One who winks his eyes to plot perversities, one who compresses his lips, is bent on evil.
Parallel Translations
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One who winks his eyes to plot perversities, one who compresses his lips, is bent on evil.
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He shutteth his eyes to devise froward things: moving his lips he bringeth evil to pass.
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He that shutteth his eyes, it is to devise froward things; he that biteth his lips bringeth evil to pass.
Cross-references (9)
Passages linked to Proverbs 16:30 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- Proverbs 6:12-14 A worthless person, a man of iniquity, is he who walks with a perverse mouth, who winks with his eyes, who signals with his feet, who motions with his fingers, in whose heart is perverseness, who devises evil continually, who always sows discord.
- Matthew 13:15 for this people’s heart has grown callous, their ears are dull of hearing, they have closed their eyes; or else perhaps they might perceive with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their heart, and would turn again; and I would heal them.’
- Proverbs 10:10 One winking with the eye causes sorrow, but a chattering fool will fall.
- Proverbs 16:27 A worthless man devises mischief. His speech is like a scorching fire.
- Isaiah 6:10 Make the heart of this people fat. Make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their heart, and turn again, and be healed.”
- Micah 7:3 Their hands are on that which is evil to do it diligently. The ruler and judge ask for a bribe; and the powerful man dictates the evil desire of his soul. Thus they conspire together.
- Matthew 14:7-8 Whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatever she should ask. She, being prompted by her mother, said, “Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptizer.”
- Matthew 27:23-26 But the governor said, “Why? What evil has he done?” But they cried out exceedingly, saying, “Let him be crucified!” So when Pilate saw that nothing was being gained, but rather that a disturbance was starting, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, “I am innocent of the blood of this righteous person. You see to it.” All the people answered, “May his blood be on us, and on our children!” Then he released to them Barabbas, but Jesus he flogged and delivered to be crucified.
- John 3:20 For everyone who does evil hates the light, and doesn’t come to the light, lest his works would be exposed.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (13 sources)
Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.
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Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain With his whole endeavor he laboreth to bring his…
With his whole endeavor he laboreth to bring his wickedness to pass.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain Pro 16:30 He shutteth his eyes to devise froward…
Pro 16:30 He shutteth his eyes to devise froward things: moving his lips he bringeth evil to pass.
Ver. 30. He shutteth his eyes to devise froward things.] Wicked men are great students; they beat their brains and close their eyes that they may revolve and excogitate mischief with more freedom of mind. They search the devil’s skull for new devices, and are very intentive to invent that which may do harm; their wits will better serve them to find out a hundred shifts or carnal arguments, than to yield to one saving truth, though never so much cleared up to them.
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Moving his lips, he bringeth evil to pass.] Mumbling and muttering to himself, and so calling the devil into counsel, he hath him at hand to bring about the business. Bartolus {a} writes of Doctor Gabriel Nele, that by the only motion of the lips, without any utterance, he understood all men, perceived and read every man’s mind in his countenance. If Nele could do so, how much more the devil? who, besides his natural sagacity, hath had so long experience, and both knows and furthers those evil plots and practices that he himself hath injected into wicked hearts.
{a} Lib. i. De Ver. Oblig.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain Shutteth his eyes, that his thoughts may be more…
Shutteth his eyes, that his thoughts may be more free and intent to contrive mischief.
Moving his lips; which is the gesture, either,
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1. Of one whose thoughts are deeply engaged. Or,
2. Of one that speaketh or maketh signs to others to assist him in executing that wickedness which he hath contrived.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain The hoary head is a crown of glory,.... Gray…
The hoary head is a crown of glory,.... Gray hairs, white locks through age are very ornamental; look very beautiful, bespeak gravity, wisdom, and prudence, and command reverence and respect; with the ancient Romans (s), greater honour was paid to age than to family or wealth; and the elder were revered by the younger next to God, and in the stead of parents; See Gill on Lev 19:32;
if it be found in the way of righteousness; that is, if such who are old and stricken in years are like Zacharias and Elisabeth, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless; when they are found in Christ, having on his righteousness; and when they live soberly, righteously, and godly; when they walk in the ways of God and true religion; keep up family worship, and private devotion; as well as constantly attend the ministry of the word and ordinances; then are they very venerable and respectable; their old age is a good old age; and in a short time they shall have the crown of glory which fadeth not away: but otherwise a sinner a hundred years old shall be accursed; an old man in the open ways of sin and vice, laden with iniquity, is a very contemptible and shocking sight.
