# Proverbs 16.9

<!-- type: passage | created: 2026-05-06 | updated: 2026-05-06 -->

**Book:** [Proverbs](/codex/proverbs/) · ASV / WEB / KJV / YLT

## Immediate context (±2 verses)

**ASV** ([ASV](/codex/asv/))
> 7. When a man's ways please Jehovah, He maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him. 8. Better is a little, with righteousness, Than great revenues with injustice.
>
> **9. A man's heart deviseth his way; But Jehovah directeth his steps.**
>
> 10. A divine sentence is in the lips of the king; His mouth shall not transgress in judgment. 11. A just balance and scales are Jehovah's; All the weights of the bag are his work. (Proverbs 16:7-11, ASV)

**WEB** ([WEB](/codex/web/))
> 7. When a man’s ways please Yahweh, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him. 8. Better is a little with righteousness, than great revenues with injustice.
>
> **9. A man’s heart plans his course, but Yahweh directs his steps.**
>
> 10. Inspired judgments are on the lips of the king. He shall not betray his mouth. 11. Honest balances and scales are Yahweh’s; all the weights in the bag are his work. (Proverbs 16:7-11, WEB)

**KJV** ([KJV](/codex/kjv/))
> 7. When a man's ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him. 8. Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues without right.
>
> **9. A man's heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps.**
>
> 10. A divine sentence is in the lips of the king: his mouth transgresseth not in judgment. <sup>A divine: Heb. Divination</sup> 11. A just weight and balance are the LORD'S: all the weights of the bag are his work. <sup>the weights: Heb. the stones</sup> (Proverbs 16:7-11, KJV)

**YLT** ([YLT](/codex/ylt/))
> 7. When a man's ways please Jehovah, even his enemies, He causeth to be at peace with him. 8. Better [is] a little with righteousness, Than abundance of increase without justice.
>
> **9. The heart of man deviseth his way, And Jehovah establisheth his step.**
>
> 10. An oath [is] on the lips of a king, In judgment his mouth trespasseth not. 11. A just beam and balances [are] Jehovah's, His work [are] all the stones of the bag. (Proverbs 16:7-11, YLT)

## Setting

- **Speaker:** Solomon (principal); Agur; Lemuel; wise men
- **Audience:** young Israelite men in the wisdom tradition
- **Location:** Israel, Solomonic court
- **Time period:** principal composition c. 970-930 BC (Solomon); compilation c. 700 BC (Hezekiah)

## Theological reading

## Key words

- [H0120 - adam](/codex/h0120-adam/), *adam* (Strong's H120). Also appears in: [Genesis 1.26](/codex/genesis-1-26/), [Genesis 1.27](/codex/genesis-1-27/), [Genesis 2.7](/codex/genesis-2-7/).
- [H3068 - YHWH](/codex/h3068-yhwh/), *YHWH* (Strong's H3068). Also appears in: [Genesis 2.4](/codex/genesis-2-4/), [Genesis 2.7](/codex/genesis-2-7/), [Genesis 2.16-17](/codex/genesis-2-16-17/).
- [H3820 - lev](/codex/h3820-lev/), *lev* (Strong's H3820). Also appears in: [Genesis 6.5](/codex/genesis-6-5/), [Genesis 6](/codex/genesis-6/), [Genesis 18.1-15](/codex/genesis-18-1-15/).

## Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the **most literal English translations available** (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the **public domain in the United States**, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

- **[ASV](/codex/asv/)** (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
- **[WEB](/codex/web/)** (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
- **[KJV](/codex/kjv/)** (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
- **[YLT](/codex/ylt/)** (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See [Bibles](/codex/bibles/) for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.

<!-- BACKLINKS:START -->
## Quoted in

**Concepts:**

- [Compatibilism](/codex/compatibilism/)
- [Concurrentism](/codex/concurrentism/)
- [Divine Providence](/codex/divine-providence/)
- [Foreknowledge vs Causation](/codex/foreknowledge-vs-causation/)
- [Free Will and Determinism](/codex/free-will-and-determinism/)

**Lexicon:**

- [H3824 - lebab](/codex/h3824-lebab/)

<!-- BACKLINKS:END -->