Proverbs 16
16
1The #Jer. 10:23preparations of the heart belong to man,
#Matt. 10:19But the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.
2All the ways of a man are pure in his own #Prov. 21:2eyes,
But the Lord weighs the spirits.
3#Ps. 37:5; Prov. 3:6; (1 Pet. 5:7)Commit your works to the Lord,
And your thoughts will be established.
4The #Is. 43:7; Rom. 11:36Lord has made all for Himself,
#Job 21:30; (Rom. 9:22)Yes, even the wicked for the day of doom.
5#Prov. 6:17; 8:13Everyone proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord;
Though they join forces, none will go unpunished.
6#Dan. 4:27; Luke 11:41In mercy and truth
Atonement is provided for iniquity;
And #Prov. 8:13; 14:16by the fear of the Lord one departs from evil.
7When a man’s ways please the Lord,
He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.
8#Ps. 37:16; Prov. 15:16Better is a little with righteousness,
Than vast revenues without justice.
9#Prov. 19:21A man’s heart plans his way,
#Ps. 37:23; Prov. 20:24; Jer. 10:23But the Lord directs his steps.
10Divination is on the lips of the king;
His mouth must not transgress in judgment.
11#Lev. 19:36Honest weights and scales are the Lord’s;
All the weights in the bag are His work.
12It is an abomination for kings to commit wickedness,
For #Prov. 25:5a throne is established by righteousness.
13#Prov. 14:35Righteous lips are the delight of kings,
And they love him who speaks what is right.
14As messengers of death is the king’s wrath,
But a wise man will #Prov. 25:15appease it.
15In the light of the king’s face is life,
And his favor is like a #Zech. 10:1cloud of the latter rain.
16#Prov. 8:10, 11, 19How much better to get wisdom than gold!
And to get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.
17The highway of the upright is to depart from evil;
He who keeps his way preserves his soul.
18Pride goes before destruction,
And a haughty spirit before a fall.
19Better to be of a humble spirit with the lowly,
Than to divide the spoil with the proud.
20He who heeds the word wisely will find good,
And whoever #Ps. 34:8; Jer. 17:7trusts in the Lord, happy is he.
21The wise in heart will be called prudent,
And sweetness of the lips increases learning.
22Understanding is a wellspring of life to him who has it.
But the correction of fools is folly.
23The heart of the wise teaches his mouth,
And adds learning to his lips.
24Pleasant words are like a honeycomb,
Sweetness to the soul and health to the bones.
25There is a way that seems right to a man,
But its end is the way of #Prov. 14:12death.
26The person who labors, labors for himself,
For his hungry mouth drives #(Eccl. 6:7; John 6:35)him on.
27An ungodly man digs up evil,
And it is on his lips like a burning #(James 3:6)fire.
28A perverse man sows strife,
And #Prov. 17:9a whisperer separates the best of friends.
29A violent man entices his neighbor,
And leads him in a way that is not good.
30He winks his eye to devise perverse things;
He purses his lips and brings about evil.
31#Prov. 20:29The silver-haired head is a crown of glory,
If it is found in the way of righteousness.
32#Prov. 14:29; 19:11He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty,
And he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.
33The lot is cast into the lap,
But its every decision is from the Lord.
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Proverbs 16: NKJV
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The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.
Proverbs 16
16
1The plans of the heart belong to man,
but #[Matt. 10:19, 20]the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.
2 # ch. 21:2; [ch. 12:15]; See ch. 30:12 All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes,
but the Lord #ch. 24:12; See 1 Sam. 16:7weighs the spirit.#16:2 Or spirits
3 # See Ps. 37:5 Commit your work to the Lord,
and your plans will be established.
4 #
Rom. 11:36 The Lord has made everything for its purpose,
even #Job 21:30; [Ex. 9:16]the wicked for the day of trouble.
5Everyone who is arrogant in heart is #ch. 6:16, 17; 8:13; Luke 16:15 an abomination to the Lord;
# ch. 11:21; [ch. 28:20] be assured, he will not go unpunished.
6By #Dan. 4:27 steadfast love and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for,
and by #ch. 14:16 the fear of the Lord one #ver. 17; Job 28:28turns away from evil.
7When a man’s ways please the Lord,
# [Gen. 26:28; 2 Chr. 17:10] he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.
8 # See ch. 15:16 Better is a little with righteousness
than great revenues with injustice.
9 # [ver. 1; ch. 19:21] The heart of man plans his way,
but #ch. 20:24; [Ps. 37:23; Jer. 10:23]the Lord establishes his steps.
10 # [1 Kgs. 3:28] An oracle is on the lips of a king;
his mouth does not sin in judgment.
11 # See ch. 11:1 A just balance and scales are the Lord’s;
all the weights in the bag are his work.
12It is an abomination to kings to do evil,
for #ch. 25:5; [ch. 20:28; 29:14; Isa. 16:5]the throne is established by righteousness.
13 # [ch. 14:35; 22:11] Righteous lips are the delight of a king,
and he loves him who speaks what is right.
14 # ch. 19:12; 20:2 A king’s wrath is a messenger of death,
and a wise man will #[ch. 25:15]appease it.
15 # [Job 29:24] In the light of a king’s face there is life,
and his #[See ver. 13 above] favor is like #[Ps. 72:6]; See Job 29:23the clouds that bring the spring rain.
16 # ch. 8:10, 11, 19 How much better to get wisdom than #See ch. 3:14 gold!
To get understanding is to be chosen rather than #ch. 10:20silver.
17The highway of the upright #ver. 6turns aside from evil;
whoever guards his way preserves his life.
18 # See ch. 11:2 Pride goes before destruction,
and a haughty spirit before a fall.
19 # ch. 29:23; Isa. 57:15 It is better to be of a lowly spirit with the poor
than to #See Ex. 15:9divide the spoil with the proud.
20Whoever gives thought to the word#16:20 Or to a matter #ch. 19:8 will discover good,
and blessed is he #See Ps. 2:12who trusts in the Lord.
21The wise of heart is called discerning,
and sweetness of speech #ver. 23increases persuasiveness.
22Good sense is #See ch. 10:11a fountain of life to him who has it,
but the instruction of fools is folly.
23 # [Ps. 37:30; Matt. 12:34] The heart of the wise makes his speech judicious
and adds persuasiveness to his lips.
24 # ch. 15:26 Gracious words are like #Ps. 19:10 a honeycomb,
sweetness to the soul and #See ch. 4:22health to the body.
25There is a way that seems right to a man,
but its end is the way to death.#16:25 Hebrew ways of death
26A worker’s appetite works for him;
his #[Eccles. 6:7]mouth urges him on.
27 # [ch. 6:12, 14, 19] A worthless man plots evil,
and his speech#16:27 Hebrew what is on his lips is like #James 3:6a scorching fire.
28 # See ch. 15:18 A dishonest man spreads strife,
and #[ch. 18:8; 26:20, 22] a whisperer #ch. 17:9separates close friends.
29A man of violence #ch. 1:10entices his neighbor
and leads him in a way that is not good.
30Whoever winks his eyes plans#16:30 Hebrew to plan #See ch. 2:12 dishonest things;
he who #[ch. 6:13]purses his lips brings evil to pass.
31 # ch. 20:29 Gray hair is #ch. 17:6 a crown of glory;
it #See ch. 3:1, 2is gained in a righteous life.
32 # ch. 14:29; [ch. 19:11; 25:28] Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty,
and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.
33 # [Acts 1:26] The lot is cast into the lap,
but its every decision is #ch. 29:26from the Lord.
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