Proverbs 16:18
16 How much better to acquire wisdom than gold! To gain understanding is more desirable than silver.
17 The highway of the upright leads away from evil; he who guards his way protects his life.
Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.
19 It is better to be lowly in spirit among the humble than to divide the spoil with the proud.
20 Whoever heeds instruction will find success, and blessed is he who trusts in the LORD.
Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.
- KJV
- Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.
- WEB
- Pride goes before destruction, and an arrogant spirit before a fall.
- ASV
- Pride [goeth] before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall.
- DARBY
- Pride [goeth] before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.
- BLB
- Before the face of breaking [is] pride, and before a fall [is] a haughty spirit.
- ÅB
- Forut for undergang går overmot, og forut for fall stolt mot.
- OTB
- Stolthet går forut for ødeleggelse, og en hovmodig ånd før et fall.
- B1930
- Forut for undergang går overmot, og forut for fall stolt mot.
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Proverbs 11:2
When pride comes, disgrace follows, but with humility comes wisdom.
Read in contextIsaiah 2:11–12
The proud look of man will be humbled, and the loftiness of men brought low; the LORD alone will be exalted in that day.
Read in contextProverbs 18:12
Before his downfall a man’s heart is proud, but humility comes before honor.
Read in contextObadiah 1:3–4
The pride of your heart has deceived you, O dwellers in the clefts of the rocks whose habitation is the heights, who say in your heart, ‘Who can bring me down to the ground?’
Read in contextProverbs 29:23
A man’s pride will bring him low, but a humble spirit will obtain honor.
Read in context1 Timothy 3:6
He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same condemnation as the devil.
Read in contextProverbs 17:19
He who loves transgression loves strife; he who builds his gate high invites destruction.
Read in contextRomans 11:20
That is correct: They were broken off because of unbelief, but you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but be afraid.
Read in context