EVERY DECISION IS FROM THE LORD
Key verse: 33
NIV
10 The lips of a king speak as an oracle,
and his mouth does not betray justice.(A)
11 Honest scales and balances belong to the Lord;
all the weights in the bag are of his making.(B)
12 Kings detest wrongdoing,
for a throne is established through righteousness.(C)
13 Kings take pleasure in honest lips;
they value the one who speaks what is right.(D)
17 The highway of the upright avoids evil;
those who guard their ways preserve their lives.(K)
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](O)
and blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord.(P)
22 Prudence is a fountain of life to the prudent,(R)
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.(AC)
30 Whoever winks(AD) with their eye is plotting perversity;
whoever purses their lips is bent on evil.
31 Gray hair is a crown of splendor;(AE)
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.
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
Cross references
- Proverbs 16:10 : Pr 17:7
- Proverbs 16:11 : S Pr 11:1; Eze 45:10
- Proverbs 16:12 : Pr 26:28; 25:5; 29:14; 31:5
- Proverbs 16:13 : Pr 22:11
- Proverbs 16:14 : S Ge 40:2; S Job 29:24; Pr 20:2
- Proverbs 16:14 : Pr 25:15; 29:8; Ecc 10:4
- Proverbs 16:15 : S Ge 40:2; S Job 29:24
- Proverbs 16:15 : Pr 19:12; 25:2-7
- Proverbs 16:16 : Ps 49:20
- Proverbs 16:16 : S Job 28:15; S Pr 3:13-14
- Proverbs 16:17 : Pr 19:16
- Proverbs 16:18 : S 1Sa 17:42
- Proverbs 16:18 : Ps 18:27; Isa 13:11; Jer 48:29
- Proverbs 16:18 : S Est 5:12; Pr 11:2; S 15:33; 18:12; 29:23
- Proverbs 16:20 : Pr 13:13
- Proverbs 16:20 : S Ps 32:10; 40:4; Pr 19:8; 29:25; Jer 17:7
- Proverbs 16:21 : ver 23
- Proverbs 16:22 : S Pr 10:11
- Proverbs 16:23 : Job 15:5
- Proverbs 16:23 : ver 21
- Proverbs 16:24 : S 1Sa 14:27
- Proverbs 16:24 : Pr 24:13-14
- Proverbs 16:25 : S Pr 12:15
- Proverbs 16:25 : Est 3:6; Pr 14:12
- Proverbs 16:27 : S Ps 140:2
- Proverbs 16:27 : Jas 3:6
- Proverbs 16:28 : S Pr 14:17
- Proverbs 16:28 : Pr 17:9
- Proverbs 16:29 : S Pr 1:10; 12:26
- Proverbs 16:30 : S Pr 6:13
- Proverbs 16:31 : Pr 20:29
- Proverbs 16:33 : S Lev 16:8; S 1Sa 10:21; Eze 21:21
- Proverbs 16:33 : 1Sa 14:41
- Proverbs 16:33 : Jos 7:14; Pr 18:18; 29:26; Jnh 1:7
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway
ESV
10 (A)An oracle is on the lips of a king;
his mouth does not sin in judgment.
11 (B)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 (C)the throne is established by righteousness.
13 (D)Righteous lips are the delight of a king,
and he loves him who speaks what is right.
14 (E)A king's wrath is a messenger of death,
and a wise man will (F)appease it.
15 (G)In the light of a king's face there is life,
and his (H)favor is like (I)the clouds that bring the spring rain.
16 (J)How much better to get wisdom than (K)gold!
To get understanding is to be chosen rather than (L)silver.
17 The highway of the upright (M)turns aside from evil;
whoever guards his way preserves his life.
18 (N)Pride goes before destruction,
and a haughty spirit before a fall.
19 (O)It is better to be of a lowly spirit with the poor
than to (P)divide the spoil with the proud.
20 Whoever gives thought to the word[a] (Q)will discover good,
and blessed is he (R)who trusts in the Lord.
21 The wise of heart is called discerning,
and sweetness of speech (S)increases persuasiveness.
22 Good sense is (T)a fountain of life to him who has it,
but the instruction of fools is folly.
23 (U)The heart of the wise makes his speech judicious
and adds persuasiveness to his lips.
24 (V)Gracious words are like (W)a honeycomb,
sweetness to the soul and (X)health to the body.
25 There is a way that seems right to a man,
but its end is the way to death.[b]
26 A worker's appetite works for him;
his (Y)mouth urges him on.
27 (Z)A worthless man plots evil,
and his speech[c] is like (AA)a scorching fire.
28 (AB)A dishonest man spreads strife,
and (AC)a whisperer (AD)separates close friends.
29 A man of violence (AE)entices his neighbor
and leads him in a way that is not good.
30 Whoever winks his eyes plans[d] (AF)dishonest things;
he who (AG)purses his lips brings evil to pass.
31 (AH)Gray hair is (AI)a crown of glory;
it (AJ)is gained in a righteous life.
32 (AK)Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty,
and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.
33 (AL)The lot is cast into the lap,
but its every decision is (AM)from the Lord.
Footnotes
- 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
Cross references
- Proverbs 16:10 : [1 Kgs. 3:28]
- Proverbs 16:11 : See ch. 11:1
- Proverbs 16:12 : ch. 25:5; [ch. 20:28; 29:14; Isa. 16:5]
- Proverbs 16:13 : [ch. 14:35; 22:11]
- Proverbs 16:14 : ch. 19:12; 20:2
- Proverbs 16:14 : [ch. 25:15]
- Proverbs 16:15 : [Job 29:24]
- Proverbs 16:15 : [See ver. 13 above]; [ch. 14:35; 22:11]
- Proverbs 16:15 : [Ps. 72:6]; See Job 29:23
- Proverbs 16:16 : ch. 8:10, 11, 19
- Proverbs 16:16 : See ch. 3:14
- Proverbs 16:16 : ch. 10:20
- Proverbs 16:17 : ver. 6
- Proverbs 16:18 : See ch. 11:2
- Proverbs 16:19 : ch. 29:23; Isa. 57:15
- Proverbs 16:19 : See Ex. 15:9
- Proverbs 16:20 : ch. 19:8
- Proverbs 16:20 : See Ps. 2:12
- Proverbs 16:21 : ver. 23
- Proverbs 16:22 : See ch. 10:11
- Proverbs 16:23 : [Ps. 37:30; Matt. 12:34]
- Proverbs 16:24 : ch. 15:26
- Proverbs 16:24 : Ps. 19:10
- Proverbs 16:24 : See ch. 4:22
- Proverbs 16:26 : [Eccles. 6:7]
- Proverbs 16:27 : [ch. 6:12, 14, 19]
- Proverbs 16:27 : James 3:6
- Proverbs 16:28 : See ch. 15:18
- Proverbs 16:28 : [ch. 18:8; 26:20, 22]
- Proverbs 16:28 : ch. 17:9
- Proverbs 16:29 : ch. 1:10
- Proverbs 16:30 : See ch. 2:12
- Proverbs 16:30 : [ch. 6:13]
- Proverbs 16:31 : ch. 20:29
- Proverbs 16:31 : ch. 17:6
- Proverbs 16:31 : See ch. 3:1, 2
- Proverbs 16:32 : ch. 14:29; [ch. 19:11; 25:28]
- Proverbs 16:33 : [Acts 1:26]
- Proverbs 16:33 : ch. 29:26
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway
Prayer: Lord, we know that you decide our destinies. Please help me recognize God's sovereignty in my daily life.
One Word: The Lord decides