֹת קֹרֵץ שְׂפָתָיו כִּלָּה רָעָה׃
31Gray hair is a crown of glory; It is attained by the way of righteousness.
לאעֲטֶרֶת תִּפְאֶרֶת שֵׂיבָה בְּדֶרֶךְ צְדָקָה תִּמָּצֵא׃
32Better to be forbearing than mighty, To have self-control than to conquer a city.
לבטוֹב אֶרֶךְ אַפַּיִם מִגִּבּוֹר וּמֹשֵׁל בְּרוּחוֹ מִלֹּכֵד עִיר׃
33Lots are cast into the lap; The decision depends on Hashem.
לגבַּחֵיק יוּטַל אֶת־הַגּוֹרָל וּמֵיְהֹוָה כָּל־מִשְׁפָּטוֹ׃
