We continue our collection of short proverbs, short easy-to-memorize teachings on wisdom.
Proverbs 16:1, YHWH guides the tongue
To man belong the plans of the heart,
but from the LORD comes the reply of the tongue.
Can one's plans and one's tongue be different? Possibly this suggests that if one relies on YHWH, the words are thoughtful and ordered (Alter.)
Proverbs 16:2-3, Motives
All a man's ways seem innocent to him,
but motives are weighed by the LORD.
Commit to the LORD whatever you do,
and your plans will succeed.
It is important to commit plans and motives to YHWH.
Proverbs 16:4-5, Pride and arrogance punished
The LORD works out everything for his own ends--
even the wicked for a day of disaster.
The LORD detests all the proud of heart.
Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished.
Ultimately YHWH is in charge, seeing all. Pride and arrogance, the root of stubborn resistance to YHWH is noticed and (eventually) punished.
Proverbs 16:6, Hesed and emeth
Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for;
through the fear of the LORD a man avoids evil.
Righteousness here is described as "atoning" for sin; one follows God by love and faithfulness. The first Hebrew word in this passage is a version of our favorite hesed. and the second has emeth as its root. "Love and truth" are the opposite of "sin"; indeed here they offer a kaphar, that is, propitiation, pacification for sin.
Proverbs 16:7-9, Pleasing to YHWH
When a man's ways are pleasing to the LORD,
he makes even his enemies live at peace with him.
Better a little with righteousness
than much gain with injustice.
In his heart a man plans his course,
but the LORD determines his steps.
We have a number of proverbs all emphasizing one's attitude towards and relationship with God. The last verse is similar to verse 1; here it is a man's steps, instead of his tongue, that is the result of God's intervention. The middle verse, verse 8, echoes Proverbs 15:16 -- righteousness and integrity outweigh material gains.
Proverbs 16:10,
The lips of a king speak as an oracle,
and his mouth should not betray justice.
Proverbs has a hopeful view of kings -- they should be wise and just. Alter suggests that the book of Ecclesiastes might differ with this black-and-white stance of Proverbs.
Proverbs 16:11,
Honest scales and balances are from the LORD;
all the weights in the bag are of his making.
Scales and balances represent honesty in dealing with others. The importance of fair scales in commerce goes back to the Levitical Law; see Leviticus 19:35-36.
Proverbs 16:12-15, Wise kingship
Kings detest wrongdoing,
for a throne is established through righteousness.
Kings take pleasure in honest lips;
they value a man who speaks the truth.
A king's wrath is a messenger of death,
but a wise man will appease it.
When a king's face brightens, it means life;
his favor is like a rain cloud in spring.
The Old Testament view of kings continues here. Kings are to be just and honest. Their kingdom is built on wisdom and righteousness. Assuming that kings will be just (as Proverbs tends to do), then one will want to please and appease the king, seeking his favor. Chapter 25 of Proverbs expands on these ideas.
Proverbs 16:16-17, Wisdom over gold
How much better to get wisdom than gold,
to choose understanding rather than silver!
The highway of the upright avoids evil;
he who guards his way guards his life.
There is great value to wisdom. In the second verse, Alter translates the first line as "The upright's highway is to swerve from evil." Here the geometry of the righteous is not straight because the righteous person recognizes potholes to be avoided.
Proverbs 16:18-19, Pride and humility
Pride goes before destruction,
a haughty spirit before a fall.
Better to be lowly in spirit and among the oppressed
than to share plunder with the proud.
The first verse is often summarized as "pride goes before a fall." The second verse emphasizes humility. A similar passage is Proverbs 15:33. (See also 18:12.) Appropriate humility is part of wisdom; pride and arrogance lead to a certain blindness.
Proverbs 16:20-23, Instruction
Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers,
and blessed is he who trusts in the LORD.
The wise in heart are called discerning,
and pleasant words promote instruction.
Understanding is a fountain of life to those who have it,
but folly brings punishment to fools.
A wise man's heart guides his mouth,
and his lips promote instruction.
These four proverbs have a common theme on instruction -- it is assume that instruction is good, a part of wisdom and righteousness, and that the wise person seeks it. To promote instruction and learning, careful and kind words are necessary.
Proverbs 16:24, Sweet words
Pleasant words are a honeycomb,
sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.
Pleasant words promote good health, physically, mentally, emotionally.
Proverbs 16:25, Careful -- it looks safe, but....
There is a way that seems right to a man,
but in the end it leads to death.
This is a duplicate of Proverbs 14:12. It is a warning about one's inability to see danger.
Proverbs 16:26, Hunger changes one
The laborer's appetite works for him;
his hunger drives him on.
As given, this verse seems to merely be an observation -- a hungry man will work hard for a reward. As the word pî·hū, translated "his hunger", really means "his mouth", Alter translates the second line as, "because his own mouth has compelled him." As Alter points out, this might suggest that that a man's speech gets him into trouble and so the man ends up in situations that force him to hard labor. That translation, on the danger of bad speech, would be consistent with verses 23 and 24 which describe the results of good speech.
Proverbs 16:27-30, Gossip and scheming
A scoundrel plots evil,
and his speech is like a scorching fire.
A perverse man stirs up dissension,
and a gossip separates close friends.
A violent man entices his neighbor
and leads him down a path that is not good.
He who winks with his eye is plotting perversity;
he who purses his lips is bent on evil.
The foolish man is here described as "a scoundrel", "perverse", "a gossip", "violent" and one who deceives and schemes. The last verse is a caricature (says Alter) of the wicked man, drawing an image of a face with winking eye and pursed lips.
Proverbs 16:31, Gray hair
Gray hair is a crown of splendor;
it is attained by a righteous life.
Ah, a praise of age -- here, in the black and white of Proverbs, old age is promised to the person who is righteous.
Proverbs 16:32, Patience and peace
Better a patient man than a warrior,
a man who controls his temper than one who takes a city.
The man who is patient and who control his temper will do better than the warrior who merely conquers. Patience and careful speech are once again emphasized as important attributes of character.
Proverbs 16:33, Randomness and YHWH
The lot is cast into the lap,
but its every decision is from the LORD.
Casting of lots appears again in 18:18 -- there it appears as a method to rescue friendship. Here the emphasis is that these supposedly random events are not hidden from YHWH; indeed He may control them. The casting of lots as a resolution in decision-making occurs throughout the Old Testament and even, at times, in the New Testament (Acts 1:23-26) up until Pentecost.
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