---
title: "Proverbs 16 – Catholic Bible (CPDV) & Latin Vulgate · Bless"
url: https://blessbible.app/bible/proverbs/16/
description: "Proverbs 16, all 33 verses, in the Catholic Public Domain Version with the Latin Vulgate, plus Bp. Challoner’s notes."
---

# Proverbs 16

Proverbs 16 is chapter 16 of 31 in the Book of Proverbs. Here are all 33 verses in the Catholic Public Domain Version, with the Latin of the Clementine Vulgate beside them.

## Proverbs 16 (Catholic Public Domain Version)

1. It is for man to prepare the soul, and for the Lord to govern the tongue.
2. All the ways of a man are open to his eyes; the Lord is the one who weighs spirits.
3. Open your works to the Lord, and your intentions will be set in order.
4. The Lord has wrought all things because of himself. Likewise the impious is for the evil day.
5. All the arrogant are an abomination to the Lord. Even if hand will be joined to hand, he is not innocent. The beginning of a good way is to do justice. And this is more acceptable with God than to immolate sacrifices.
6. By mercy and truth, iniquity is redeemed. And by the fear of the Lord, one turns away from evil.
7. When the ways of man will please the Lord, he will convert even his enemies to peace.
8. Better is a little with justice, than many fruits with iniquity.
9. The heart of man disposes his way. But it is for Lord to direct his steps.
10. Foreknowledge is in the lips of the king. His mouth shall not err in judgment.
11. Weights and scales are judgments of the Lord. And all the stones in the bag are his work.
12. Those who act impiously are abominable to the king. For the throne is made firm by justice.
13. Just lips are the will of kings. He who speaks honestly shall be loved.
14. The indignation of a king is a herald of death. And the wise man will appease it.
15. In the cheerfulness of the king’s countenance, there is life. And his clemency is like belated rain.
16. Possess wisdom, for it is better than gold. And acquire prudence, for it is more precious than silver.
17. The path of the just turns away from evils. He who guards his soul preserves his way.
18. Arrogance precedes destruction. And the spirit is exalted before a fall.
19. It is better to be humbled with the meek, than to divide spoils with the arrogant.
20. The learned in word shall find good things. And whoever hopes in the Lord is blessed.
21. Whoever is wise in heart shall be called prudent. And whoever is sweet in eloquence shall attain to what is greater.
22. Learning is a fountain of life to one who possesses it. The doctrine of the foolish is senseless.
23. The heart of the wise shall instruct his mouth and add grace to his lips.
24. Careful words are a honeycomb: sweet to the soul and healthful to the bones.
25. There is a way which seems right to a man, and its end result leads to death.
26. The soul of the laborer labors for himself, because his mouth has driven him to it.
27. The impious man digs up evil, and in his lips is a burning fire.
28. A perverse man stirs up lawsuits. And one who is verbose divides leaders.
29. A man of iniquity entices his friend, and he leads him along a way that is not good.
30. Whoever, with astonished eyes, thinks up depravities, biting his lips, accomplishes evil.
31. Old age is a crown of dignity, when it is found in the ways of justice.
32. A patient man is better than a strong one. And whoever rules his soul is better than one who assaults cities.
33. Lots are cast into the lap, but they are tempered by the Lord.

## Proverbs 16 in Latin (Clementine Vulgate, 1592)

1. Hominis est animam præparare, et Domini gubernare linguam.
2. Omnes viæ hominis patent oculis ejus; spirituum ponderator est Dominus.
3. Revela Domino opera tua, et dirigentur cogitationes tuæ.
4. Universa propter semetipsum operatus est Dominus; impium quoque ad diem malum.
5. Abominatio Domini est omnis arrogans; etiamsi manus ad manum fuerit, non est innocens. Initium viæ bonæ facere justitiam; accepta est autem apud Deum magis quam immolare hostias.
6. Misericordia et veritate redimitur iniquitas, et in timore Domini declinatur a malo.
7. Cum placuerint Domino viæ hominis, inimicos quoque ejus convertet ad pacem.
8. Melius est parum cum justitia quam multi fructus cum iniquitate.
9. Cor hominis disponit viam suam, sed Domini est dirigere gressus ejus.
10. Divinatio in labiis regis; in judicio non errabit os ejus.
11. Pondus et statera judicia Domini sunt, et opera ejus omnes lapides sacculi.
12. Abominabiles regi qui agunt impie, quoniam justitia firmatur solium.
13. Voluntas regum labia justa; qui recta loquitur diligetur.
14. Indignatio regis nuntii mortis, et vir sapiens placabit eam.
15. In hilaritate vultus regis vita, et clementia ejus quasi imber serotinus.
16. Posside sapientiam, quia auro melior est, et acquire prudentiam, quia pretiosior est argento.
17. Semita justorum declinat mala; custos animæ suæ servat viam suam.
18. Contritionem præcedit superbia, et ante ruinam exaltatur spiritus.
19. Melius est humiliari cum mitibus quam dividere spolia cum superbis.
20. Eruditus in verbo reperiet bona, et qui sperat in Domino beatus est.
21. Qui sapiens est corde appellabitur prudens, et qui dulcis eloquio majora percipiet.
22. Fons vitæ eruditio possidentis; doctrina stultorum fatuitas.
23. Cor sapientis erudiet os ejus, et labiis ejus addet gratiam.
24. Favus mellis composita verba; dulcedo animæ sanitas ossium.
25. Est via quæ videtur homini recta, et novissima ejus ducunt ad mortem.
26. Anima laborantis laborat sibi, quia compulit eum os suum.
27. Vir impius fodit malum, et in labiis ejus ignis ardescit.
28. Homo perversus suscitat lites, et verbosus separat principes.
29. Vir iniquus lactat amicum suum, et ducit eum per viam non bonam.
30. Qui attonitis oculis cogitat prava, mordens labia sua perficit malum.
31. Corona dignitatis senectus, quæ in viis justitiæ reperietur.
32. Melior est patiens viro forti, et qui dominatur animo suo expugnatore urbium.
33. Sortes mittuntur in sinum, sed a Domino temperantur.

## Bishop Challoner's notes

Bp. Richard Challoner, notes on the Douay-Rheims (1750); they comment on its older wording.
- Verse 1: That is, a man should prepare in his heart and soul what he is to say: but after all, it must be the Lord that must govern his tongue, to speak to the purpose. Not that we can think any thing of good without God's grace; but that after we have (with God's grace) thought and prepared within our souls what we would speak, if God does not govern our tongue, we shall not succeed in what we speak.

Source: Catholic Public Domain Version (Ronald L. Conte Jr., 2009), public domain; Latin: Clementine Vulgate (1592).