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.