Proverbs 16
Lexham English Bible
16 To mortals belong the plans of the heart,
but from Yahweh comes the answer of the tongue.
2 All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes,
but Yahweh weighs the spirit.[a]
3 Commit your work to Yahweh,
and your plans will be established.
4 All Yahweh has made is for his[b] purpose,
and even the wicked for the day of trouble.
5 An abomination of Yahweh are all who are arrogant of heart;[c]
rest assured,[d] he will not go unpunished.
6 By loyalty and faithfulness, iniquity will be covered over,[e]
and by fear of Yahweh one turns[f] from evil.
7 When the ways of a man are pleasing to Yahweh,
even his enemies he will cause to make peace with him.
8 Better is little with righteousness
than great income with no justice.
9 The mind[g] of a person will plan his ways,
and Yahweh will direct his steps.
10 A decision is upon the lips of a king;
in judgment his mouth will not sin.
11 A balance and scales of justice belong to Yahweh;
all the weights of the bag are his work.
12 An abomination to kings is doing evil,
for by righteousness the throne will be established.
13 The delight of kings are the lips of righteousness,
and he who speaks what is upright he will love.
14 The wrath of a king is a messenger of death,
but one who is wise will appease[h] it.
15 In the light of the face of the king there is life,
and his favor is like a cloud of spring rain.
16 Getting wisdom: how much[i] better than gold!
And getting understanding: it is chosen over[j] silver.
17 The highway of the upright, it turns from evil,
he who guards himself[k] keeps his way.
18 Before destruction comes pride,
and before a fall, a haughty spirit.[l]
19 Better a lowly spirit with the poor
than dividing the spoil with the proud.
20 He who is attentive to a matter will find goodness,
and he who trusts in Yahweh, his own happiness.
21 The wise of heart[m] is called perceptive,
but he who is pleasant of lips will increase persuasiveness.
22 A fountain of life is wisdom for its owner,[n]
but the instruction[o] of fools is folly.
23 The heart[p] of the wise will make his mouth judicious,
and upon his lips, it[q] will add persuasiveness.
24 Pleasant sayings are a honeycomb,
sweetness to the soul and healing to the bones.
25 There is a way that seems upright to[r] a man,
but its end is the way of death.
26 The life[s] of a worker works for him,
for his hunger[t] urges him.
27 A man of wickedness concocts evil,
and his lips are like a scorching fire.
28 A person of perversity will spread dissent,
and he who whispers separates a close friend.
29 A person of violence will entice his neighbor
and cause him to walk on a way that is not good.
30 He who winks his eyes does so in order to plan perverse things;
he who purses his lips will bring evil to pass.
31 A crown of glory is gray hair;
by a righteous life it is gained.
32 He who is slow to anger[u] is better than him who is mighty,
and he who controls his spirit than him who captures a city.
33 The lot will be cast into the lap,
but all of its decisions are from Yahweh.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 16:2 Or “breath”
- Proverbs 16:4 Or “its”
- Proverbs 16:5 Or “mind”
- Proverbs 16:5 Literally “hand to hand”
- Proverbs 16:6 Or “atoned for”
- Proverbs 16:6 Literally “turning”
- Proverbs 16:9 Literally “heart”
- Proverbs 16:14 Or “atone, cover over”
- Proverbs 16:16 Literally “what”
- Proverbs 16:16 Literally “from”
- Proverbs 16:17 Or “soul,” or “inner self”
- Proverbs 16:18 Hebrew “a haughty of spirit”
- Proverbs 16:21 Or “mind”
- Proverbs 16:22 Or “master”
- Proverbs 16:22 Or “punishment”
- Proverbs 16:23 Or “mind”
- Proverbs 16:23 Or “he”
- Proverbs 16:25 Literally “to the face of”
- Proverbs 16:26 Or “soul,” or “inner self”
- Proverbs 16:26 Literally “mouth”
- Proverbs 16:32 Literally “nostrils”
Proverbs 16
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
16 The plans of the mind belong to mortals,
but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.
2 All one’s ways may be pure in one’s own eyes,
but the Lord weighs the spirit.(A)
3 Commit your work to the Lord,
and your plans will be established.(B)
4 The Lord has made everything for its purpose,
even the wicked for the day of trouble.(C)
5 All those who are arrogant are an abomination to the Lord;
be assured, they will not go unpunished.(D)
6 By loyalty and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for,
and by the fear of the Lord one avoids evil.(E)
7 When the ways of people please the Lord,
he causes even their enemies to be at peace with them.(F)
8 Better is a little with righteousness
than large income with injustice.
9 The human mind plans the way,
but the Lord directs the steps.(G)
10 Inspired decisions are on the lips of a king;
his mouth does not sin in judgment.
11 Honest balances and scales are the Lord’s;
all the weights in the bag are his work.(H)
12 It is an abomination to kings to do evil,
for the throne is established by righteousness.(I)
13 Righteous lips are the delight of a king,
and he loves those who speak what is right.(J)
14 A king’s wrath is a messenger of death,
and whoever is wise will appease it.(K)
15 In the light of a king’s face there is life,
and his favor is like the clouds that bring the spring rain.(L)
16 How much better to get wisdom than gold!
To get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.(M)
17 The highway of the upright avoids evil;
those who guard their way preserve their lives.
18 Pride goes before destruction
and a haughty spirit before a fall.(N)
19 It is better to be of a lowly spirit among the poor
than to divide the spoil with the proud.
20 Those who are attentive to a matter will prosper,
and happy are those who trust in the Lord.(O)
21 The wise of heart is called perceptive,
and pleasant speech increases persuasiveness.
22 Wisdom is a fountain of life to one who has it,
but folly is the punishment of fools.(P)
23 The mind of the wise makes their speech judicious
and adds persuasiveness to their lips.
24 Pleasant words are like a honeycomb,
sweetness to the soul and health to the body.
25 Sometimes there is a way that seems to be right,
but in the end it is the way to death.(Q)
26 The appetite of workers works for them;
their hunger urges them on.
27 Scoundrels concoct evil,
and their speech is like a scorching fire.(R)
28 A perverse person spreads strife,
and a whisperer separates close friends.(S)
29 The violent entice their neighbors
and lead them in a way that is not good.(T)
30 One who winks the eyes plans[a] perverse things;
one who compresses the lips brings evil to pass.
31 Gray hair is a crown of glory;
it is gained in a righteous life.(U)
32 One who is slow to anger is better than the mighty,
and one whose temper is controlled than one who captures a city.(V)
33 The lot is cast into the lap,
but the decision is the Lord’s alone.
Footnotes
- 16.30 Gk Syr Vg Tg: Heb to plan
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New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.