1 The purposes of the heart are of man, but the answer of the tongue is from Jehovah. 2 All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but Jehovah weigheth the spirits. 3 Commit thy works unto Jehovah, and thy thoughts shall be established. 4 Jehovah hath wrought everything on his own account, yea, even the wicked for the day of evil. 5 Every proud heart is an abomination to Jehovah: hand for hand, he shall not be held innocent. 6 By loving-kindness and truth iniquity is atoned for; and by the fear of Jehovah [men] depart from evil. 7 When a man's ways please Jehovah, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him. 8 Better is a little with righteousness, than great revenues without right. 9 The heart of man deviseth his way, but Jehovah directeth his steps. 10 An oracle is on the lips of the king: his mouth will not err in judgment. 11 The just balance and scales are Jehovah'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 aright. 14 The fury 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 fine gold, and the getting of intelligence to be preferred to silver! 17 The highway of the upright is to depart from evil: he that taketh heed to his way keepeth his soul. 18 Pride [goeth] before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. 19 Better is it to be of a humble spirit with the meek, than to divide the spoil with the proud. 20 He that giveth heed to the word shall find good; and whoso confideth in Jehovah, happy is he. 21 The wise in heart is called intelligent, and the sweetness of the lips increaseth learning. 22 Wisdom is a fountain of life for him that hath it; but the instruction of fools is folly. 23 The heart of the wise maketh his mouth intelligent, and upon his lips increaseth learning. 24 Pleasant words are [as] a honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health for the bones. 25 There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof is the ways of death. 26 The appetite of the labourer laboureth for him, for his mouth urgeth him on. 27 A man of Belial diggeth up evil, and on his lips there is as a scorching fire. 28 A false man soweth contention; and a talebearer separateth very friends. 29 A violent man enticeth his neighbour, and leadeth him into a way that is not good. 30 He that shutteth his eyes, [it is] to devise froward things; biting his lips, he bringeth evil to pass. 31 The hoary head is a crown of glory, [if] it is 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 decision is of Jehovah.
Proverbs 16 Darby Translation
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
Cross references (33)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Proverbs 19:21; Proverbs 16:9; Luke 21:14–15; Philippians 2:13; Proverbs 20:24
- 2 Proverbs 21:2; 1 Samuel 16:7; Luke 16:15; Proverbs 30:12; Jeremiah 17:10
- 3 Psalm 37:4–5; Proverbs 3:6; Psalm 55:22; Philippians 4:6; 1 Peter 5:7
- 4 2 Peter 2:9; Isaiah 43:21; Romans 9:22; Isaiah 43:7; 1 Peter 2:8
- 5 Proverbs 6:16–17; Proverbs 8:13; Proverbs 11:21; Romans 2:8–9; James 4:6
- 6 Proverbs 14:16; Job 28:28; 2 Corinthians 7:1; Daniel 4:27; Luke 11:41
- 7 Romans 8:31; 1 John 3:22; 2 Chronicles 17:10; Colossians 1:10; Jeremiah 15:11
- 8 Proverbs 15:16; Psalm 37:16; 1 Timothy 6:6–9; Jeremiah 17:11; Proverbs 21:6–7
- 9 Proverbs 19:21; Psalm 37:23; Proverbs 16:1; Proverbs 20:24; Jeremiah 10:23
- 10 Isaiah 32:1–2; Genesis 44:5; Genesis 44:15; Hosea 10:4; Deuteronomy 17:18–20
- 11 Proverbs 11:1; Proverbs 20:10; Proverbs 20:23; Deuteronomy 25:13–15; Leviticus 19:35–36
- 12 Proverbs 25:5; Proverbs 29:14; Proverbs 28:9; Luke 12:48; Psalm 99:4
- 13 Proverbs 14:35; Proverbs 22:11; Psalm 101:5–7
- 14 Proverbs 20:2; Proverbs 19:12; Ecclesiastes 10:4; Luke 12:4–5; Proverbs 17:11
- 15 Psalm 72:6; Job 29:23–24; Hosea 6:3; Acts 2:28; Psalm 21:6
- 16 Proverbs 8:10–11; Matthew 16:26; Proverbs 8:19; Luke 12:21; Proverbs 3:15–18
- 17 Isaiah 35:8; Proverbs 19:16; Proverbs 10:9; Jude 21; Revelation 3:10
- 18 Proverbs 11:2; Isaiah 2:11–12; Proverbs 18:12; Obadiah 3–4; Proverbs 29:23
- 19 Matthew 5:3; Psalm 138:6; Isaiah 57:15; Exodus 15:9; Psalm 34:18
- 20 Jeremiah 17:7–8; Isaiah 30:18; Psalm 2:12; Isaiah 26:3–4; Psalm 34:8
- 21 Proverbs 16:23–24; Isaiah 50:4; Proverbs 15:7; Proverbs 27:9; James 3:17
- 22 Proverbs 13:14; John 6:63; Matthew 15:14; John 5:24; Proverbs 18:4
- 23 Proverbs 15:28; Matthew 12:34–35; Proverbs 22:17–18; Colossians 3:16; Psalm 45:1
- 24 Proverbs 12:18; Proverbs 24:13–14; Proverbs 4:22; Proverbs 25:11–12; Proverbs 23:16
- 25 Proverbs 14:12; Proverbs 12:15; 2 Corinthians 13:5; Proverbs 12:26; John 7:47–49
- 26 Ecclesiastes 6:7; Proverbs 14:23; Proverbs 9:12; 2 Thessalonians 3:8–12; 1 Thessalonians 4:11–12
- 27 James 3:6; Proverbs 6:14; Isaiah 5:18; Psalm 17:14–15; Psalm 52:2–4
- 28 Proverbs 17:9; James 3:14–16; Romans 1:29; Proverbs 18:8; Proverbs 6:14
- 29 Proverbs 2:12–15; 2 Peter 3:17; Proverbs 12:26; Proverbs 3:31; Proverbs 1:10–14
- 30 Proverbs 6:12–14; Matthew 13:15; Proverbs 16:27; Isaiah 6:10; Matthew 14:7–8
- 31 Proverbs 20:29; Leviticus 19:32; Proverbs 3:1–2; Proverbs 17:6; 1 Samuel 12:2–5
- 32 James 1:19; Proverbs 15:18; Proverbs 25:28; Proverbs 14:29; Proverbs 19:11
- 33 Proverbs 18:18; Jonah 1:7; Acts 1:26; Proverbs 29:26; 1 Samuel 14:41–42
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
… which seeth in secret will reward." Lest then he repay them that recompense evil, he overcomes his anger rather than another man, being instructed too by those writings, wherein it is written, "Better is he that overcometh his anger, than he that taketh a city." "If I have repaid them that recompense me evil, may I therefore fall by my …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 8 (1888)