Proverbs 16:18Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Douay-RheimsHebrew (Masoretic text)

Pride goeth before destruction: and the spirit is lifted up before a fall.
Douay-Rheims

לִפְנֵי־שֶׁ֥בֶר גָּא֑וֹן וְלִפְנֵ֥י כִ֝שָּׁל֗וֹן גֹּ֣בַהּ רֽוּחַ׃
Hebrew (Masoretic text)

The Church Fathers on this verse

One Church Father comments on this verse

Nikolaj Velimirovic

20th centuryChurch Father

Pride is a wide-open window through which all our merits and good works are quickly blown out. Nothing creates such emptiness before men and unworthiness before God as pride. God is not proud; how then can we be? Who would have more reason to be proud than God, Who created the world and sustains it by His power?

Cross references

Passages read together with this verse.

Prov 11:2Where pride is, there also shall be reproach: but where humility is, there also is wisdom.
Isa 2:11The lofty eyes of man are humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be made to stoop: and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day.
Isa 2:12Because the day of the Lord of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and highminded, and upon every one that is arrogant, and he shall be humbled.
Prov 18:12Before destruction, the heart of a man is exalted: and before he be glorified, it is humbled.
Obad 1:3The pride of thy heart hath lifted thee up, who dwellest in the clefts of the rocks, and settest up thy throne on high: who sayest in thy heart: Who shall bring me down to the ground?
Obad 1:4Though thou be exalted as an eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the stars: thence will I bring thee down, saith the Lord.
Prov 29:23Humiliation followeth the proud: and glory shall uphold the humble of spirit.
Rom 11:20Well: because of unbelief they were broken off. But thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear.