Everything with a Place and a Purpose

1  16 Mortals 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.

A Whack on the Head of a Fool

1  17 A meal of bread and water in contented peace

is better than a banquet spiced with quarrels.

2  A wise servant takes charge of an unruly child

and is honored as one of the family.

3  As silver in a crucible and gold in a pan,

so our lives are assayed by God.

4  Evil people relish malicious conversation;

the ears of liars itch for dirty gossip.

5  Whoever mocks poor people insults their Creator;

gloating over misfortune is a punishable crime.

6  Old people are distinguished by grandchildren;

children take pride in their parents.

7  We don’t expect eloquence from fools,

nor do we expect lies from our leaders.

8  Receiving a gift is like getting a rare gemstone;

any way you look at it, you see beauty refracted.

9  Overlook an offense and bond a friendship;

fasten on to a slight and—good-bye, friend!

10  A quiet rebuke to a person of good sense

does more than a whack on the head of a fool.

11  Criminals out looking for nothing but trouble

won’t have to wait long—they’ll meet it coming and going!

12  Better to meet a grizzly robbed of her cubs

than a fool hell-bent on folly.

13  Those who return evil for good

will meet their own evil returning.

14  The start of a quarrel is like a leak in a dam,

so stop it before it bursts.

15  Whitewashing bad people and throwing mud on good people

are equally abhorrent to God.

16  What’s this? Fools out shopping for wisdom!

They wouldn’t recognize it if they saw it!

One Who Knows Much Says Little

17  Friends love through all kinds of weather,

and families stick together in all kinds of trouble.

18  It’s stupid to try to get something for nothing,

or run up huge bills you can never pay.

19  The person who courts sin marries trouble;

build a wall, invite a burglar.

20  A bad motive can’t achieve a good end;

double-talk brings you double trouble.

21  Having a fool for a child is misery;

it’s no fun being the parent of a dolt.

22  A cheerful disposition is good for your health;

gloom and doom leave you bone-tired.

23  The wicked take bribes under the table;

they show nothing but contempt for justice.

24  The perceptive find wisdom in their own front yard;

fools look for it everywhere but right here.

25  A surly, stupid child is sheer pain to a father,

a bitter pill for a mother to swallow.

26  It’s wrong to penalize good behavior,

or make good citizens pay for the crimes of others.

27  The one who knows much says little;

an understanding person remains calm.

28  Even dunces who keep quiet are thought to be wise;

as long as they keep their mouths shut, they’re smart.

Words Kill, Words Give Life

1  18 Loners who care only for themselves

spit on the common good.

2  Fools care nothing for thoughtful discourse;

all they do is run off at the mouth.

3  When wickedness arrives, shame’s not far behind;

contempt for life is contemptible.

4  Many words rush along like rivers in flood,

but deep wisdom flows up from artesian springs.

5  It’s not right to go easy on the guilty,

or come down hard on the innocent.

6  The words of a fool start fights;

do him a favor and gag him.

7  Fools are undone by their big mouths;

their souls are crushed by their words.

8  Listening to gossip is like eating cheap candy;

do you really want junk like that in your belly?

9  Slack habits and sloppy work

are as bad as vandalism.

10  God’s name is a place of protection—

good people can run there and be safe.

11  The rich think their wealth protects them;

they imagine themselves safe behind it.

12  Pride first, then the crash,

but humility is precursor to honor.

13  Answering before listening

is both stupid and rude.

14  A healthy spirit conquers adversity,

but what can you do when the spirit is crushed?

15  Wise men and women are always learning,

always listening for fresh insights.

16  A gift gets attention;

it buys the attention of eminent people.

17  The first speech in a court case is always convincing—

until the cross-examination starts!

18  You may have to draw straws

when faced with a tough decision.

19  Do a favor and win a friend forever;

nothing can untie that bond.

20  Words satisfy the mind as much as fruit does the stomach;

good talk is as gratifying as a good harvest.

21  Words kill, words give life;

they’re either poison or fruit—you choose.

22  Find a good spouse, you find a good life—

and even more: the favor of God!

23  The poor speak in soft supplications;

the rich bark out answers.

24  Friends come and friends go,

but a true friend sticks by you like family.

If You Quit Listening

1  19 Better to be poor and honest

than a rich person no one can trust.

2  Ignorant zeal is worthless;

haste makes waste.

3  People ruin their lives by their own stupidity,

so why does God always get blamed?

4  Wealth attracts friends as honey draws flies,

but poor people are avoided like a plague.

5  Perjury won’t go unpunished.

Would you let a liar go free?