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(s) Vid. A. Gell. Noct. Attic. l. 2. c. 15.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain Shutteth - That his thoughts may be more intent.…
Shutteth - That his thoughts may be more intent. Moving - Which is the gesture of one whose thoughts are deeply engaged.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 30. He shutteth his eyes to devise, &c.]…
Verse 30. He shutteth his eyes to devise, &c.] He meditates deeply upon ways and means to commit sin. He shuts his eyes that he may shut out all other ideas, that his whole soul may be in this.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain Lips. These motions indicate fury and pensiveness.
Lips. These motions indicate fury and pensiveness.
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain He shutteth his eyes--denoting deep thought (Psa 64:6).
He shutteth his eyes--denoting deep thought (Psa 64:6).
moving his lips--or, "biting his lips"--a determined purpose (Pro 6:13).
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 30. He shutteth his eyes — Or, fixes his…
30. He shutteth his eyes — Or, fixes his eyes.
To devise froward things — Perversities. Compare Pro_2:12; Pro_6:14.
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Moving his lips — He bites his lips as a sign of malice, (Pro_6:13; Pro_10:10;) he bringeth evil to pass. The Hebrew is emphatic, the preter for the future, to indicate the certainty of that which is predicted: “he has accomplished evil.” Conant reads: “When he shuts his eyes he is devising perverseness; when he bites his lips, he has perfected mischief.”
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 30. shutteth] Or, fixeth, or setteth firmly, στηρίζων, LXX.…
30. shutteth] Or, fixeth, or setteth firmly, στηρίζων, LXX. He closes or fixes his eyes, as though in deep thought, and tightens his lips, as if to keep back words which he could utter. Comp. Pro_6:12-14 for a further description of the same character.
It is better to regard this verse with R.V. as a separate proverb,
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He that shutteth his eyes, it is to devise froward things:
He that compresseth his lips bringeth evil to pass,
than with A.V. as a continuation of the preceding proverb.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (30) He shutteth his eyes. . . .—By the…
(30) He shutteth his eyes. . . .—By the movement of eyes and lips he gives the signal for mischief to his confederates. (Comp. Pro_6:13.)
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain This verse is better taken as one sentence (so…
This verse is better taken as one sentence (so the Septuagint), and translated, as Nowack, "He that shutteth his eyes in order to contrive froward things, he that compresseth his lips, hath already brought evil to pass;" he has virtually effected it. From such a crafty, malignant man you need not expect any more open tokens of his intentions. He shutteth his eyes; (comp. Isa_33:15) either that he may better think out his evil plans, or else he cannot look his neighbour in the face while he is plotting against him. The Vulgate has, attonitis oculis; Septuagint, "fixing (sthrizwn ) his eyes." Moving his lips; rather, he who compresseth his lips, to hide the malignant smile with which he might greet his neighbour"s calamity, (comp. Pro_6:13, etc.; Pro_10:10) or that neither by word nor expression he may betray his thoughts. Others take the two outward expressions mentioned as signals to confederates; but this is not so suitable, as they are the man"s own feelings and sentiments that are meant. One who gives these tokens bringeth evil to pass; he has perfected his designs, and deems them as good as accomplished, and you will do well to note what his bearing signifies. Some take the meaning to be, brings punishment on himself; but the warning is not given for the sinner"s sake. Septuagint, "He defines (orizei ) all evils with his lips; he is a furnace of evil."
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Paul E. Kretzmann 1924 · Public Domain v. 30. He shutteth his eyes, to keep away…
v. 30. He shutteth his eyes, to keep away any good influence, to devise froward things, to meditate mischief and craftiness; moving his lips, he bringeth evil to pass, the act or gesture of pressing together the lips being evidence of malice, and so he carries out his wicked intentions.
Paul E. Kretzmann, Popular Commentary of the Bible (1921–1924) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.