# Chapter 16
1 We can make our own plans,
    but the Lord gives the right answer.
2 People may be pure in their own eyes,
    but the Lord examines their motives.
3 Commit your actions to the Lord,
    and your plans will succeed.
4 The Lord has made everything for his own purposes,
    even the wicked for a day of disaster.
5 The Lord detests the proud;
    they will surely be punished.
6 Unfailing love and faithfulness make atonement for sin.
    By fearing the Lord, people avoid evil.
7 When people’s lives please the Lord,
    even their enemies are at peace with them.
8 Better to have little, with godliness,
    than to be rich and dishonest.
9 We can make our plans,
    but the Lord determines our steps.
10 The king speaks with divine wisdom;
    he must never judge unfairly.
11 The Lord demands accurate scales and balances;
    he sets the standards for fairness.
12 A king detests wrongdoing,
    for his rule is built on justice.
13 The king is pleased with words from righteous lips;
    he loves those who speak honestly.
14 The anger of the king is a deadly threat;
    the wise will try to appease it.
15 When the king smiles, there is life;
    his favor refreshes like a spring rain.
16 How much better to get wisdom than gold,
    and good judgment than silver!
17 The path of the virtuous leads away from evil;
    whoever follows that path is safe.
18 Pride goes before destruction,
    and haughtiness before a fall.
19 Better to live humbly with the poor
    than to share plunder with the proud.
20 Those who listen to instruction will prosper;
    those who trust the Lord will be joyful.
21 The wise are known for their understanding,
    and pleasant words are persuasive.
22 Discretion is a life-giving fountain to those who possess it,
    but discipline is wasted on fools.
23 From a wise mind comes wise speech;
    the words of the wise are persuasive.
24 Kind words are like honey—
    sweet to the soul and healthy for the body.
25 There is a path before each person that seems right,
    but it ends in death.
26 It is good for workers to have an appetite;
    an empty stomach drives them on.
27 Scoundrels create trouble;
    their words are a destructive blaze.
28 A troublemaker plants seeds of strife;
    gossip separates the best of friends.
29 Violent people mislead their companions,
    leading them down a harmful path.
30 With narrowed eyes, people plot evil;
    with a smirk, they plan their mischief.
31 Gray hair is a crown of glory;
    it is gained by living a godly life.
32 Better to be patient than powerful;
    better to have self-control than to conquer a city.
33 We may throw the dice,
    but the Lord determines how they fall.