6  Lots of people flock around a generous person;

everyone’s a friend to the philanthropist.

7  When you’re down on your luck, even your family avoids you—

yes, even your best friends wish you’d get lost.

If they see you coming, they look the other way—

out of sight, out of mind.

8  Grow a wise heart—you’ll do yourself a favor;

keep a clear head—you’ll find a good life.

9  The person who tells lies gets caught;

the person who spreads rumors is ruined.

10  Blockheads shouldn’t live on easy street

any more than workers should give orders to their boss.

11  Smart people know how to hold their tongue;

their grandeur is to forgive and forget.

12  Mean-tempered leaders are like mad dogs;

the good-natured are like fresh morning dew.

13  A parent is worn to a frazzle by a stupid child;

a nagging spouse is a leaky faucet.

14  House and land are handed down from parents,

but a congenial spouse comes straight from God.

15  Life collapses on loafers;

lazybones go hungry.

16  Keep the rules and keep your life;

careless living kills.

17  Mercy to the needy is a loan to God,

and God pays back those loans in full.

18  Discipline your children while you still have the chance;

indulging them destroys them.

19  Let angry people endure the backlash of their own anger;

if you try to make it better, you’ll only make it worse.

20  Take good counsel and accept correction—

that’s the way to live wisely and well.

21  We humans keep brainstorming options and plans,

but God’s purpose prevails.

22  It’s only human to want to make a buck,

but it’s better to be poor than a liar.

23  Fear-of-God is life itself,

a full life, and serene—no nasty surprises.

24  Some people dig a fork into the pie

but are too lazy to raise it to their mouth.

25  Punish the insolent—make an example of them.

Who knows? Somebody might learn a good lesson.

26  Kids who lash out against their parents

are an embarrassment and disgrace.

27  If you quit listening, dear child, and strike off on your own,

you’ll soon be out of your depth.

28  An unprincipled witness desecrates justice;

the mouths of the wicked spew malice.

29  The irreverent have to learn reverence the hard way;

only a slap in the face brings fools to attention.

Deep Water in the Heart

1  20 Wine makes you mean, beer makes you quarrelsome—

a staggering drunk is not much fun.

2  Quick-tempered leaders are like mad dogs—

cross them and they bite your head off.

3  It’s a mark of good character to avert quarrels,

but fools love to pick fights.

4  A farmer too lazy to plant in the spring

has nothing to harvest in the fall.

5  Knowing what is right is like deep water in the heart;

a wise person draws from the well within.

6  Lots of people claim to be loyal and loving,

but where on earth can you find one?

7  God-loyal people, living honest lives,

make it much easier for their children.

8–9  Leaders who know their business and care

keep a sharp eye out for the shoddy and cheap,

For who among us can be trusted

to be always diligent and honest?

10  Switching price tags and padding the expense account

are two things God hates.

11  Young people eventually reveal by their actions

if their motives are on the up and up.

Drinking from the Chalice of Knowledge

12  Ears that hear and eyes that see—

we get our basic equipment from God!

13  Don’t be too fond of sleep; you’ll end up in the poorhouse.

Wake up and get up; then there’ll be food on the table.

14  The shopper says, “That’s junk—I’ll take it off your hands,”

then goes off boasting of the bargain.

15  Drinking from the beautiful chalice of knowledge

is better than adorning oneself with gold and rare gems.

16  Hold tight to collateral on any loan to a stranger;

beware of accepting what a transient has pawned.

17  Stolen bread tastes sweet,

but soon your mouth is full of gravel.

18  Form your purpose by asking for counsel,

then carry it out using all the help you can get.

19  Gossips can’t keep secrets,

so never confide in blabbermouths.

20  Anyone who curses father and mother

extinguishes light and exists benighted.

The Very Steps We Take

21  A bonanza at the beginning

is no guarantee of blessing at the end.

22  Don’t ever say, “I’ll get you for that!”

Wait for God; he’ll settle the score.

23  God hates cheating in the marketplace;

rigged scales are an outrage.

24  The very steps we take come from God;

otherwise how would we know where we’re going?

25  An impulsive vow is a trap;

later you’ll wish you could get out of it.

26  After careful scrutiny, a wise leader

makes a clean sweep of rebels and dolts.

27  God is in charge of human life,

watching and examining us inside and out.

28  Love and truth from a good leader;

sound leadership is founded on loving integrity.

29  Youth may be admired for vigor,

but gray hair gives prestige to old age.

30  A good thrashing purges evil;

punishment goes deep within us.