Font Size
Proverbs 16
International Children’s Bible
Proverbs 16
International Children’s Bible
16 People make plans in their hearts.
But only the Lord can make those plans come true.
2 A person may believe he is doing right.
But the Lord will judge his reasons.
3 Depend on the Lord in whatever you do.
Then your plans will succeed.
4 The Lord makes everything work the way he wants it.
He even has a day of disaster for evil people.
5 The Lord hates those who are proud.
You can be sure that they will be punished.
6 Love and truth bring forgiveness of sin.
By respecting the Lord you will avoid evil.
7 A person should live so that he pleases the Lord.
If he does, even his enemies will make peace with him.
8 It is better to be poor and do what is right
than to be wealthy and be unfair.
9 A person may think up plans.
But the Lord decides what he will do.
10 The words of a king are like a message from God.
So his decisions should be fair.
11 The Lord wants honest balances and scales to be used.
He wants all weights to be honest.
12 Kings hate those who do wrong
because governments only last if they are fair.
13 Kings are pleased with those who speak honest words.
They value a person who speaks the truth.
14 If a king becomes angry, he may put someone to death.
So a wise man will try to keep peace.
15 A king’s kindness can give people life.
His kindness is like a spring shower.
16 It is better to get wisdom than gold.
It is better to choose understanding than silver!
17 A good person stays away from evil.
A person who watches what he does protects his life.
18 Pride leads to destruction.
A proud attitude brings ruin.
19 It is better not to be proud and to be with those who suffer
than to share stolen property with proud people.
20 Whoever pays attention to what he is taught will succeed.
And whoever trusts the Lord will be happy.
21 A wise person is known for his understanding.
He wins people to his side with pleasant words.
22 Understanding is like a fountain of water which gives life to those who use it.
But foolishness will cause foolish people to be punished.
23 A wise person’s mind tells him what to say.
This helps him to teach others better.
24 Pleasant words are like a honeycomb.
They make a person happy and healthy.
25 Some people think they are doing what’s right.
But in the end it causes them to die.
26 The worker’s hunger helps him.
His desire to eat makes him work.
27 An evil person makes evil plans.
And his words are like a burning fire.
28 An evil person causes trouble.
And a person who gossips ruins friendships.
29 A cruel man tricks his neighbor.
He leads him to do wrong.
30 Someone who winks at you is planning evil.
And the one who grins at you is about to do something wrong.
31 Gray hair is like a crown of honor.
You earn it by living a good life.
32 Patience is better than strength.
Controlling your temper is better than capturing a city.
33 People throw lots to make a decision.
But the answer comes from the Lord.
Proverbs 16
New American Standard Bible 1995
Proverbs 16
New American Standard Bible 1995
Contrast the Upright and the Wicked
16 The (A)plans 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 sight,
But the (B)Lord weighs 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;
Assuredly, he will not be unpunished.
6 By (F)lovingkindness and truth iniquity is atoned for,
And by the [d](G)fear of the Lord one keeps away from evil.
7 When a man’s ways are pleasing to the Lord,
He (H)makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.
8 Better is a little with righteousness
Than great income with injustice.
9 The mind of (I)man plans his way,
But (J)the Lord directs his steps.
10 A divine (K)decision is in the lips of the king;
His mouth should not [e]err in judgment.
11 A (L)just balance and scales belong to the Lord;
All the [f]weights of the bag are His [g]concern.
12 It is an abomination for kings to commit wicked acts,
For a (M)throne is established on righteousness.
13 Righteous lips are the delight of kings,
And he who speaks right is loved.
14 The fury of a king is like messengers of death,
But a wise man will appease it.
15 In the light of a king’s face is life,
And his favor is like a cloud with the [h](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 depart from evil;
He who watches his way preserves his [i]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 lowly
Than to (S)divide the spoil with the proud.
20 He who gives attention to the word will (T)find good,
And (U)blessed is he who trusts in the Lord.
21 The (V)wise in heart will be called understanding,
And sweetness of [j]speech (W)increases [k]persuasiveness.
22 Understanding is a fountain of life to one who has it,
But the discipline of fools is folly.
23 The (X)heart of the wise instructs his mouth
And adds [l]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 man,
But its end is the way of death.
26 A worker’s appetite works for him,
For his [m]hunger urges him on.
27 A (AB)worthless man digs up evil,
While [n]his words are like (AC)scorching fire.
28 A perverse man spreads strife,
And a slanderer separates intimate friends.
29 A man 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 He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty,
And he who rules his spirit, than he 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 16:6 Or reverence
- 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
New International Version
Proverbs 16
New International Version
16 To humans belong the plans of the heart,
but from the Lord comes the proper answer of the tongue.(A)
3 Commit to the Lord whatever you do,
and he will establish your plans.(E)
6 Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for;
through the fear of the Lord(J) evil is avoided.(K)
7 When the Lord takes pleasure in anyone’s way,
he causes their enemies to make peace(L) with them.(M)
9 In their hearts humans plan their course,
but the Lord establishes their steps.(P)
10 The lips of a king speak as an oracle,
and his mouth does not betray justice.(Q)
11 Honest scales and balances belong to the Lord;
all the weights in the bag are of his making.(R)
12 Kings detest wrongdoing,
for a throne is established through righteousness.(S)
13 Kings take pleasure in honest lips;
they value the one who speaks what is right.(T)
17 The highway of the upright avoids evil;
those who guard their ways preserve their lives.(AA)
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](AE)
and blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord.(AF)
22 Prudence is a fountain of life to the prudent,(AH)
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.(AS)
30 Whoever winks(AT) with their eye is plotting perversity;
whoever purses their lips is bent on evil.
31 Gray hair is a crown of splendor;(AU)
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.
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
International Children’s Bible (ICB) 
The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.
New American Standard Bible 1995 (NASB1995) 
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
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.