Proverbs 16:19 (DBY)

Passage

Better is it to be of a humble spirit with the meek, than to divide the spoil with the proud.

Nearby Context

Proverbs 16:17 The highway of the upright is to depart from evil: he that taketh heed to his way keepeth his soul.

Proverbs 16:18 Pride [goeth] before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.

Proverbs 16:19 Better is it to be of a humble spirit with the meek, than to divide the spoil with the proud.

Proverbs 16:20 He that giveth heed to the word shall find good; and whoso confideth in Jehovah, happy is he.

Proverbs 16:21 The wise in heart is called intelligent, and the sweetness of the lips increaseth learning.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "Spirit", "better", "humble", "meek", "than", "divide", "spoil", and "proud". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "Spirit" and "better", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 18's "Pride goeth before destruction and a haughty..." into verse 20's "He that giveth heed to the word...", so "Spirit" and "better" belong inside that flow. In Proverbs context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "Spirit" and "better" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.