Proverbs 20
1 Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler, and whoever errs thereby is not wise.
Wine makes men foolish, and strong drink makes men come to blows; and whoever comes into error through these is not wise.
2 The terror of a king is as the roaring of a lion. He who provokes him to anger sins against his own life.
The wrath of a king is like the loud cry of a lion: he who makes him angry does wrong against himself.
3 It is an honor for a man to keep aloof from strife, but every fool will be quarrelling.
It is an honour for a man to keep from fighting, but the foolish are ever at war.
4 The sluggard will not plow because of the winter. Therefore he shall beg in harvest, and have nothing.
The hater of work will not do his ploughing because of the winter; so at the time of grain-cutting he will be requesting food and will get nothing.
5 Purpose in the heart of man is deep water, but a man of understanding will draw it out.
The purpose in the heart of a man is like deep water, but a man of good sense will get it out.
6 Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness, but a faithful man who can find?
Most men make no secret of their kind acts: but where is a man of good faith to be seen?
7 A righteous man who walks in his integrity, blessed are his sons after him.
An upright man goes on in his righteousness: happy are his children after him!
8 A king who sits on the throne of judgment scatters away all evil with his eyes.
A king on the seat of judging puts to flight all evil with his eyes.
9 Who can say, I have made my heart clean. I am pure from my sin?
Who is able to say, I have made my heart clean, I am free from my sin?
10 Diverse weights, and diverse measures, both of them alike are an abomination to Jehovah.
Unequal weights and unequal measures, they are all disgusting to the Lord.
11 Even a child makes himself known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right.
Even a child may be judged by his doings, if his work is free from sin and if it is right.
12 The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, Jehovah has made even both of them.
The hearing ear and the seeing eye are equally the Lord's work.
13 Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty. Open thine eyes, and thou shall be satisfied with bread.
Do not be a lover of sleep, or you will become poor: keep your eyes open, and you will have bread enough.
14 It is bad, it is bad, says the buyer, but when he is gone his way, then he boasts.
A poor thing, a poor thing, says he who is giving money for goods: but when he has gone on his way, then he makes clear his pride in what he has got.
15 There is gold, and abundance of rubies, but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.
There is gold and a store of corals: but the lips of knowledge are a jewel of great price.
16 Take his garment who is surety for a stranger, and hold him in pledge for foreigners.
Take a man's clothing if he makes himself responsible for a strange man, and get an undertaking from him who gives his word for strange men.
17 Bread of falsehood is sweet to a man, but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.
Bread of deceit is sweet to a man; but after, his mouth will be full of sand.
18 Every purpose is established by counsel, and by wise guidance make thou war.
Every purpose is put into effect by wise help: and by wise guiding make war.
19 He who goes about as a tale-bearer reveals secrets. Therefore do not associate with him who opens wide his lips.
He who goes about talking of the business of others gives away secrets: so have nothing to do with him whose lips are open wide.
20 He who curses his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in blackness of darkness.
If anyone puts a curse on his father or his mother, his light will be put out in the blackest night.
21 An inheritance gotten hastily at the beginning shall not be blessed in the end.
A heritage may be got quickly at first, but the end of it will not be a blessing.
22 Say thou not, I will recompense evil. Wait for Jehovah, and he will save thee.
Do not say, I will give punishment for evil: go on waiting for the Lord, and he will be your saviour.
23 Diverse weights are an abomination to Jehovah, and a false balance is not good.
Unequal weights are disgusting to the Lord, and false scales are not good.
24 A man's goings are of Jehovah, how then can man understand his way?
A man's steps are of the Lord; how then may a man have knowledge of his way?
25 It is a snare to a man to say rashly, It is holy. And to make inquiry after vows.
It is a danger to a man to say without thought, It is holy, and, after taking his oaths, to be questioning if it is necessary to keep them.
26 A wise king winnows the wicked, and brings the wheel over them.
A wise king puts evil-doers to flight, and makes their evil-doing come back on them.
27 The spirit of man is the lamp of Jehovah, searching all his innermost parts.
The Lord keeps watch over the spirit of man, searching all the deepest parts of the body.
28 Kindness and truth preserve the king, and his throne is upheld by kindness.
Mercy and good faith keep the king safe, and the seat of his power is based on upright acts.
29 The glory of young men is their strength, and the beauty of old men is the hoary head.
The glory of young men is their strength, and the honour of old men is their grey hairs.
30 Stripes that wound cleanse away evil, and strokes, the innermost parts.
By the wounds of the rod evil is taken away, and blows make clean the deepest parts of the body.
