1 Of man [are] arrangements of the heart, And from Jehovah an answer of the tongue. 2 All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, And Jehovah is pondering the spirits. 3 Roll unto Jehovah thy works, And established are thy purposes, 4 All things hath Jehovah wrought for Himself, And also the wicked [worketh] for a day of evil. 5 An abomination to Jehovah [is] every proud one of heart, Hand to hand he is not acquitted. 6 In kindness and truth pardoned is iniquity, And in the fear of Jehovah Turn thou aside from evil. 7 When a man's ways please Jehovah, even his enemies, He causeth to be at peace with him. 8 Better [is] a little with righteousness, Than abundance of increase without justice. 9 The heart of man deviseth his way, And Jehovah establisheth his step. 10 An oath [is] on the lips of a king, In judgment his mouth trespasseth not. 11 A just beam and balances [are] Jehovah's, His work [are] all the stones of the bag. 12 An abomination to kings [is] doing wickedness, For by righteousness is a throne established. 13 The delight of kings [are] righteous lips, And whoso is speaking uprightly he loveth, 14 The fury of a king [is] messengers of death, And a wise man pacifieth it. 15 In the light of a king's face [is] life, And his good-will [is] as a cloud of the latter rain. 16 To get wisdom — how much better than gold, And to get understanding to be chosen than silver! 17 A highway of the upright [is], 'Turn from evil,' Whoso is preserving his soul is watching his way. 18 Before destruction [is] pride, And before stumbling — a haughty spirit.' 19 Better is humility of spirit with the poor, Than to apportion spoil with the proud. 20 The wise in any matter findeth good, And whoso is trusting in Jehovah, O his happiness. 21 To the wise in heart is called, 'Intelligent,' And sweetness of lips increaseth learning. 22 A fountain of life [is] understanding to its possessors, The instruction of fools is folly. 23 The heart of the wise causeth his mouth to act wisely, And by his lips he increaseth learning, 24 Sayings of pleasantness [are] a honeycomb, Sweet to the soul, and healing to the bone. 25 There is a way right before a man, And its latter end — ways of death. 26 A labouring man hath laboured for himself, For his mouth hath caused [him] to bend over it. 27 A worthless man is preparing evil, And on his lips — as a burning fire. 28 A froward man sendeth forth contention, A tale-bearer is separating a familiar friend. 29 A violent man enticeth his neighbour, And hath causeth him to go in a way not good. 30 Consulting his eyes to devise froward things, Moving his lips he hath accomplished evil. 31 A crown of beauty [are] grey hairs, In the way of righteousness it is found. 32 Better [is] the slow to anger than the mighty, And the ruler over his spirit than he who is taking a city. 33 Into the centre is the lot cast, And from Jehovah [is] all its judgment!
Proverbs · Young's Literal Translation
Proverbs 16 Young's Literal 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)