1 It pertaineth to man to make ready the soul; and it pertaineth to the Lord to govern the tongue. (Each person must prepare their own soul, or their own life; but it is God who governeth their tongue, or telleth them what to say.)
2 All the ways of men be open to the eyes of God (or All the ways of people be before God); the Lord is a weigher of spirits, that is, of wills, yielding to man after his deservings.
3 Show thy works to the Lord; and thy thoughts shall be (ad)dressed. (Commit thy plans to the Lord; and they shall succeed.)
4 The Lord wrought all things for himself; and he made ready a wicked man to the evil day. (The Lord made everything for its own purpose; and he made the wicked for the day of evil.)