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Proverbs 16
Good News Translation
Proverbs 16
Good News Translation
16 We may make our plans, but God has the last word.[a]
2 You may think everything you do is right, but the Lord judges your motives.
3 Ask the Lord to bless your plans, and you will be successful in carrying them out.
4 Everything the Lord has made has its destiny; and the destiny of the wicked is destruction.
5 The Lord hates everyone who is arrogant; he will never let them escape punishment.
6 (A)Be loyal and faithful, and God will forgive your sin. Obey the Lord and nothing evil will happen to you.
7 When you please the Lord, you can make[b] your enemies into friends.
8 (B)It is better to have a little, honestly earned, than to have a large income, dishonestly gained.
9 You may make your plans, but God directs your actions.
10 The king speaks with divine authority; his decisions are always right.
11 The Lord wants weights and measures to be honest and every sale to be fair.
12 Kings cannot tolerate evil,[c] because justice is what makes a government strong.
13 A king wants to hear the truth and will favor those who speak it.
14 A wise person will try to keep the king happy; if the king becomes angry, someone may die.
15 The king's favor is like the clouds that bring rain in the springtime—life is there.
16 It is better—much better—to have wisdom and knowledge than gold and silver.
17 Those who are good travel a road that avoids evil; so watch where you are going—it may save your life.
18 Pride leads to destruction, and arrogance to downfall.
19 It is better to be humble and stay poor than to be one of the arrogant and get a share of their loot.
20 Pay attention to what you are taught, and you will be successful; trust in the Lord and you will be happy.
21 A wise, mature person is known for his understanding. The more pleasant his words, the more persuasive he is.
22 Wisdom is a fountain of life to the wise, but trying to educate stupid people is a waste of time.
23 Intelligent people think before they speak; what they say is then more persuasive.
24 Kind words are like honey—sweet to the taste and good for your health.
25 (C)What you think is the right road may lead to death.
26 A laborer's appetite makes him work harder, because he wants to satisfy his hunger.
27 Evil people look for ways to harm others; even their words burn with evil.
28 (D)Gossip is spread by wicked people; they stir up trouble and break up friendships.
29 Violent people deceive their friends and lead them to disaster.
30 Watch out for people who grin and wink at you; they have thought of something evil.
31 Long life is the reward of the righteous; gray hair is a glorious crown.
32 It is better to be patient than powerful. It is better to win control over yourself than over whole cities.
33 People cast lots to learn God's will, but God himself determines the answer.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 16:1 God … word; or God inspires our words.
- Proverbs 16:7 you can make; or he will make.
- Proverbs 16:12 Kings … evil; or It is intolerable for kings to do evil.
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
The Message
Proverbs 16
The Message
Everything with a Place and a Purpose
16 Mortals make elaborate plans,
but God has the last word.
2 Humans are satisfied with whatever looks good;
God probes for what is good.
3 Put God in charge of your work,
then what you’ve planned will take place.
4 God made everything with a place and purpose;
even the wicked are included—but for judgment.
5 God can’t stomach arrogance or pretense;
believe me, he’ll put those braggarts in their place.
6 Guilt is banished through love and truth;
Fear-of-God deflects evil.
7 When God approves of your life,
even your enemies will end up shaking your hand.
8 Far better to be right and poor
than to be wrong and rich.
9 We plan the way we want to live,
but only God makes us able to live it.
It Pays to Take Life Seriously
10 A good leader motivates,
doesn’t mislead, doesn’t exploit.
11 God cares about honesty in the workplace;
your business is his business.
12 Good leaders abhor wrongdoing of all kinds;
sound leadership has a moral foundation.
13 Good leaders cultivate honest speech;
they love advisors who tell them the truth.
14 An intemperate leader wreaks havoc in lives;
you’re smart to stay clear of someone like that.
15 Good-tempered leaders invigorate lives;
they’re like spring rain and sunshine.
16 Get wisdom—it’s worth more than money;
choose insight over income every time.
17 The road of right living bypasses evil;
watch your step and save your life.
18 First pride, then the crash—
the bigger the ego, the harder the fall.
19 It’s better to live humbly among the poor
than to live it up among the rich and famous.
20 It pays to take life seriously;
things work out when you trust in God.
21 A wise person gets known for insight;
gracious words add to one’s reputation.
22 True intelligence is a spring of fresh water,
while fools sweat it out the hard way.
23 They make a lot of sense, these wise folks;
whenever they speak, their reputation increases.
24 Gracious speech is like clover honey—
good taste to the soul, quick energy for the body.
25 There’s a way that looks harmless enough;
look again—it leads straight to hell.
26 Appetite is an incentive to work;
hunger makes you work all the harder.
27 Mean people spread mean gossip;
their words smart and burn.
28 Troublemakers start fights;
gossips break up friendships.
29 Calloused climbers betray their very own friends;
they’d stab their own grandmothers in the back.
30 A shifty eye betrays an evil intention;
a clenched jaw signals trouble ahead.
31 Gray hair is a mark of distinction,
the award for a God-loyal life.
32 Moderation is better than muscle,
self-control better than political power.
33 Make your motions and cast your votes,
but God has the final say.
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
Good News Translation (GNT) 
Good News Translation® (Today’s English Version, Second Edition) © 1992 American Bible Society. All rights reserved. For more information about GNT, visit www.bibles.com and www.gnt.bible.
Complete Jewish Bible (CJB)
Copyright © 1998 by David H. Stern. All rights reserved.
The Message (MSG)
Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson
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.