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Proverbs 16
Complete Jewish Bible
Proverbs 16
Complete Jewish Bible
16 A person is responsible to prepare his heart,
but how the tongue speaks is from Adonai.
2 All a man’s ways are pure in his own view,
but Adonai weighs the spirit.
3 If you entrust all you do to Adonai,
your plans will achieve success.
4 Adonai made everything for its purpose,
even the wicked for the day of disaster.
5 Adonai detests all those with proud hearts;
be assured that they will not go unpunished.
6 Grace and truth atone for iniquity,
and people turn from evil through fear of Adonai.
7 When a man’s ways please Adonai,
he makes even the man’s enemies be at peace with him.
8 Better a little with righteousness
than a huge income with injustice.
9 A person may plan his path,
but Adonai directs his steps.
10 Divine inspiration is on the lips of the king,
so his mouth must be faithful when he judges.
11 The balance and scales of justice have their origin in Adonai;
all the weights in the bag are his doing.
12 It is an abomination for a king to do evil,
for the throne is made secure by righteousness.
13 The king should delight in righteous lips,
and he should love someone who speaks what is right.
14 The king’s anger is a herald of death,
and one who is wise will appease it.
15 When the king’s face brightens, it means life;
his favor is like the clouds that bring spring rain.
16 How much better than gold it is to gain wisdom!
Yes, rather than money, choose to gain understanding.
17 Avoiding evil is the highway of the upright;
he who watches his step preserves his life.
18 Pride goes before destruction,
and arrogance before failure.
19 Better to be humble among the poor
than share the spoil with the proud.
20 He who has skill in a matter will succeed;
he who trusts in Adonai will be happy.
21 A wise-hearted person is said to have discernment,
and sweetness of speech adds to learning.
22 Common sense is a fountain of life to one who has it,
whereas fools are punished by their own folly.
23 The wise man’s heart teaches his mouth,
and to his lips it adds learning.
24 Pleasant words are like a honeycomb,
sweet to the taste and healing for the body.
25 There can be a way which seems right to a person,
but at its end are the ways of death.
26 A working man’s appetite acts on his behalf,
because his hunger presses him on.
27 A worthless person digs up evil [gossip] —
it is like scorching fire on his lips.
28 A deceitful person stirs up strife,
and a slanderer can separate even close friends.
29 A violent man lures his neighbor astray
and leads him into evil ways.
30 One who winks knowingly is planning deceit;
one who pinches his lips together has already done wrong.
31 White hair is a crown of honor
obtained by righteous living.
32 He who controls his temper is better than a war hero,
he who rules his spirit better than he who captures a city.
33 One can cast lots into one’s lap,
but the decision comes from Adonai.
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
King James Version
Proverbs 16
King James Version
16 The preparations of the heart in man, and 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 weigheth the spirits.
3 Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established.
4 The Lord hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.
5 Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord: though hand join in hand, he shall 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 maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.
8 Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues without right.
9 A man's heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps.
10 A divine sentence is in the lips of the king: his mouth transgresseth not in judgment.
11 A just weight and balance are the Lord's: 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 that speaketh 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 favour is as a cloud of the latter rain.
16 How much better is it to get wisdom than gold! and to get understanding rather to be chosen than silver!
17 The highway of the upright is to depart from evil: he that keepeth his way preserveth his soul.
18 Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.
19 Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.
20 He that handleth a matter wisely shall find good: and whoso trusteth in the Lord, happy is he.
21 The wise in heart shall be called prudent: and the sweetness of the lips increaseth learning.
22 Understanding is a wellspring of life unto him that hath it: but the instruction of fools is folly.
23 The heart of the wise teacheth his mouth, and addeth learning to his lips.
24 Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.
25 There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.
26 He that laboureth laboureth for himself; for his mouth craveth it of him.
27 An ungodly man diggeth up evil: and in his lips there is as a burning fire.
28 A froward man soweth strife: and a whisperer separateth chief friends.
29 A violent man enticeth his neighbour, and leadeth him into the way that is not good.
30 He shutteth his eyes to devise froward things: moving his lips he bringeth evil to pass.
31 The hoary head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness.
32 He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.
33 The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord.
Complete Jewish Bible (CJB)
Copyright © 1998 by David H. Stern. 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.