Proverbes 16:17

17 Le chemin des hommes droits, c'est de se détourner du mal; celui-là garde son âme qui prend garde à sa conduite.

Proverbes 16:17 Meaning and Commentary

Proverbs 16:17

The highway of the upright [is] to depart from evil
Upright persons, such who are upright in heart, and walk uprightly; these walk in the highway of holiness, in which men, though fools, shall not err; in the King's highway, the highway of the King of kings; in the plain beaten path of God's commandments; and so shun the bypaths of sin, and abstain from all appearance of it: this is their common constant course of life; they are studiously concerned to walk herein, and take delight in so doing; whereby they escape many evils others fall into; he that keepeth his way preserveth his soul,
that keeps on in his way, the way in which the upright walk; whose eyes look right on, and his eyelids straight before him; who ponders the path of his feet, and turns neither to the right hand nor the left; who walks circumspectly and carefully; observes the road he is in, to keep in it, and not go out of it; such a man preserves his soul from many snares and temptations, troubles, dangers, and evils, which he would be otherwise liable to. Here the Masorites put the word (yux) , signifying that this is the half or middle of the book.

Proverbes 16:17 In-Context

15 Le visage serein du roi donne la vie; et sa faveur est comme la nuée qui porte la pluie de l'arrière-saison.
16 Combien il vaut mieux acquérir de la sagesse que de l'or fin! Et combien il est plus excellent d'acquérir de la prudence que de l'argent!
17 Le chemin des hommes droits, c'est de se détourner du mal; celui-là garde son âme qui prend garde à sa conduite.
18 L'orgueil va devant l'écrasement, et la fierté d'esprit devant la ruine.
19 Il vaut mieux être humble avec les débonnaires, que de partager le butin avec les orgueilleux.
The Ostervald translation is in the public domain.