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Proverbs 16-18
English Standard Version
Proverbs 16-18
English Standard Version
16 The plans of the heart belong to man,
but (A)the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.
2 (B)All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes,
but the Lord (C)weighs the spirit.[a]
3 (D)Commit your work to the Lord,
and your plans will be established.
4 (E)The Lord has made everything for its purpose,
even (F)the wicked for the day of trouble.
5 Everyone who is arrogant in heart is (G)an abomination to the Lord;
(H)be assured, he will not go unpunished.
6 By (I)steadfast love and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for,
and by (J)the fear of the Lord one (K)turns away from evil.
7 When a man's ways please the Lord,
(L)he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.
8 (M)Better is a little with righteousness
than great revenues with injustice.
9 (N)The heart of man plans his way,
but (O)the Lord establishes his steps.
10 (P)An oracle is on the lips of a king;
his mouth does not sin in judgment.
11 (Q)A just balance and scales are the Lord's;
all the weights in the bag are his work.
12 It is an abomination to kings to do evil,
for (R)the throne is established by righteousness.
13 (S)Righteous lips are the delight of a king,
and he loves him who speaks what is right.
14 (T)A king's wrath is a messenger of death,
and a wise man will (U)appease it.
15 (V)In the light of a king's face there is life,
and his (W)favor is like (X)the clouds that bring the spring rain.
16 (Y)How much better to get wisdom than (Z)gold!
To get understanding is to be chosen rather than (AA)silver.
17 The highway of the upright (AB)turns aside from evil;
whoever guards his way preserves his life.
18 (AC)Pride goes before destruction,
and a haughty spirit before a fall.
19 (AD)It is better to be of a lowly spirit with the poor
than to (AE)divide the spoil with the proud.
20 Whoever gives thought to the word[b] (AF)will discover good,
and blessed is he (AG)who trusts in the Lord.
21 The wise of heart is called discerning,
and sweetness of speech (AH)increases persuasiveness.
22 Good sense is (AI)a fountain of life to him who has it,
but the instruction of fools is folly.
23 (AJ)The heart of the wise makes his speech judicious
and adds persuasiveness to his lips.
24 (AK)Gracious words are like (AL)a honeycomb,
sweetness to the soul and (AM)health to the body.
25 There is a way that seems right to a man,
but its end is the way to death.[c]
26 A worker's appetite works for him;
his (AN)mouth urges him on.
27 (AO)A worthless man plots evil,
and his speech[d] is like (AP)a scorching fire.
28 (AQ)A dishonest man spreads strife,
and (AR)a whisperer (AS)separates close friends.
29 A man of violence (AT)entices his neighbor
and leads him in a way that is not good.
30 Whoever winks his eyes plans[e] (AU)dishonest things;
he who (AV)purses his lips brings evil to pass.
31 (AW)Gray hair is (AX)a crown of glory;
it (AY)is gained in a righteous life.
32 (AZ)Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty,
and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.
33 (BA)The lot is cast into the lap,
but its every decision is (BB)from the Lord.
17 (BC)Better is a dry morsel with quiet
than a house full of feasting[f] with strife.
2 A servant who deals wisely will rule over (BD)a son who acts shamefully
and (BE)will share the inheritance as one of the brothers.
3 (BF)The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold,
(BG)and the Lord tests hearts.
4 An evildoer listens to wicked lips,
and a liar gives ear to a mischievous tongue.
5 Whoever mocks the poor (BH)insults his Maker;
he who is (BI)glad at calamity will not go (BJ)unpunished.
6 (BK)Grandchildren are (BL)the crown of the aged,
and the glory of children is their fathers.
7 Fine speech is not (BM)becoming to a fool;
still less is (BN)false speech to a prince.
8 (BO)A bribe is like a magic[g] stone in the eyes of the one who gives it;
wherever he turns he prospers.
9 Whoever (BP)covers an offense seeks love,
but he who repeats a matter (BQ)separates close friends.
10 A rebuke goes deeper into a man of understanding
than a hundred blows into a fool.
11 An evil man seeks only rebellion,
and (BR)a cruel messenger will be sent against him.
12 Let a man meet (BS)a she-bear robbed of her cubs
(BT)rather than a fool in his folly.
13 If anyone (BU)returns evil for good,
(BV)evil will not depart from his house.
14 The beginning of strife is like letting out water,
so (BW)quit before the quarrel breaks out.
15 He who (BX)justifies the wicked and he who (BY)condemns the righteous
are both alike an abomination to the Lord.
