He winks his eye to devise perverse things; He purses his lips and brings about evil.
Parallel translations
- WEB One who winks his eyes to plot perversities, one who compresses his lips, is bent on evil.
- KJV He shutteth his eyes to devise froward things: moving his lips he bringeth evil to pass.
- BSB He who winks his eye devises perversity; he who purses his lips is bent on evil.
- NASB He who winks his eyes does so to devise perverse things; He who compresses his lips brings evil to pass.
- NLT With narrowed eyes, people plot evil; with a smirk, they plan their mischief.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Sly gestures, like winking eyes or pursed lips, signal someone scheming evil. It matters because even subtle body language can betray a heart set on wrongdoing.
Overview
This proverb pictures the schemer whose winking and lip-compressing reveal a mind bent on perversity. Outward signs often disclose inner intent. It cautions readers to discern such deceit and reflects the broader biblical truth that the heart's evil eventually shows itself.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 9
- Matt 13:15for 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.’
- Prov 6:12–14A worthless person, a man of iniquity, is he who walks with a perverse mouth;
- Isa 6:10Make the heart of this people fat. Make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and turn again, and be healed.”
- Mic 7:3Their 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.
- Matt 14:7–8Whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatever she should ask.
- Matt 27:23–26But the governor said, “Why? What evil has he done?” But they cried out exceedingly, saying, “Let him be crucified!”
- Prov 10:10One winking with the eye causes sorrow, but a chattering fool will fall.
- John 3:20For everyone who does evil hates the light, and doesn’t come to the light, lest his works would be exposed.
- Prov 16:27A worthless man devises mischief. His speech is like a scorching fire.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
Wisdom personified, with God before creation and the agent of all things, anticipates Christ 'in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom' — the wisdom of God made flesh.
How Proverbs 16:30 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.