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Proverbs 16
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Proverbs 16
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Chapter 16
1 Plans are made in human hearts,
but from the Lord comes the tongue’s response.[a]
2 All one’s ways are pure[b] in one’s own eyes,
but the measurer of motives is the Lord.(A)
3 Entrust your works to the Lord,
and your plans will succeed.
4 The Lord has made everything for a purpose,
even the wicked for the evil day.[c]
5 Every proud heart[d] is an abomination to the Lord;(B)
be assured that none will go unpunished.
6 By steadfast loyalty guilt is expiated,
and by the fear of the Lord evil is avoided.[e]
7 When the Lord is pleased with someone’s ways,
he makes even enemies be at peace with them.
8 Better a little with justice,
than a large income with injustice.
9 The human heart plans the way,
but the Lord directs the steps.[f](C)
10 An oracle is upon the king’s lips,
no judgment of his mouth is false.[g]
11 Balance and scales belong to the Lord;
every weight in the sack is his concern.(D)
12 Wrongdoing is an abomination to kings,
for by justice the throne endures.(E)
13 The king takes delight in honest lips,
and whoever speaks what is right he loves.(F)
14 The king’s wrath is a messenger of death,(G)
but a wise person can pacify it.
15 A king’s smile means life,
and his favor is like a rain cloud in spring.[h]
16 How much better to get wisdom than gold!
To get understanding is preferable to silver.[i](H)
17 The path of the upright leads away from misfortune;
those who attend to their way guard their lives.[j]
18 Pride goes before disaster,
and a haughty spirit before a fall.
19 It is better to be humble with the poor
than to share plunder with the proud.(I)
20 Whoever ponders a matter will be successful;
happy the one who trusts in the Lord!
21 The wise of heart is esteemed for discernment,
and pleasing speech gains a reputation for learning.
22 Good sense is a fountain of life to those who have it,
but folly is the training of fools.
23 The heart of the wise makes for eloquent speech,
and increases the learning on their lips.
24 Pleasing words are a honeycomb,
sweet to the taste and invigorating to the bones.
25 Sometimes a way seems right,
but the end of it leads to death!(J)
26 The appetite of workers works for them,
for their mouths urge them on.[k](K)
27 Scoundrels are a furnace of evil,
and their lips are like a scorching fire.
28 Perverse speech sows discord,
and talebearing separates bosom friends.(L)
29 The violent deceive their neighbors,
and lead them into a way that is not good.
30 Whoever winks an eye plans perversity;
whoever purses the lips does evil.[l]
31 Gray hair is a crown of glory;(M)
it is gained by a life that is just.
32 The patient are better than warriors,
and those who rule their temper, better than the conqueror of a city.(N)
33 Into the bag the lot is cast,
but from the Lord comes every decision.[m]
Footnotes
- 16:1 Words, like actions, often produce results different from those which were planned, and this comes under the agency of God.
- 16:2 “Pure” in a moral sense for human action is found only in Job and Proverbs. As in v. 1, the contrast is between human intent and divine assessment.
- 16:4 Even the wicked do not lie outside God’s plan.
- 16:5 Proud heart: lit., “high of heart.” To forget one is a fallible human being is so basic an error that one cannot escape exposure and punishment.
- 16:6 As v. 5 used the language of worship to express what is acceptable or not to God, so this saying uses similar language to declare that lovingly loyal conduct undoes the effects of sin.
- 16:9 As in vv. 1–3, the antithesis is between human plans and divine disposal. The saying uses the familiar metaphor of path for the course of life.
- 16:10 Six sayings on the king and his divine authority begin here, following the series of sayings about the Lord’s governance in 15:33–16:9, in which “Lord” was mentioned nine times.
- 16:15 The last of six sayings about the king. In the previous verse, royal wrath means death; in this verse royal favor means life. It is significant that royal favor is compared to something not under human control—the clouds preceding the spring rains.
- 16:16 The point of comparison is the superiority of the pursuit of wisdom and gold, not the relative merits of wealth and wisdom.
