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Proverbs 16:10-17:21
English Standard Version
Proverbs 16:10-17:21
English Standard Version
10 (A)An oracle is on the lips of a king;
his mouth does not sin in judgment.
11 (B)A just balance and scales are the Lord's;
all the weights in the bag are his work.
12 It is an abomination to kings to do evil,
for (C)the throne is established by righteousness.
13 (D)Righteous lips are the delight of a king,
and he loves him who speaks what is right.
14 (E)A king's wrath is a messenger of death,
and a wise man will (F)appease it.
15 (G)In the light of a king's face there is life,
and his (H)favor is like (I)the clouds that bring the spring rain.
16 (J)How much better to get wisdom than (K)gold!
To get understanding is to be chosen rather than (L)silver.
17 The highway of the upright (M)turns aside from evil;
whoever guards his way preserves his life.
18 (N)Pride goes before destruction,
and a haughty spirit before a fall.
19 (O)It is better to be of a lowly spirit with the poor
than to (P)divide the spoil with the proud.
20 Whoever gives thought to the word[a] (Q)will discover good,
and blessed is he (R)who trusts in the Lord.
21 The wise of heart is called discerning,
and sweetness of speech (S)increases persuasiveness.
22 Good sense is (T)a fountain of life to him who has it,
but the instruction of fools is folly.
23 (U)The heart of the wise makes his speech judicious
and adds persuasiveness to his lips.
24 (V)Gracious words are like (W)a honeycomb,
sweetness to the soul and (X)health to the body.
25 There is a way that seems right to a man,
but its end is the way to death.[b]
26 A worker's appetite works for him;
his (Y)mouth urges him on.
27 (Z)A worthless man plots evil,
and his speech[c] is like (AA)a scorching fire.
28 (AB)A dishonest man spreads strife,
and (AC)a whisperer (AD)separates close friends.
29 A man of violence (AE)entices his neighbor
and leads him in a way that is not good.
30 Whoever winks his eyes plans[d] (AF)dishonest things;
he who (AG)purses his lips brings evil to pass.
31 (AH)Gray hair is (AI)a crown of glory;
it (AJ)is gained in a righteous life.
32 (AK)Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty,
and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.
33 (AL)The lot is cast into the lap,
but its every decision is (AM)from the Lord.
17 (AN)Better is a dry morsel with quiet
than a house full of feasting[e] with strife.
2 A servant who deals wisely will rule over (AO)a son who acts shamefully
and (AP)will share the inheritance as one of the brothers.
3 (AQ)The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold,
(AR)and the Lord tests hearts.
4 An evildoer listens to wicked lips,
and a liar gives ear to a mischievous tongue.
5 Whoever mocks the poor (AS)insults his Maker;
he who is (AT)glad at calamity will not go (AU)unpunished.
6 (AV)Grandchildren are (AW)the crown of the aged,
and the glory of children is their fathers.
7 Fine speech is not (AX)becoming to a fool;
still less is (AY)false speech to a prince.
8 (AZ)A bribe is like a magic[f] stone in the eyes of the one who gives it;
wherever he turns he prospers.
9 Whoever (BA)covers an offense seeks love,
but he who repeats a matter (BB)separates close friends.
10 A rebuke goes deeper into a man of understanding
than a hundred blows into a fool.
11 An evil man seeks only rebellion,
and (BC)a cruel messenger will be sent against him.
12 Let a man meet (BD)a she-bear robbed of her cubs
(BE)rather than a fool in his folly.
13 If anyone (BF)returns evil for good,
(BG)evil will not depart from his house.
14 The beginning of strife is like letting out water,
so (BH)quit before the quarrel breaks out.
15 He who (BI)justifies the wicked and he who (BJ)condemns the righteous
are both alike an abomination to the Lord.
16 Why should a fool have money in his hand (BK)to buy wisdom
when he has no sense?
17 (BL)A friend loves at all times,
and a brother is born for adversity.
18 One who lacks sense gives a pledge
and puts up security in the presence of his neighbor.
19 Whoever loves transgression loves strife;
he who (BM)makes his door high seeks destruction.
20 (BN)A man of crooked heart does not discover good,
and one with a dishonest tongue falls into calamity.
21 He who (BO)sires a fool gets himself sorrow,
and the father of a fool has no joy.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 16:20 Or to a matter
- Proverbs 16:25 Hebrew ways of death
- Proverbs 16:27 Hebrew what is on his lips
- Proverbs 16:30 Hebrew to plan
- Proverbs 17:1 Hebrew sacrifices
- Proverbs 17:8 Or precious
Proverbs 16:10-17:21
New International Version
Proverbs 16:10-17:21
New International Version
10 The lips of a king speak as an oracle,
and his mouth does not betray justice.(A)
11 Honest scales and balances belong to the Lord;
all the weights in the bag are of his making.(B)
12 Kings detest wrongdoing,
for a throne is established through righteousness.(C)
13 Kings take pleasure in honest lips;
they value the one who speaks what is right.(D)
17 The highway of the upright avoids evil;
those who guard their ways preserve their lives.(K)
19 Better to be lowly in spirit along with the oppressed
than to share plunder with the proud.
20 Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers,[a](O)
and blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord.(P)
22 Prudence is a fountain of life to the prudent,(R)
but folly brings punishment to fools.
26 The appetite of laborers works for them;
their hunger drives them on.
29 A violent person entices their neighbor
and leads them down a path that is not good.(AC)
30 Whoever winks(AD) with their eye is plotting perversity;
whoever purses their lips is bent on evil.
31 Gray hair is a crown of splendor;(AE)
it is attained in the way of righteousness.
32 Better a patient person than a warrior,
one with self-control than one who takes a city.
17 Better a dry crust with peace and quiet
than a house full of feasting, with strife.(AI)
2 A prudent servant will rule over a disgraceful son
and will share the inheritance as one of the family.
4 A wicked person listens to deceitful lips;
a liar pays attention to a destructive tongue.
5 Whoever mocks the poor(AL) shows contempt for their Maker;(AM)
whoever gloats over disaster(AN) will not go unpunished.(AO)
6 Children’s children(AP) are a crown to the aged,
and parents are the pride of their children.
7 Eloquent lips are unsuited to a godless fool—
how much worse lying lips to a ruler!(AQ)
8 A bribe is seen as a charm by the one who gives it;
they think success will come at every turn.(AR)
9 Whoever would foster love covers over an offense,(AS)
but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.(AT)
10 A rebuke impresses a discerning person
more than a hundred lashes a fool.
11 Evildoers foster rebellion against God;
the messenger of death will be sent against them.
12 Better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs
than a fool bent on folly.(AU)
14 Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam;
so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out.(AX)
16 Why should fools have money in hand to buy wisdom,
when they are not able to understand it?(BA)
17 A friend loves at all times,
and a brother is born for a time of adversity.(BB)
18 One who has no sense shakes hands in pledge
and puts up security for a neighbor.(BC)
19 Whoever loves a quarrel loves sin;
whoever builds a high gate invites destruction.
20 One whose heart is corrupt does not prosper;
one whose tongue is perverse falls into trouble.
21 To have a fool for a child brings grief;
there is no joy for the parent of a godless fool.(BD)
Footnotes
- Proverbs 16:20 Or whoever speaks prudently finds what is good
- Proverbs 16:21 Or words make a person persuasive
- Proverbs 16:23 Or prudent / and make their lips persuasive
English Standard Version (ESV) 
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.