Proverbs 16 Free Bible Version
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
1 Human beings may make plans in their minds, but the final decision is the Lord's.
1 The plans of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from Yahweh.
2 People think that whatever they do is fine, but the Lord looks at their intentions.
2 All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes, but Yahweh weighs the motives.
3 Trust whatever you do to the Lord, and your plans will be successful.
3 Commit your deeds to Yahweh, and your plans shall succeed.
4 The Lord has a purpose in everything he does, even the wicked for the day of trouble.
4 Yahweh has made everything for its own end— yes, even the wicked for the day of evil.
5 The Lord hates the arrogant. You can be certain of this: the wicked won't go unpunished.
5 Everyone who is proud in heart is an abomination to Yahweh; they shall certainly not be unpunished.
6 Sin is forgiven through trustworthy love and faithfulness; by honoring the Lord people are saved from evil.
6 By mercy and truth iniquity is atoned for. By the fear of Yahweh men depart from evil.
7 When the way that people live pleases the Lord, he makes even their enemies be at peace with them.
7 When a man’s ways please Yahweh, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.
8 Better to have just a little and be honest than to have a lot and be dishonest.
8 Better is a little with righteousness, than great revenues with injustice.
9 You can plan in your mind what to do, but the Lord will guide you.
9 A man’s heart plans his course, but Yahweh directs his steps.
10 The king is inspired in what he says; he is not unreliable in his decisions.
10 Inspired judgments are on the lips of the king. He shall not betray his mouth.
11 Accurate scales and balances are important to the Lord. He has determined all the weights in the bag.
11 Honest balances and scales are Yahweh’s; all the weights in the bag are his work.
12 It's a terrible thing for a king to do evil, for his throne is based on doing right.
12 It is an abomination for kings to do wrong, for the throne is established by righteousness.
13 People who tell the truth please kings; they love those who say what is right.
13 Righteous lips are the delight of kings. They value one who speaks the truth.
14 An angry king can put you to death. If you're wise you'll try and calm him down.
14 The king’s wrath is a messenger of death, but a wise man will pacify it.
15 If the king is smiling, you'll live; his blessing is like the clouds that bring spring rain.
15 In the light of the king’s face is life. His favor is like a cloud of the spring rain.
16 Far better to get wisdom than gold; far better to choose knowledge than silver.
16 How much better it is to get wisdom than gold! Yes, to get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.
17 The highway of the good leads away from evil. If you watch where you're going you'll save your life.
17 The highway of the upright is to depart from evil. He who keeps his way preserves his soul.
18 Pride leads to destruction; and an arrogant spirit leads to a fall.
18 Pride goes before destruction, and an arrogant spirit before a fall.
19 Better to have a humble spirit and live with the poor than to share plunder with the proud.
19 It is better to be of a lowly spirit with the poor, than to divide the 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.
20 He who heeds the Word finds prosperity. Whoever trusts in Yahweh is blessed.
21 If you think wisely you'll be called perceptive; if you speak pleasantly you'll be persuasive.
21 The wise in heart shall be called prudent. Pleasantness of the lips promotes instruction.
22 If you have good sense it will be a fountain of life to you, but stupid people are punished by their stupidity.
22 Understanding is a fountain of life to one who has it, but the punishment of fools is their folly.
23 A wise mind makes sure to say sensible things; the words spoken are persuasive.
23 The heart of the wise instructs his mouth, and adds learning to his lips.
24 Kind words are like a honeycomb—they taste sweet and are healthy for the body.
24 Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.
25 There's a way that seems to be right, but in the end it's the way of death.
25 There is a way which seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.
26 A good appetite helps workers—hunger encourages them.
26 The appetite of the laboring man labors for him, for his mouth urges him on.
27 Worthless people plot evil and their words burn like fire.
27 A worthless man devises mischief. His speech is like a scorching fire.
28 Quarrelsome people cause conflict, and a gossip comes between the closest friends.
28 A perverse man stirs up strife. A whisperer separates close friends.
29 Violent people lure their friends, and lead them in a direction that's not good for them.
29 A man of violence entices his neighbor, and leads him in a way that is not good.
30 People who give you a sly wink are plotting bad things; they purse their lips and make evil happen.
30 One who winks his eyes to plot perversities, one who compresses his lips, is bent on evil.
31 Gray hair is a glorious crown; it's achieved by living right.
31 Gray hair is a crown of glory. It is attained by a life of righteousness.
32 Better to be slow to anger than to be powerful, better to have self-control than to conquer a town.
32 One who is slow to anger is better than the mighty; one who rules his spirit, than he who takes a city.
33 The lot is thrown into the lap, but the Lord makes every decision.
33 The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from Yahweh.
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)