沒有一件事比人際間的關係更凸顯智慧的重要了！一顆敬畏上帝的心才是與別人相處的訣竅，今天讀的箴言是為了促進人際關係的和諧、成功和正直而寫，這段箴言的結構十分簡單，涵蓋的主題範圍卻很廣：如脾氣與舌頭、道路與理想、思想與動機，每一個層面都可以明顯看出你對上帝委身的程度來。

        重覆是學習之母！當然也可能是沈悶之母！但當一句話重要到讓作者重覆再三，那麼你就能肯定：這是一個絕不能忽視的信息。
        在今天的經文中一再重覆的是：
        有一條路人以為正，至終成為死亡之路。
        你能在兩個地方找到這節經文嗎？更重要的是，你能找出作者要你知道的意義嗎？
        節省時間或力氣，以便縮短成功之路──在任何時代裡都不是壞主意！不過若是因為不願意接受忠告（12：15），或不想付出努力工作的代價（15：19），而產生走捷徑的心態，結果是要大大遭殃的！今天檢查一下你想採取的捷徑，是邁向成功呢？還是通往滅亡？把箴言十六章九節寫在3×5的卡片上，整天都隨身携帶，也許你正需要它助你踏上「公義的道」（16：31）！

        重點是主！
        Elohim（聖經有時譯為「上帝」或「神」在箴言書中僅用了七次），這個字通常用在人身上，較少用在上帝身上；相反的，Jehovah（聖經常譯為「主」，在箴言書中書中一共用了八十七次）則是上帝的「專用名字」，除了上帝，沒有人用過，祂用來啟示自己。讚美上帝，祂是主！祂樂意把自己告訴我們，因為祂是唯一的真神！

敬畏上帝是在每一種情況裡都能忠心的秘訣。

English

        Nowhere is wisdom more essential than in home and community relationships. A heart attitude controlled by the fear of the Lord is the key to proper responses toward others. Today's reading contains numerous proverbs designed to promote peace, prosperity, and justice in the interpersonal relationships of life. The structure of these proverbs is simple, but the range of topics is immense: temper and tongue, paths and pursuits, thoughts and motives. In each case, your commitment to godliness should be evident.

        Repetition has been called the mother of learning. It has also been called the mother of boredom! But when a statement is important enough for the author to repeat more than once, you can be sure it contains a message you can't afford to miss.
        One verse you'll find repeated in today's reading is this: There is a way which seemeth right unto a man; but the end thereof are the ways of death."
        Can you find the two places where it is located? More importantly, can you find the application which the author wants you to discover?
        Saving time is a good idea in any generation! But when the shortcut stems from wanting to avoid advice (12:15) or hard work (15:19), the outcome can be disastrous. Check out the shortcuts you were planning to take today. Are they shortcuts to success, or shortcuts to disaster? The words of Proverbs 16:9 may be just what you need to keep yourself on "the way of righteousness" (16:31)!

        Accent on the LORD
        Elohim (sometimes translated "God," used only seven times in the Book of Proverbs) was often applied to persons other than the true God. In contrast, Jehovah (often translated "LORD," used 87 times in Proverbs) is God's personal name, used of no one but God as He reveals Himself. Praise our LORD who cared enough to tell us about Himself, for He is the only true God.

Reverent fear of God is the key to faithfulness in any situation.