Proverbs 16 is the sixteenth chapter of the Book of Proverbs in the Hebrew Bible or the Old Testament of the Christian Bible.[1] The book is a compilation of several wisdom literature collections, with the heading in 1:1 may be intended to regard Solomon as the traditional author of the whole book, but the dates of the individual collections are difficult to determine, and the book probably obtained its final shape in the post-exilic period. This chapter is a part of the second collection of the book.
The following table shows the Hebrew text[2] [3] of Proverbs 16 with vowels alongside an English translation based upon the JPS 1917 translation (now in the public domain).
| Verse | Hebrew | English translation (JPS 1917) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The preparations of the heart are man’s, 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 weigheth the spirits. | ||
| 3 | Commit thy works unto the LORD, And thy thoughts shall be established. | ||
| 4 | The LORD hath made every things for His own purpose, Yea, even the wicked for the day of evil. | ||
| 5 | Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD; My hand upon it! he shall not be unpunished. | ||
| 6 | By mercy and truth iniquity is expiated; And by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil. | ||
| 7 | When a man’s ways please the LORD, He maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him. | ||
| 8 | Better is a little with righteousness Than great revenues with injustice. | ||
| 9 | A man’s heart deviseth his way; But the LORD directeth his steps. | ||
| 10 | A divine sentence is in the lips of the king; His mouth trespasseth not in judgment. | ||
| 11 | A just balance and scales 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 that speaketh right. | ||
| 14 | The wrath of a king is as messengers of death; But a wise man will pacify it. | ||
| 15 | In the light of the king’s countenance is life; And his favour is as a cloud of the latter rain. | ||
| 16 | How much better is it to get wisdom than gold! Yea, to get understanding is rather to be chosen than silver. | ||
| 17 | The highway of the upright is to depart from evil; He that keepeth his way preserveth his soul. | ||
| 18 | Pride goeth before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall. | ||
| 19 | Better it is to be of a lowly spirit with the humble, Than to divide the spoil with the proud. | ||
| 20 | He that giveth heed unto the word shall find good; And whoso trusteth in the LORD, happy is he. | ||
| 21 | The wise in heart is called a man of discernment; And the sweetness of the lips increaseth learning. | ||
| 22 | Understanding is a fountain of life unto him that hath it; But folly is the chastisement of fools. | ||
| 23 | The heart of the wise teacheth his mouth, And addeth learning to his lips. | ||
| 24 | Pleasant words are as a honeycomb, Sweet to the soul, and health to the bones. | ||
| 25 | There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, But the end thereof are the ways of death. | ||
| 26 | The hunger of the labouring man laboureth for him; For his mouth compelleth him. | ||
| 27 | An ungodly man diggeth up evil, And in his lips there is as a burning fire. | ||
| 28 | A froward man soweth strife; And a whisperer separateth familiar friends. | ||
| 29 | A man of violence enticeth his neighbour, And leadeth him into a way that is not good. | ||
| 30 | He shutteth his eyes, it is to devise froward things; He that biteth his lips bringeth evil to pass. | ||
| 31 | The hoary head is a crown of glory, It is found in the way of righteousness. | ||
| 32 | He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; And he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city. | ||
| 33 | The lot is cast into the lap; But the whole disposing thereof is of the LORD. |
Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter in Hebrew are of the Masoretic Text, which includes the Aleppo Codex (10th century), and Codex Leningradensis (1008).
There is also a translation into Koine Greek known as the Septuagint, made in the last few centuries BC. Extant ancient manuscripts of the Septuagint version include Codex Vaticanus (B;
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This chapter belongs to a section regarded as the second collection in the book of Proverbs (comprising Proverbs 10:1–22:16), also called "The First 'Solomonic' Collection" (the second one in Proverbs 25:1–29:27). The collection contains 375 sayings, each of which consists of two parallel phrases, except for which consists of three parts.
The plans of the heart belong to man,
but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.[4]
The saying in this verse states that a person may set things in order, plan out what one is going to say, but God can sovereignly enable to put one's thoughts into words.[6] Together with verses 2–7 and 9, it form a small cluster of sayings dealing with divine providence over human affairs, contrasting sayings which commend 'careful planning as the key to successful undertakings' (cf. Proverbs 15:22; 20:18; 21:5), with the limitations that 'only plans coinciding with God's purposes will succeed' (verse 3; cf. Proverbs 19:21), thus 'man proposes, but God disposes' (verses 1, 9, cf. verse 33).
A man’s heart plans his way,
But the Lord directs his steps.[7]
This saying emphasizes the theme of 'man proposes, but God disposes' along with verses 1 and 33.
The lot is cast into the lap,
but the whole outcome is of the Lord.[9] This saying concerns the practice of seeking divine leading through casting lots (cf. 1 Samuel 1010:20–21 9), for examples, in the settlement of legal disputes (cf. 18:18),[10] that 'however much a matter of chance the procedure may appear', God is 'the one who makes the decision' (literally, "judgement"), following the theme of 'man proposes, but God disposes' in verses 1 and 9.
. Michael D. Coogan . The New Oxford Annotated Bible with the Apocryphal/Deuterocanonical Books: New Revised Standard Version, Issue 48 . Coogan . Michael David . Marc Zvi . Brettler . Carol Ann . Newsom . Pheme . Perkins . Augmented 3rd . Oxford University Press . 2007 . 9780195288810 .
. Michael V. Fox . Proverbs 10-31: A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary . Anchor Yale Bible Commentaries . Yale University Press . 2009 . 978-0300155563.
. Henry Hampton Halley. Halley's Bible Handbook: an abbreviated Bible commentary . 24th (revised). Zondervan Publishing House . 1965 . 0-310-25720-4.