The Proverbs

Chapter 16

Various observations of moral virtues, and their contrary vices, 1-33.

1  The preparations of the heart are in man,/
but the answer of the tongue is from the LORD.

2  All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes,/
but the LORD weighs the spirits.

3  Commit your works to the LORD,/
and your thoughts shall be established.

4  The LORD has made all things for himself,/
and even the wicked for the day of evil.

5  Everyone who is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD./
Though hand joins in hand, they shall not be unpunished.

6  By mercy and truth iniquity is purged,/
and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil.

7  When a man's ways please the LORD,/
he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.

8  Better is a little with righteousness,/
than great revenues without right.

9  A man's heart devises his way,/
but the LORD directs his steps.

10 A divine sentence is in the lips of the king./
His mouth does not transgress in judgment.

11 A just weight and balance are the LORD'S./
All the weights of the bag are his work.

12 It is an abomination to kings to commit wickedness,/
for the throne is established by righteousness.

13 Righteous lips are the delight of kings,/
and they love him who speaks right.

14 The wrath of a king is as messengers of death,/
but a wise man will pacify it.

15 In the light of a king's countenance is life,/
and his favor is as a cloud of the latter rain.

16 How much better it is to get wisdom than gold/
And to get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.

17 The highway of the upright is to depart from evil./
He who keeps his way preserves his soul.

18 Pride goes before destruction,/
and a haughty spirit before a fall.

19 Better it is to be of a humble spirit with the lowly,/
than to divide the plunder with the proud.

20 He who handles a matter wisely shall find good./
And whoever trusts in the LORD is happy.

21 The wise in heart shall be called prudent./
And the sweetness of the lips increases learning.

22 Understanding is a well-spring of life to him who has it,/
but the instruction of fools is folly.

23 The heart of the wise teaches his mouth,/
and adds learning to his lips.

24 Pleasant words are as a honey-comb,/
sweet to the soul and health to the bones.

25 There is a way that seems right to a man,/
but the ways of death are at its end.

26 He who labors, labors for himself,/
for his mouth craves it of him.

27 An ungodly man digs up evil,/
and in his lips there is as a burning fire.

28 A perverse man sows strife,/
and a whisperer separates chief friends.

29 A violent man entices his neighbor,/
and leads him into the way that is not good.

30 He shuts his eyes to devise perverse things./
Moving his lips he brings evil to pass.

31 The hoary head is a crown of glory,/
if it is found in the way of righteousness.

32 He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty,/
and he who rules his spirit, than he who takes a city.

33 The lot is cast into the lap,/
but its every verdict is from the LORD.

Commentary

Matthew Henry Commentary - Proverbs, Chapter 16[➚]

Notes

John Gill's Chapter Summary:

From the tenth chapter to the twenty-fifth are various proverbial sentences without any very apparent connection or coherence with each other, describing righteous and wicked men, setting forth their different temper, conduct, and actions, and the fruits and effects of them. It should be observed, that frequently in the preceding chapters two persons are represented as women: one goes by the name of "Wisdom," the other is called the "foolish" woman and a "harlot," the former is clearly to be understood of Christ, and the latter, being opposed to him, must be antichrist, the whore of Rome and mother of harlots. Now in the following part of this book two sorts of persons are spoken of, the one as wise, righteous, good, etc., and the other as foolish, wicked, etc., who are no other than the followers of Christ and antichrist, which observation is a key to the whole book.

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