Proverbs 16
Modern English Version
16 The preparations of the heart belong to man,
but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.
2 All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes,
but the Lord weighs the spirit.
3 Commit your works to the Lord,
and your thoughts will be established.
4 The Lord has made all things for Himself,
yes, even the wicked for the day of evil.
5 Everyone who is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord;
be assured, he will not be unpunished.
6 By mercy and truth iniquity is purged;
and by the fear of the Lord men depart from evil.
7 When a man’s ways please the Lord,
He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.
8 Better is a little with righteousness
than great revenues with injustice.
9 A man’s heart devises his way,
but the Lord directs his steps.
10 A divine sentence is in the lips of the king;
his mouth does not transgress in judgment.
11 A just weight and balance belong to the Lord;
all the weights of the bag are His work.
12 It is an abomination to kings to commit wickedness,
for the throne is established by righteousness.
13 Righteous lips are the delight of kings,
and they love him who speaks right.
14 The wrath of a king is as messengers of death,
but a wise man will pacify it.
15 In the light of the king’s countenance is life,
and his favor is as a cloud of the latter rain.
16 How much better to get wisdom than gold!
And to get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver!
17 The highway of the upright is to depart from evil;
he who keeps his way preserves his soul.
18 Pride goes before destruction,
and a haughty spirit before a fall.
19 Better it is to be of a humble spirit with the lowly
than to divide the spoil with the proud.
20 He who handles a matter wisely will find good,
and whoever trusts in the Lord, happy is he.
21 The wise in heart will be called prudent,
and the sweetness of the lips increases learning.
22 Understanding is a wellspring of life to him who has it,
but the instruction of fools is folly.
23 The heart of the wise teaches his mouth,
and adds learning to his lips.
24 Pleasant words are as a honeycomb,
sweet to the soul and health to the bones.
25 There is a way that seems right to a man,
but its end is the way of death.
26 He who labors, labors for himself,
for his mouth craves it of him.
27 An ungodly man digs up evil,
and in his lips there is as a burning fire.
28 A perverse man sows strife,
and a whisperer separates the best of friends.
29 A violent man entices his neighbor,
and leads him into the way that is not good.
30 He shuts his eyes to devise perverse things;
moving his lips he brings evil to pass.
31 The gray-haired head is a crown of glory,
if it is found in the way of righteousness.
32 He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty,
and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.
33 The lot is cast into the lap,
but the whole outcome is of the Lord.
Proverbs 16
New King James Version
Wisdom Is Better Than Gold
16 The (A)preparations[a] of the heart belong to man,
(B)But the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.
2 All the ways of a man are pure in his own (C)eyes,
But the Lord weighs the spirits.
5 (G)Everyone proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord;
Though they join [d]forces, none will go unpunished.
6 (H)In mercy and truth
Atonement is provided for iniquity;
And (I)by the fear of the Lord one departs from evil.
7 When a man’s ways please the Lord,
He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.
8 (J)Better is a little with righteousness,
Than vast revenues without justice.
10 Divination is on the lips of the king;
His mouth must not transgress in judgment.
11 (M)Honest weights and scales are the Lord’s;
All the weights in the bag are His [e]work.
12 It is an abomination for kings to commit wickedness,
For (N)a throne is established by righteousness.
13 (O)Righteous lips are the delight of kings,
And they love him who speaks what is right.
14 As messengers of death is the king’s wrath,
But a wise man will (P)appease it.
15 In the light of the king’s face is life,
And his favor is like a (Q)cloud of the latter rain.
16 (R)How much better to get wisdom than gold!
And to get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.
17 The highway of the upright is to depart from evil;
He who keeps his way preserves his soul.
18 Pride goes before destruction,
And a haughty spirit before [f]a fall.
19 Better to be of a humble spirit with the lowly,
Than to divide the [g]spoil with the proud.
20 He who heeds the word wisely will find good,
And whoever (S)trusts in the Lord, happy is he.
21 The wise in heart will be called prudent,
And sweetness of the lips increases learning.
22 Understanding is a wellspring of life to him who has it.
But the correction of fools is folly.
23 The heart of the wise teaches his mouth,
And adds learning to his lips.
24 Pleasant words are like a honeycomb,
Sweetness to the soul and health to the bones.
25 There is a way that seems right to a man,
But its end is the way of (T)death.
26 The person who labors, labors for himself,
For his hungry mouth drives (U)him on.
27 [h]An ungodly man digs up evil,
And it is on his lips like a burning (V)fire.
28 A perverse man sows strife,
And (W)a whisperer separates the best of friends.
29 A violent man entices his neighbor,
And leads him in a way that is not good.
30 He winks his eye to devise perverse things;
He [i]purses his lips and brings about evil.
31 (X)The silver-haired head is a crown of glory,
If it is found in the way of righteousness.
32 (Y)He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty,
And he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.
33 The lot is cast into the lap,
But its every decision is from the Lord.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 16:1 plans
- Proverbs 16:3 Lit. Roll
- Proverbs 16:4 Lit. evil
- Proverbs 16:5 Lit. hand to hand
- Proverbs 16:11 concern
- Proverbs 16:18 stumbling
- Proverbs 16:19 plunder
- Proverbs 16:27 Lit. A man of Belial
- Proverbs 16:30 Lit. compresses
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
