Proverbs
Chapter 16
1 A person plans in their heart and speaks with their tongue, but God decides both.
2 A person thinks all their ways are right, but God judges their motives.
3 Give your work to God, and your plans will succeed.
4 God made everything for his own purpose, even the bad people for the day of trouble.
5 Everyone with a proud heart is hated by God; even if they unite, they will not avoid punishment.
6 Through kindness and honesty, wrong is made right; and by respecting God, people avoid evil.
7 When a person’s actions please God, even his enemies live peacefully with him.
8 It is better to have a little with fairness than to have a lot of money without justice.
9 A person plans their path, but God guides their steps.
10 A king’s words are God’s words: he is fair in his decisions.
11 A fair scale and balance belong to God: every weight in the bag is made by him.
12 Kings hate doing evil: a kingdom is built on fairness.
13 Kings enjoy honest words; they value those who speak the truth.
14 A king’s anger is like a messenger of death, but a wise person can calm it down.
15 The king’s smiling face brings life; his kindness is like a refreshing rain cloud.
16 It is much better to gain wisdom than gold, and gaining understanding is more valuable than getting silver.
17 The right path for good people is to avoid evil; those who follow their path protect their life.
18 Pride leads to ruin, and arrogance comes before a fall.
19 It is better to be humble with the poor than to share the riches with the proud.
20 Anyone who deals with a problem wisely will succeed; and a person who trusts in God will be happy.
21 Smart people are known for their good judgment, and kind words help others learn.
22 Understanding is a source of life to those who have it, but teaching fools is useless.
23 A wise person’s heart guides their words and gives knowledge to what they say.
24 Nice words are like honey, sweet to the heart, and good for the body.
25 A path may seem right to someone, but it can end in death.
26 The person who works, works for themselves; their own hunger forces them to do it.
27 A wicked person stirs up trouble, and their words burn like a fire.
28 A stubborn person causes conflict, and a gossip breaks apart close friends.
29 A rough person tricks their friend and guides them down a bad path.
30 He closes his eyes to plan bad things; when he moves his lips, he causes trouble.
31 Grey hair is a mark of honor when it comes from living a good life.
32 Someone who stays calm is stronger than a powerful person, and controlling your emotions is better than conquering a city.
33 People throw lots to make a decision, but God decides the outcome.