# Proverbs commentary

## 16

### 1

The preparations of the heart are man's, But the answer of the tongue is from the LORD. - JPS Tanakh 1917 (most accurate)

From a son of man is the thought of the heart and the speech of the tongue is from LORD JEHOVAH. - Peshitta Holy Bible Translated (my favorite)

The first one is easy to understand: man has the right to his own plans within his heart.

The second part, however, can be taken different ways.

- The Protestant tradition takes it as "God responds to man's heart."
- Catholics see it as "God guides the tongue."

This was intentionally vague: God does both.

In other words, we have no control over our [consequences](results.md), not even what we say. Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks, and even a donkey can be steered to speak when God wants it. God also directs the results of whatever *does* happen as well, though the vagueness was written as an intentional mask to prevent the sinners from being entirely savvy to his approach.

This means there's really nothing outside of God's influence.

The implication of this is that God is absurdly patient. After all, it's because He desires that none should perish.

### 2

All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes, but Yahweh weighs the motives. - World English Bible (most accurate)

All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; But the LORD weigheth the spirits. - New Living Translation

All the ways of a man are pure in the eyes of his soul and LORD JEHOVAH orders his path. - Peshitta Holy Bible Translated

The choice of "spirit" versus "motives" changes a lot of the concept.

- The majority text says motives
- the modern versions look at it as "God judges them"
- the Aramaic seems to imply "God steers them"

All of them may be right. God certainly steers people where He wishes, and judges all of us as well. The vagueness may be to hide that He does that.

This connects closely with Proverbs 14:12, though that one says that its end is death.

One thing that draws more attention than not is that [death itself](https://gainedin.site/death/) has a certain finality, and this verse is almost a "prequel" to the death one from before. All our paths lead to death, but some have lasting and eternal [meaning](meaning.md) along the way.