16 Why should a fool have money in his hand (BZ)to buy wisdom
when he has no sense?
17 (CA)A friend loves at all times,
and a brother is born for adversity.
18 One who lacks sense gives a pledge
and puts up security in the presence of his neighbor.
19 Whoever loves transgression loves strife;
he who (CB)makes his door high seeks destruction.
20 (CC)A man of crooked heart does not discover good,
and one with a dishonest tongue falls into calamity.
21 He who (CD)sires a fool gets himself sorrow,
and the father of a fool has no joy.
22 (CE)A joyful heart is good medicine,
but a crushed spirit (CF)dries up the bones.
23 The wicked accepts (CG)a bribe in secret[h]
to (CH)pervert the ways of justice.
24 (CI)The discerning sets his face toward wisdom,
but the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth.
25 (CJ)A foolish son is a grief to his father
(CK)and bitterness to (CL)her who bore him.
26 (CM)To impose a fine on a righteous man is not good,
nor to strike the noble for their uprightness.
27 Whoever (CN)restrains his words has knowledge,
and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding.
28 Even a fool (CO)who keeps silent is considered wise;
when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent.
18 Whoever (CP)isolates himself seeks his own desire;
he breaks out against all sound judgment.
2 A fool takes no pleasure in understanding,
but only (CQ)in expressing his opinion.
3 When wickedness comes, contempt comes also,
and with dishonor comes disgrace.
4 The words of a man's mouth are (CR)deep waters;
the fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook.
5 It is not good to (CS)be partial to[i] the wicked
or to (CT)deprive the righteous of justice.
6 A fool's lips walk into a fight,
and his mouth invites (CU)a beating.
7 (CV)A fool's mouth is his ruin,
and his lips are a snare to his soul.
8 (CW)The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels;
they go down into (CX)the inner parts of the body.
9 Whoever is slack in his work
is a (CY)brother to him who destroys.
10 (CZ)The name of the Lord is (DA)a strong tower;
the righteous man runs into it and (DB)is safe.
11 (DC)A rich man's wealth is his strong city,
and like a high wall in his imagination.
12 (DD)Before destruction a man's heart is haughty,
but (DE)humility comes before honor.
13 If one gives an answer (DF)before he hears,
it is his folly and shame.
14 A man's spirit will endure sickness,
but (DG)a crushed spirit who can bear?
15 An intelligent heart acquires knowledge,
and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.
16 A man's (DH)gift makes room for him
and brings him before the great.
17 The one who states his case first seems right,
until the other comes and examines him.
18 (DI)The lot puts an end to quarrels
and decides between powerful contenders.
19 A brother offended is more unyielding than a strong city,
and quarreling is like the bars of a castle.
20 (DJ)From the fruit of a man's mouth his stomach is satisfied;
he is satisfied by the yield of his lips.
21 (DK)Death and life are in the power of the tongue,
and those who love it will eat its fruits.
22 He who finds (DL)a wife finds (DM)a good thing
and (DN)obtains favor (DO)from the Lord.
23 The poor use entreaties,
but (DP)the rich answer roughly.
24 A man of many companions may come to ruin,
but (DQ)there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 16:2 Or spirits
- Proverbs 16:20 Or to a matter
- Proverbs 16:25 Hebrew ways of death
- Proverbs 16:27 Hebrew what is on his lips
- Proverbs 16:30 Hebrew to plan
- Proverbs 17:1 Hebrew sacrifices
- Proverbs 17:8 Or precious
- Proverbs 17:23 Hebrew a bribe from the bosom
- Proverbs 18:5 Hebrew to lift the face of
Proverbs 16-18
New International Version
Proverbs 16-18
New International Version
16 To humans belong the plans of the heart,
but from the Lord comes the proper answer of the tongue.(A)
3 Commit to the Lord whatever you do,
and he will establish your plans.(E)
6 Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for;
through the fear of the Lord(J) evil is avoided.(K)
7 When the Lord takes pleasure in anyone’s way,
he causes their enemies to make peace(L) with them.(M)
9 In their hearts humans plan their course,
but the Lord establishes their steps.(P)
10 The lips of a king speak as an oracle,
and his mouth does not betray justice.(Q)
11 Honest scales and balances belong to the Lord;
all the weights in the bag are of his making.(R)
12 Kings detest wrongdoing,
for a throne is established through righteousness.(S)
13 Kings take pleasure in honest lips;
they value the one who speaks what is right.(T)
17 The highway of the upright avoids evil;
those who guard their ways preserve their lives.(AA)
19 Better to be lowly in spirit along with the oppressed
than to share plunder with the proud.
