seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Proverbs 16:1 To humans belong the plans of the heart,
but from the Lord comes the proper answer of the tongue.
but from the Lord comes the proper answer of the tongue.
2 All a person’s ways seem pure to them,
but motives are weighed by the Lord.
but motives are weighed by the Lord.
3 Commit to the Lord whatever you do,
and he will establish your plans.
and he will establish your plans.
4 The Lord works out everything to its proper end—
even the wicked for a day of disaster.
even the wicked for a day of disaster.
5 The Lord detests all the proud of heart.
Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished.
Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished.
6 Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for;
through the fear of the Lord evil is avoided.
through the fear of the Lord evil is avoided.
7 When the Lord takes pleasure in anyone’s way,
he causes their enemies to make peace with them.
he causes their enemies to make peace with them.
8 Better a little with righteousness
than much gain with injustice.
than much gain with injustice.
9 In their hearts humans plan their course,
but the Lord establishes their steps.
but the Lord establishes their steps.
10 The lips of a king speak as an oracle,
and his mouth does not betray justice.
and his mouth does not betray justice.
11 Honest scales and balances belong to the Lord;
all the weights in the bag are of his making.
all the weights in the bag are of his making.
12 Kings detest wrongdoing,
for a throne is established through righteousness.
for a throne is established through righteousness.
13 Kings take pleasure in honest lips;
they value the one who speaks what is right.
they value the one who speaks what is right.
14 A king’s wrath is a messenger of death,
but the wise will appease it.
but the wise will appease it.
15 When a king’s face brightens, it means life;
his favor is like a rain cloud in spring.
his favor is like a rain cloud in spring.
16 How much better to get wisdom than gold,
to get insight rather than silver!
to get insight rather than silver!
17 The highway of the upright avoids evil;
those who guard their ways preserve their lives.
those who guard their ways preserve their lives.
18 Pride goes before destruction,
a haughty spirit before a fall.
a haughty spirit before a fall.
19 Better to be lowly in spirit along with the oppressed
than to share plunder with the proud.
than to share plunder with the proud.
20 Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers,[a]
and blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord.
and blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord.
21 The wise in heart are called discerning,
and gracious words promote instruction.(b)
and gracious words promote instruction.(b)
22 Prudence is a fountain of life to the prudent,
but folly brings punishment to fools.
but folly brings punishment to fools.
23 The hearts of the wise make their mouths prudent,
and their lips promote instruction.[c]
and their lips promote instruction.[c]
24 Gracious words are a honeycomb,
sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.
sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.
25 There is a way that appears to be right,
but in the end it leads to death.
but in the end it leads to death.
26 The appetite of laborers works for them;
their hunger drives them on.
their hunger drives them on.
27 A scoundrel plots evil,
and on their lips it is like a scorching fire.
and on their lips it is like a scorching fire.
28 A perverse person stirs up conflict,
and a gossip separates close friends.
and a gossip separates close friends.
29 A violent person entices their neighbor
and leads them down a path that is not good.
and leads them down a path that is not good.
30 Whoever winks with their eye is plotting perversity;
whoever purses their lips is bent on evil.
whoever purses their lips is bent on evil.
31 Gray hair is a crown of splendor;
it is attained in the way of righteousness.
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.
one with self-control than one who takes a city.
33 The lot is cast into the lap,
but its every decision is from the Lord.
but its every decision is from the Lord.
a. Proverbs 16:20 Or whoever speaks prudently finds what is good
b. Proverbs 16:21 Or words make a person persuasive
c. Proverbs 16:23 Or prudent / and make their lips persuasive
OK... verse 18 is one of those verses that is misquoted and misused all the time by Christians as well as non-Christians.
This is from the easy English site.
Verse 18 To be proud is especially evil.
The proud man thinks that he is better than anyone else. He thinks that he deserves every luxury. God does not approve of this. God wants people to be humble, so that they can learn wisdom.
God will punish the proud person. A proud man will fall down with a crash. God will force the man to be humble.
Verse 25
In our lives, there are many dangers. People might trust in false religions. They might follow evil leaders. Or they might drink too much alcohol. There are many other dangers also.
Like the road, these things might seem good. The truth is that they are dangerous. They are dangerous for our bodies and for our spirits. We need to ask God for wisdom to avoid these dangers.
Verse 31
This person is an old man, who respects God. The man’s grey hair looks like a crown.
This old man deserves a real crown, because he is wise. We should respect God and do good things. Then, we too shall deserve honour, like the old man.
This man is not like the man in verse 30. The man in verse 30 caused trouble for other people. But the man in verse 31 did good things. He spoke wise words. And the result was that other people benefited. So the man in verse 31 deserves great honour.
I am so going to make a plaque out of verse 31!!!! And when I do I'm going to put a picture of a man and a woman. That way us gray haired old women are covered.
I've crossed that path in verse 25 but it wasn't a path I stayed on... fortunately... or not.
