Proverbs 16

Everything with a Place and a Purpose ¹Mortals make elaborate plans, but GOD has the last word.

²    Humans are satisfied with whatever looks good;
   GOD probes for what is good.

³    Put GOD in charge of your work,
   then what you've planned will take place.

⁴    GOD made everything with a place and purpose;
   even the wicked are included—but for judgment.

⁵    GOD can't stomach arrogance or pretense;
   believe me, he'll put those upstarts in their place.

⁶    Guilt is banished through love and truth;
   Fear-of-GOD deflects evil.

⁷    When God approves of your life,
   even your enemies will end up shaking your hand.

⁸    Far better to be right and poor
   than to be wrong and rich.

⁹    We plan the way we want to live,
   but only GOD makes us able to live it.

It Pays to Take Life Seriously ¹⁰ A good leader motivates,
   doesn't mislead, doesn't exploit.

¹¹    GOD cares about honesty in the workplace;
   your business is his business.

¹²    Good leaders abhor wrongdoing of all kinds;
   sound leadership has a moral foundation.

¹³    Good leaders cultivate honest speech;
   they love advisors who tell them the truth.

¹⁴    An intemperate leader wreaks havoc in lives;
   you're smart to stay clear of someone like that.

¹⁵    Good-tempered leaders invigorate lives;
   they're like spring rain and sunshine.

¹⁶    Get wisdom—it's worth more than money;
   choose insight over income every time.

¹⁷    The road of right living bypasses evil;
   watch your step and save your life.

¹⁸    First pride, then the crash—
   the bigger the ego, the harder the fall.

¹⁹    It's better to live humbly among the poor
   than to live it up among the rich and famous.

²⁰    It pays to take life seriously;
   things work out when you trust in God.

²¹    A wise person gets known for insight;
   gracious words add to one's reputation.

²²    True intelligence is a spring of fresh water,
   while fools sweat it out the hard way.

²³    They make a lot of sense, these wise folks;
   whenever they speak, their reputation increases.

²⁴    Gracious speech is like clover honey—
   good taste to the soul, quick energy for the body.

²⁵    There's a way that looks harmless enough;
   look again—it leads straight to hell.

²⁶    Appetite is an incentive to work;
   hunger makes you work all the harder.

²⁷    Mean people spread mean gossip;
   their words smart and burn.

²⁸    Troublemakers start fights;
   gossips break up friendships.

²⁹    Calloused climbers betray their very own friends;
   they'd stab their own grandmothers in the back.

³⁰    A shifty eye betrays an evil intention;
   a clenched jaw signals trouble ahead.

³¹    Gray hair is a mark of distinction,
   the award for a God-loyal life.

³²    Moderation is better than muscle,
   self-control better than political power.

³³    Make your motions and cast your votes,
   but GOD has the final say.