1 Die planne van die hart is van die mens, maar die antwoord van die tong kom van die HERE.
2 Al die weë van 'n man is suiwer in sy oë, maar die HERE toets die geeste.
3 Laat jou werke aan die HERE oor, dan sal jou planne uitgevoer word.
4 Alles het die HERE gemaak vir sy doel, ja, ook die goddelose vir die dag van onheil.
5 Elke hoogmoedige van hart is vir die HERE 'n gruwel; sekerlik, hy sal nie ongestraf bly nie.
6 Deur liefde en trou word die skuld versoen, en deur die vrees van die HERE wyk 'n mens af van die kwaad.
7 As die HERE behae het in die weë van 'n man, dan laat Hy selfs sy vyande met hom vrede hou.
8 Liewer 'n bietjie met geregtigheid, as 'n menigte van inkomste met onreg.
9 Die hart van die mens dink sy weg uit, maar die HERE rig sy voetstappe.
10 Die beslissing is op die lippe van die koning; in die regspraak handel sy mond nie ontrou nie.
11 'n Regte weegtoestel en weegskaal kom van die HERE, al die weegstene in die sak is sy werk.
12 Dit is 'n gruwel vir konings om goddeloosheid te doen, want deur geregtigheid word die troon bevestig.
13 Die konings het behae in regverdige lippe, en hulle het hom lief wat regte dinge spreek.
14 Die grimmigheid van die koning is soos boodskappers van die dood, maar 'n wyse man bring dit tot bedaring.
15 In die vriendelike blik van die koning is lewe, en sy welgevalle is soos 'n wolk van die laat reëns.
16 Hoeveel beter is dit om wysheid te verkry as goud, en verkiesliker om verstand te verwerf as silwer.
17 Die gemaakte pad van die opregtes is om van die kwaad af te wyk; hy wat op sy wandel ag gee, bewaar sy lewe.
18 Trotsheid kom voor die verbreking, en hoogmoed kom voor die val.
19 Dit is beter om nederig van gees te wees saam met die ootmoediges as om buit te verdeel met die trotsaards.
20 Wie ag gee op die Woord, sal die goeie vind; en hy wat op die HERE vertrou, is gelukkig.
21 'n Wyse van hart word verstandig genoem, en soetheid van lippe vermeerder die lering.
22 'n Fontein van die lewe is die verstand vir sy besitter, maar die tugtiging van die sotte is sotheid.
23 Die hart van die wyse maak sy mond verstandig en vermeerder die lering op sy lippe.
24 Vriendelike woorde is soos 'n heuningkoek: soet vir die siel en 'n genesing vir die gebeente.
25 Daar is 'n weg wat vir 'n mens reg lyk, maar die einde daarvan is weë van die dood.
26 Die honger van die werksman arbei vir hom, want sy mond jaag hom aan.
27 'n Deugniet grawe 'n kuil van onheil, en op sy lippe is soos 'n brandende vuur.
28 'n Man van valse streke saai tweedrag, en 'n kwaadstoker skei vriende van mekaar.
29 'n Man van geweld verlei sy naaste en lei hom op 'n weg wat nie goed is nie.
30 Hy wat sy oë toemaak om valsheid te bedink, wat sy lippe vasknyp, het die kwaad alreeds gedoen.
31 Grysheid is 'n sierlike kroon; dit word gevind op die weg van geregtigheid.
32 Die lankmoedige is beter as 'n held; en hy wat sy gees beheers, as een wat 'n stad inneem.
33 In die skoot word die lot gewerp, maar elke beslissing daarvan kom van die HERE.
1 The designs of the heart are man's, but the answer of the tongue comes from the Lord.
2 All a man's ways are clean to himself; but the Lord puts men's spirits into his scales.
3 Put your works into the hands of the Lord, and your purposes will be made certain.
4 The Lord has made everything for his purpose, even the sinner for the day of evil.
5 Everyone who has pride in his heart is disgusting to the Lord: he will certainly not go free from punishment.
6 By mercy and good faith evil-doing is taken away: and by the fear of the Lord men are turned away from evil.
7 When a man's ways are pleasing to the Lord, he makes even his haters be at peace with him.
8 Better is a little with righteousness, than great wealth with wrongdoing.
9 A man may make designs for his way, but the Lord is the guide of his steps.
10 Decision is in the lips of the king: his mouth will not go wrong in judging.
11 True measures and scales are the Lord's: all the weights of the bag are his work.
12 Evil-doing is disgusting to kings: for the seat of the ruler is based on righteousness.
13 Lips of righteousness are the delight of kings; and he who says what is upright is dear to him.
14 The wrath of the king is like those who give news of death, but a wise man will put peace in place of it.
15 In the light of the king's face there is life; and his approval is like a cloud of spring rain.
16 How much better it is to get wisdom than gold! and to get knowledge is more to be desired than silver.
17 The highway of the upright is to be turned away from evil: he who takes care of his way will keep his soul.
18 Pride goes before destruction, and a stiff spirit before a fall.
19 Better it is to have a gentle spirit with the poor, than to take part in the rewards of war with men of pride.
20 He who gives attention to the law of right will get good; and whoever puts his faith in the Lord is happy.
21 The wise-hearted will be named men of good sense: and by pleasing words learning is increased.
22 Wisdom is a fountain of life to him who has it; but the punishment of the foolish is their foolish behaviour.
23 The heart of the wise man is the teacher of his mouth, and gives increased learning to his lips.
24 Pleasing words are like honey, sweet to the soul and new life to the bones.
25 There is a way which seems straight before a man, but its end is the ways of death.
26 The desire of the working man is working for him, for his need of food is driving him on.
27 A good-for-nothing man is a designer of evil, and in his lips there is a burning fire.
28 A man of twisted purposes is a cause of fighting everywhere: and he who says evil secretly makes trouble between friends.
29 A violent man puts desire of evil into his neighbour's mind, and makes him go in a way which is not good.
30 He whose eyes are shut is a man of twisted purposes, and he who keeps his lips shut tight makes evil come about.
31 The grey head is a crown of glory, if it is seen in the way of righteousness.
32 He who is slow to be angry is better than a man of war, and he who has control over his spirit than he who takes a town.
33 A thing may be put to the decision of chance, but it comes about through the Lord.