Proverbs 16:16-26

16 Acquire wisdom- how much better it is than gold! And acquire understanding- it is preferable to silver.^[a]

17 The highway of the upright avoids evil; the one who guards his way protects his life.^[b]

18 Pride comes before destruction, and an arrogant spirit before a fall.^[c]

19 Better to be lowly of spirit with the humble^[d] than to divide plunder with the proud.^[e]

20 The one who understands a matter finds success, and the one who trusts in the Lord will be happy.^[f]

21 Anyone with a wise heart is called discerning, and pleasant speech^[g] increases learning.^[h]

22 Insight is a fountain of life^[i] for its possessor, but folly is the instruction of fools.

23 A wise heart instructs its mouth and increases learning with its speech.^{[j] [k]}

24 Pleasant words are a honeycomb: sweet to the taste^[l] and health to the body.^[m][n]

25 There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it is the way of death.^[o]

26 A worker's appetite works for him because his hunger^[p] urges him on.

Proverbs 16:16-26 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO FIRST KINGS 6

This chapter gives an account of the building of the temple, for which preparations were before made and begins with the time of its building, 1Ki 6:1; gives the dimensions of it and the porch before it, 1Ki 6:2,3; observes the windows in it and chambers about it, 1Ki 6:4-10; and while it was building, Solomon had a word from the Lord relative to it, 1Ki 6:11-14; and then the account goes on concerning the walls of the house, and the flooring of it, 1Ki 6:15-18; and the oracle in it, and the cherubim in that, 1Ki 6:19-30; and the doors into it, and the carved work of them, 1Ki 6:31-36; and the chapter is concluded with observing the time when it was begun and finished 1Ki 6:37,38.

Footnotes

• [a]. Pr 3:14; 8:10,19; 22:1
• [b]. Pr 2:11-13; 15:19
• [c]. Pr 16:5; 18:12; 29:23; Dn 4:37
• [d]. Alt Hb tradition reads afflicted
• [e]. Pr 15:16-17; 16:8; Ps 37:16
• [f]. Ps 34:8; 40:4; 84:12; 146:5
• [g]. Lit and sweetness of lips
• [h]. Pr 1:5; 9:9; 16:23
• [i]. Pr 10:11; 13:14; 14:27
• [j]. Lit learning upon his lips
• [k]. Pr 1:5; 9:9; 16:21
• [l]. Lit throat
• [m]. Lit bones
• [n]. Pr 15:26,30; 25:13
• [o]. Pr 14:12; 24:20
• [p]. Lit mouth