Proverbs 16
16
Everything with a Place and a Purpose
1Mortals make elaborate plans,
but God has the last word.
2Humans are satisfied with whatever looks good;
God probes for what is good.
3Put 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 braggarts in their place.
6Guilt is banished through love and truth;
Fear-of-God deflects evil.
7When God approves of your life,
even your enemies will end up shaking your hand.
8Far better to be right and poor
than to be wrong and rich.
9We plan the way we want to live,
but only God makes us able to live it.
It Pays to Take Life Seriously
10A good leader motivates,
doesn’t mislead, doesn’t exploit.
11 God cares about honesty in the workplace;
your business is his business.
12Good leaders abhor wrongdoing of all kinds;
sound leadership has a moral foundation.
13Good leaders cultivate honest speech;
they love advisors who tell them the truth.
14An intemperate leader wreaks havoc in lives;
you’re smart to stay clear of someone like that.
15Good-tempered leaders invigorate lives;
they’re like spring rain and sunshine.
16Get wisdom—it’s worth more than money;
choose insight over income every time.
17The road of right living bypasses evil;
watch your step and save your life.
18First pride, then the crash—
the bigger the ego, the harder the fall.
19It’s better to live humbly among the poor
than to live it up among the rich and famous.
20It pays to take life seriously;
things work out when you trust in God.
21A wise person gets known for insight;
gracious words add to one’s reputation.
22True intelligence is a spring of fresh water,
while fools sweat it out the hard way.
23They make a lot of sense, these wise folks;
whenever they speak, their reputation increases.
24Gracious speech is like clover honey—
good taste to the soul, quick energy for the body.
25There’s a way that looks harmless enough;
look again—it leads straight to hell.
26Appetite is an incentive to work;
hunger makes you work all the harder.
27Mean people spread mean gossip;
their words smart and burn.
28Troublemakers start fights;
gossips break up friendships.
29Calloused climbers betray their very own friends;
they’d stab their own grandmothers in the back.
30A shifty eye betrays an evil intention;
a clenched jaw signals trouble ahead.
31Gray hair is a mark of distinction,
the award for a God-loyal life.
32Moderation is better than muscle,
self-control better than political power.
33Make your motions and cast your votes,
but God has the final say.
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Proverbs 16: MSG
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THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson. All rights reserved. Used by permission of NavPress. Represented by Tyndale House Publishers.
Proverbs 16
16
Wisdom’s Blessings Come from the LORD
1The plans of the heart belong to humans,
but an answer on the tongue comes from the Lord.
2A person thinks all his ways are pure,
but the Lord weighs motives.
3Entrust your efforts to the Lord,
and your plans will succeed.
4The Lord has made everything for his own purpose,
even wicked people for the day of trouble.
5Everyone with a conceited heart is disgusting to the Lord.
Certainly, ⌞such a person⌟ will not go unpunished.
6By mercy and faithfulness, peace is made with the Lord.
By the fear of the Lord, evil is avoided.
7When a person’s ways are pleasing to the Lord,
he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.
8Better a few ⌞possessions⌟ gained honestly
than many gained through injustice.
9A person may plan his own journey,
but the Lord directs his steps.
10When a divine revelation is on a king’s lips,
he cannot voice a wrong judgment.
11Honest balances and scales belong to the Lord.
He made the entire set of weights.
12Wrongdoing is disgusting to kings
because a throne is established through righteousness.
13Kings are happy with honest words,
and whoever speaks what is right is loved.
14A king’s anger announces death,
but a wise man makes peace with him.
15When the king is cheerful, there is life,
and his favor is like a cloud bringing spring rain.
16How much better it is to gain wisdom than gold,
and the gaining of understanding should be chosen over silver.
17The highway of decent people turns away from evil.
Whoever watches his way preserves his own life.
18Pride precedes a disaster,
and an arrogant attitude precedes a fall.
19Better to be humble with lowly people
than to share stolen goods with arrogant people.
20Whoever gives attention to the Lord’s word prospers,
and blessed is the person who trusts the Lord.
21The person who is truly wise is called understanding,
and speaking sweetly helps others learn.
22Understanding is a fountain of life to the one who has it,
but stubborn fools punish themselves with their stupidity.
23A wise person’s heart controls his speech,
and what he says helps others learn.
24Pleasant words are ⌞like⌟ honey from a honeycomb—
sweet to the spirit and healthy for the body.
Words of Advice to a Wise Son
25There is a way that seems right to a person,
but eventually it ends in death.
26A laborer’s appetite works to his advantage,
because his hunger drives him on.
27A worthless person plots trouble,
and his speech is like a burning fire.
28A devious person spreads quarrels.
A gossip separates the closest of friends.
29A violent person misleads his neighbor
and leads him on a path that is not good.
30Whoever winks his eye is plotting something devious.
Whoever bites his lips has finished his evil work.
31Silver hair is a beautiful crown found in a righteous life.
32Better to get angry slowly than to be a hero.
Better to be even-tempered than to capture a city.
33The dice are thrown,
but the Lord determines every outcome.
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GOD'S WORD® Translation ©1995, 2003, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020 by God's Word to the Nations Mission Society. All rights reserved.