- 16:17 In the metaphor of the two ways, the way of the righteous is protected and the way of the wicked is unprotected. Since the path of the righteous leads therefore away from trouble, one’s task is to stay on it, to “attend to” it.
- 16:26 The adage puzzled ancient and modern commentators. The meaning seems to state the paradox that a person does not toil to feed the gullet but that the gullet itself “toils” in the sense that it forces the person to work. As often in Proverbs, the sense organ stands for the faculty by metonymy. Cf. Eccl 6:7.
- 16:30 A restless or twitching eye or lip betrays the condition of the heart (cf. 6:13).
- 16:33 Dice were given meanings of “yes” or “no” and then cast for their answer. What came out was the decision. Here the saying interprets the sequence of actions: a human being puts the dice in the bag but what emerges from the bag is the Lord’s decision.
箴言 16
Chinese New Version (Traditional)
箴言 16
Chinese New Version (Traditional)
所作所謀交託 神就必成立
16 心裡的籌劃在於人，
舌頭的應對卻出於耶和華。
2 人看自己一切所行的，都是清潔的；
耶和華卻衡量人心。
3 當把你所作的交託耶和華，
你的計劃就必成功。
4 耶和華所造的各有目的，
連惡人也是為禍患的日子而造的。
5 心裡驕傲的人都是耶和華厭惡的；
他們必不免受罰。
6 因著憐憫和信實，罪孽得贖；
因為敬畏耶和華，人可以避開罪惡。
7 人所行的，若是蒙耶和華喜悅，
耶和華也使他的仇敵與他和好。
8 收入少而有公義，
勝過收入多卻毫無正義。
9 人心計劃自己的道路，
他的腳步卻由耶和華指引。
10 王的嘴裡有 神的判語，
審判的時候，他的口必不差錯。
11 公正的秤和天平都屬耶和華，
囊中的一切法碼都是他所造的。
12 作惡是君王所厭惡的，
因為王位是靠賴公義建立的。
13 公義的嘴唇是君王所喜悅的；
他喜愛說話正直的人。
14 君王的烈怒好像死亡的使者，
唯有智慧人能平息君王的怒氣。
15 君王臉上欣悅的光采，使人得生命；
君王的恩寵好像春日雨雲。
智慧人謹慎言行
16 得智慧勝過得金子，
選擇哲理，勝過選擇銀子。
17 正直人的大道遠離罪惡；
謹守自己道路的，保全自己的性命。
18 在滅亡以先，必有驕傲；
在跌倒以前，心中高傲。
19 存謙卑的心與窮乏人在一起，
勝過與驕傲人同分戰利品。
20 留心聽訓言的必定得益；
倚靠耶和華的是有福的人。
21 心中有智慧的必稱為聰明人；
動聽的話能增加說服力。
22 明慧人的明慧是他生命的泉源；
愚妄人的懲罰就是愚妄。
23 智慧人的心教導自己的口，
使自己口中的話增加說服力。
24 恩慈的話好像蜂巢中的蜂蜜，
使人心裡甘甜，骨頭健壯。
25 有一條路，人以為是正路，
走到盡頭卻是死亡之路。
26 勞力的人身體的需要促使他勞力；
因為他的飢餓催逼著他。
27 無賴之徒挖出邪惡，
他口裡的話好像灼熱的火。
28 乖謬的人散播紛爭，
搬弄是非的離間親密的朋友。
29 強暴的人引誘鄰舍，
領他走邪惡的道路。
30 瞇著眼睛的，圖謀乖謬的事；
緊抿著嘴唇的，作成惡事。
31 白髮是榮耀的冠冕，
在公義的路上，必能得著。
32 不輕易動怒的，勝過勇士；
克服己心的，勝過把城攻取的人。
33 籤拋在人的懷中，
一切決斷卻在於耶和華。
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
Proverbs 16
New King James Version
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
New American Bible (Revised Edition) (NABRE)
Scripture texts, prefaces, introductions, footnotes and cross references used in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC All Rights Reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.
Chinese New Version (Traditional) (CNVT) 
Chinese New Version (CNV). Copyright © 1976, 1992, 1999, 2001, 2005 by Worldwide Bible Society.
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.
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.