Proverbs 18:16 (DRB)

Passage

A man's gift enlargeth his way, and maketh him room before princes.

Nearby Context

Proverbs 18:14 The spirit of a man upholdeth his infirmity: but a spirit that is easily angered, who can bear?

Proverbs 18:15 A wise heart shall acquire knowledge: and the ear of the wise seeketh instruction.

Proverbs 18:16 A man's gift enlargeth his way, and maketh him room before princes.

Proverbs 18:17 The just is first accuser of himself: his friend cometh, and shall search him.

Proverbs 18:18 The lot suppresseth contentions, and determineth even between the mighty.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "man's", "gift", "enlargeth", "maketh", "room", "before", and "princes". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "man's" and "gift", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 15's "A wise heart shall acquire knowledge and..." into verse 17's "The just is first accuser of himself...", so "man's" and "gift" 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 "man's" and "gift" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.