1 Human beings may make plans in their minds, but the final decision is the Lord's. 2 People think that whatever they do is fine, but the Lord looks at their intentions. 3 Trust whatever you do to the Lord, and your plans will be successful. 4 The Lord has a purpose in everything he does, even the wicked for the day of trouble. 5 The Lord hates the arrogant. You can be certain of this: the wicked won't go unpunished. 6 Sin is forgiven through trustworthy love and faithfulness; by honoring the Lord people are saved from evil. 7 When the way that people live pleases the Lord, he makes even their enemies be at peace with them. 8 Better to have just a little and be honest than to have a lot and be dishonest. 9 You can plan in your mind what to do, but the Lord will guide you. 10 The king is inspired in what he says; he is not unreliable in his decisions. 11 Accurate scales and balances are important to the Lord. He has determined all the weights in the bag. 12 It's a terrible thing for a king to do evil, for his throne is based on doing right. 13 People who tell the truth please kings; they love those who say what is right. 14 An angry king can put you to death. If you're wise you'll try and calm him down. 15 If the king is smiling, you'll live; his blessing is like the clouds that bring spring rain. 16 Far better to get wisdom than gold; far better to choose knowledge than silver. 17 The highway of the good leads away from evil. If you watch where you're going you'll save your life. 18 Pride leads to destruction; and an arrogant spirit leads to a fall. 19 Better to have a humble spirit and live with the poor than to share plunder with the proud. 20 If you pay attention to wise instruction you will do well; you'll be happy if you trust in the Lord. 21 If you think wisely you'll be called perceptive; if you speak pleasantly you'll be persuasive. 22 If you have good sense it will be a fountain of life to you, but stupid people are punished by their stupidity. 23 A wise mind makes sure to say sensible things; the words spoken are persuasive. 24 Kind words are like a honeycomb—they taste sweet and are healthy for the body. 25 There's a way that seems to be right, but in the end it's the way of death. 26 A good appetite helps workers—hunger encourages them. 27 Worthless people plot evil and their words burn like fire. 28 Quarrelsome people cause conflict, and a gossip comes between the closest friends. 29 Violent people lure their friends, and lead them in a direction that's not good for them. 30 People who give you a sly wink are plotting bad things; they purse their lips and make evil happen. 31 Gray hair is a glorious crown; it's achieved by living right. 32 Better to be slow to anger than to be powerful, better to have self-control than to conquer a town. 33 The lot is thrown into the lap, but the Lord makes every decision.
Proverbs 16 Free Bible Version
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)