Proverbs 16
New American Standard Bible
Contrast of the Upright and the Wicked
16 The (A)plans of the heart belong to a person,
But the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.
2 All the ways of a person are clean in his own sight,
But the (B)Lord examines the [a]motives.
3 [b](C)Commit your works to the Lord,
And your plans will be established.
4 The Lord (D)has made everything for [c]its own purpose,
Even the (E)wicked for the day of evil.
5 Everyone who is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord;
[d]Be assured, he will not go unpunished.
6 By (F)mercy and truth atonement is made for wrongdoing,
And by [e]the (G)fear of the Lord one keeps away from evil.
7 When a person’s ways are pleasing to the Lord,
He (H)causes even his enemies to make peace with him.
8 Better is a little with righteousness
Than great income with injustice.
9 The mind of a (I)person plans his way,
But (J)the Lord directs his steps.
10 A divine (K)verdict is on the lips of the king;
His mouth should not [f]err in judgment.
11 A (L)just balance and scales belong to the Lord;
All the [g]weights of the bag are His [h]concern.
12 It is an abomination for kings to commit wicked acts,
Because a (M)throne is established on righteousness.
13 Righteous lips are the delight of kings,
And one who speaks right is loved.
14 The fury of a king is like messengers of death;
But a wise person will appease it.
15 In the light of a king’s face is life,
And his favor is like a cloud with the [i](N)spring rain.
16 How much (O)better it is to get wisdom than gold!
And to get understanding is to be chosen above silver.
17 The (P)highway of the upright is to turn away from evil;
One who watches his way protects his [j]life.
18 (Q)Pride goes before destruction,
And a haughty spirit before stumbling.
19 It is better to be (R)humble in spirit with the needy
Than to (S)divide the spoils with the proud.
20 One who pays attention to the word will (T)find good,
And (U)blessed is one who trusts in the Lord.
21 The (V)wise in heart will be called understanding,
And sweetness of [k]speech (W)increases [l]persuasiveness.
22 Understanding is a fountain of life to those who have it,
But the discipline of fools is foolishness.
23 The (X)heart of the wise instructs his mouth
And adds [m]persuasiveness to his lips.
24 (Y)Pleasant words are a honeycomb,
Sweet to the soul and (Z)healing to the bones.
25 (AA)There is a way which seems right to a person,
But its end is the way of death.
26 A worker’s appetite works for him,
For his [n]hunger urges him on.
27 A (AB)worthless person digs up evil,
While [o]his words are like (AC)scorching fire.
28 A perverse person spreads strife,
And a [p]slanderer separates close friends.
29 A person of violence (AD)entices his neighbor
And leads him in a way that is not good.
30 He who winks his eyes does so to devise perverse things;
He who compresses his lips brings evil to pass.
31 A (AE)gray head is a crown of glory;
It (AF)is found in the way of righteousness.
32 One who is slow to anger is better than the mighty,
And one who rules his spirit, than one who captures a city.
33 The (AG)lot is cast into the lap,
But its every (AH)decision is from the Lord.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 16:2 Lit spirits
- Proverbs 16:3 Lit Roll
- Proverbs 16:4 Or His
- Proverbs 16:5 Lit Hand to hand, he
- Proverbs 16:6 Or reverence for
- Proverbs 16:10 Lit be unfaithful
- Proverbs 16:11 Lit stones
- Proverbs 16:11 Lit work
- Proverbs 16:15 Lit latter
- Proverbs 16:17 Lit soul
- Proverbs 16:21 Lit lips
- Proverbs 16:21 Or learning
- Proverbs 16:23 Or learning
- Proverbs 16:26 Lit mouth
- Proverbs 16:27 Lit on his lips
- Proverbs 16:28 Or gossip
Proverbs 16
International Standard Version
Wisdom’s Blessings
2 Everything a person does seems pure in his own opinion,
but the Lord weighs intentions.
3 Entrust your work to the Lord,
and your planning will succeed.
4 The Lord made everything answerable to him,
including the wicked at the time of trouble.[c]
5 The Lord detests those who are proud;
truly they will not go unpunished.
6 Iniquity is atoned for by gracious love and truth,
and through fear of the Lord people[d] turn from evil.
7 When a person’s ways please the Lord,
even his enemies will be at peace with him.
8 A little gain[e] with righteousness is better
than great income without justice.
9 A person plans his way,
but the Lord directs his steps.
10 When a king is ready to speak officially,[f]
what he says should not err with respect to justice.
11 Honest scales and balances are from the Lord;
he made all the weights in the bag.
12 Kings detest wrongdoing,
for through righteousness the throne is established.
13 Kings take pleasure in righteous speech;
they treasure a person who speaks what is upright.
14 The king’s wrath results in a death sentence,
but whoever is wise will appease him.
15 When a king is pleased,[g] there is life,
and his favor is like a cloud that brings spring rain.
16 How much better than gaining gold is the acquisition of wisdom,
the attainment of wisdom better than silver!
17 The road of the upright circumvents evil,
and whoever watches how he lives[h] preserves his life.
18 Pride precedes destruction;
an arrogant spirit appears before a fall.
19 Better to be humble among the poor,
than to share what is stolen with the proud.
20 Whoever listens to a word of instruction prospers,
and anyone who trusts in the Lord is blessed.
21 The wise-hearted person is told to be discerning,
and that pleasant speech promotes instruction.
22 Anyone who has understanding is a fountain of life,
but foolishness brings punishment to fools.
23 A wise person’s thoughts[i] control his words,
and his speech promotes instruction.
24 Pleasant words are honey from a honeycomb—
sweet to the soul and healing for the body.[j]
Advice to the Wise
25 There is a road that seems right for a man to travel,[k]
but in the end it’s the road to death.
26 The appetite of the laborer motivates him;
indeed, his hunger drives him on.
27 A worthless person concocts evil gossip[l]—
his lips are like a burning fire.
28 A deceitful man stirs dissension,
and anyone who gossips separates friends.
29 A violent man entices his companion
and leads him on a path that is not good.
30 Whoever winks knowingly[m] is plotting[n] deceit;
anyone who purses his lips is bent towards evil.
31 Gray hair is a crown of glory;
it is obtained by following[o] a righteous path.
32 Whoever controls his temper is better than a warrior,
and anyone who has control of his spirit is better
than someone who captures a city.
33 The dice is cast into someone’s lap,
but the outcome is from the Lord.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 16:1 Lit. Preparations of the heart belong to human beings
- Proverbs 16:1 Or the response of the tongue
- Proverbs 16:4 Lit. evil
- Proverbs 16:6 The Heb. lacks people
- Proverbs 16:8 The Heb. lacks gain
- Proverbs 16:10 Lit. king speaks an oracle
- Proverbs 16:15 Lit. a king’s face lightens
- Proverbs 16:17 Lit. watches his path
- Proverbs 16:23 Lit. heart
- Proverbs 16:24 Lit. bone
- Proverbs 16:25 The Heb. lacks to travel
- Proverbs 16:27 The Heb. lacks gossip
- Proverbs 16:30 Lit. with his eyes
- Proverbs 16:30 So MT; LXX Syr Targ Vg read winks with his eyes considers
- Proverbs 16:31 The Heb. lacks following
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