20 Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers,[a](AE)
and blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord.(AF)
22 Prudence is a fountain of life to the prudent,(AH)
but folly brings punishment to fools.
26 The appetite of laborers works for them;
their hunger drives them on.
29 A violent person entices their neighbor
and leads them down a path that is not good.(AS)
30 Whoever winks(AT) with their eye is plotting perversity;
whoever purses their lips is bent on evil.
31 Gray hair is a crown of splendor;(AU)
it is attained in the way of righteousness.
32 Better a patient person than a warrior,
one with self-control than one who takes a city.
17 Better a dry crust with peace and quiet
than a house full of feasting, with strife.(AY)
2 A prudent servant will rule over a disgraceful son
and will share the inheritance as one of the family.
4 A wicked person listens to deceitful lips;
a liar pays attention to a destructive tongue.
5 Whoever mocks the poor(BB) shows contempt for their Maker;(BC)
whoever gloats over disaster(BD) will not go unpunished.(BE)
6 Children’s children(BF) are a crown to the aged,
and parents are the pride of their children.
7 Eloquent lips are unsuited to a godless fool—
how much worse lying lips to a ruler!(BG)
8 A bribe is seen as a charm by the one who gives it;
they think success will come at every turn.(BH)
9 Whoever would foster love covers over an offense,(BI)
but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.(BJ)
10 A rebuke impresses a discerning person
more than a hundred lashes a fool.
11 Evildoers foster rebellion against God;
the messenger of death will be sent against them.
12 Better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs
than a fool bent on folly.(BK)
14 Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam;
so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out.(BN)
16 Why should fools have money in hand to buy wisdom,
when they are not able to understand it?(BQ)
17 A friend loves at all times,
and a brother is born for a time of adversity.(BR)
18 One who has no sense shakes hands in pledge
and puts up security for a neighbor.(BS)
19 Whoever loves a quarrel loves sin;
whoever builds a high gate invites destruction.
20 One whose heart is corrupt does not prosper;
one whose tongue is perverse falls into trouble.
21 To have a fool for a child brings grief;
there is no joy for the parent of a godless fool.(BT)
24 A discerning person keeps wisdom in view,
but a fool’s eyes(BY) wander to the ends of the earth.
25 A foolish son brings grief to his father
and bitterness to the mother who bore him.(BZ)
26 If imposing a fine on the innocent is not good,(CA)
surely to flog honest officials is not right.
27 The one who has knowledge uses words with restraint,(CB)
and whoever has understanding is even-tempered.(CC)
28 Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent,
and discerning if they hold their tongues.(CD)
18 An unfriendly person pursues selfish ends
and against all sound judgment starts quarrels.
2 Fools find no pleasure in understanding
but delight in airing their own opinions.(CE)
3 When wickedness comes, so does contempt,
and with shame comes reproach.
4 The words of the mouth are deep waters,(CF)
but the fountain of wisdom is a rushing stream.
6 The lips of fools bring them strife,
and their mouths invite a beating.(CI)
8 The words of a gossip are like choice morsels;
they go down to the inmost parts.(CL)
9 One who is slack in his work
is brother to one who destroys.(CM)
11 The wealth of the rich is their fortified city;(CP)
they imagine it a wall too high to scale.
12 Before a downfall the heart is haughty,
but humility comes before honor.(CQ)
13 To answer before listening—
that is folly and shame.(CR)
14 The human spirit can endure in sickness,
but a crushed spirit who can bear?(CS)
15 The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge,(CT)
for the ears of the wise seek it out.
16 A gift(CU) opens the way
and ushers the giver into the presence of the great.
17 In a lawsuit the first to speak seems right,
until someone comes forward and cross-examines.
18 Casting the lot settles disputes(CV)
and keeps strong opponents apart.
19 A brother wronged(CW) is more unyielding than a fortified city;
disputes are like the barred gates of a citadel.
20 From the fruit of their mouth a person’s stomach is filled;
with the harvest of their lips they are satisfied.(CX)
23 The poor plead for mercy,
but the rich answer harshly.
24 One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin,
but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.(DC)
Footnotes
- Proverbs 16:20 Or whoever speaks prudently finds what is good
- Proverbs 16:21 Or words make a person persuasive
- Proverbs 16:23 Or prudent / and make their lips persuasive
English Standard Version (ESV) 
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.