This proverb warns that hidden schemes and subtle expressions can easily lead a person toward evil.
“He who winks his eyes does so to devise perverse things; He who compresses his lips brings evil to pass.” (v.30) This verse uses vivid imagery to portray someone who slyly communicates malicious intent. The act of “winking” and “compressing lips” highlights gestures that are subtle—intentional signals of hidden motives. While at first they might appear inconsequential, these small actions reveal an individual carefully plotting to harm others. In the broader context of Proverbs 16, the proverb provides a stark contrast to the notion that true wisdom fosters integrity and uprightness (James 3:13). Instead, cunning expressions and gestures demonstrate deliberate planning of what the verse describes as “perverse” and “evil.”
When this verse states “He who winks his eyes does so to devise perverse things; He who compresses his lips brings evil to pass,” (v.30) it indicates how wrongdoing often begins with a heart set on deception, slowly revealed by subtle signals. Throughout Scripture, the Lord examines not only a person’s outward behavior but also the intentions of the heart (1 Samuel 16:7). Here, the proverb suggests that deceptive plans take form silently, yet they do not remain hidden for long. The one carrying them out cannot completely mask the treachery, because actions inevitably follow what the heart has purposed.
Furthermore, this verse prompts believers to guard themselves against participating in or overlooking such covert wrongdoing. In the New Testament, Jesus teaches that the overflow of the heart is what defiles a person (Mark 7:20-23). Thus, even though the verse focuses on apparently small gestures, it reminds us that our outward communication—whether verbal or nonverbal—reveals the true condition of our inner self. By pursuing integrity in every intent and action, believers reflect a heart aligned with God’s righteousness.
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Proverbs 16:30 meaning
“He who winks his eyes does so to devise perverse things; He who compresses his lips brings evil to pass.” (v.30) This verse uses vivid imagery to portray someone who slyly communicates malicious intent. The act of “winking” and “compressing lips” highlights gestures that are subtle—intentional signals of hidden motives. While at first they might appear inconsequential, these small actions reveal an individual carefully plotting to harm others. In the broader context of Proverbs 16, the proverb provides a stark contrast to the notion that true wisdom fosters integrity and uprightness (James 3:13). Instead, cunning expressions and gestures demonstrate deliberate planning of what the verse describes as “perverse” and “evil.”
When this verse states “He who winks his eyes does so to devise perverse things; He who compresses his lips brings evil to pass,” (v.30) it indicates how wrongdoing often begins with a heart set on deception, slowly revealed by subtle signals. Throughout Scripture, the Lord examines not only a person’s outward behavior but also the intentions of the heart (1 Samuel 16:7). Here, the proverb suggests that deceptive plans take form silently, yet they do not remain hidden for long. The one carrying them out cannot completely mask the treachery, because actions inevitably follow what the heart has purposed.
Furthermore, this verse prompts believers to guard themselves against participating in or overlooking such covert wrongdoing. In the New Testament, Jesus teaches that the overflow of the heart is what defiles a person (Mark 7:20-23). Thus, even though the verse focuses on apparently small gestures, it reminds us that our outward communication—whether verbal or nonverbal—reveals the true condition of our inner self. By pursuing integrity in every intent and action, believers reflect a heart aligned with God’s righteousness.