Proverbs 20
1 Wine is a mocker, strong drink is a brawler, and whoever is led astray by them is not wise.
Wine [is] a scorner—strong drink [is] noisy, And any going astray in it is not wise.
2 The terror of a king is like the roar of a lion; whoever provokes him forfeits his own life.
The fear of a king [is] a growl as of a young lion, He who is causing him to be angry is wronging his soul.
3 It is honorable for a man to resolve a dispute, but any fool will quarrel.
Cessation from strife is an honor to a man, And every fool interferes.
4 The slacker does not plow in season; at harvest time he looks, but nothing is there.
The slothful does not plow because of winter, He asks in harvest, and there is nothing.
5 The intentions of a man’s heart are deep waters, but a man of understanding draws them out.
Counsel in the heart of a man [is] deep water, And a man of understanding draws it up.
6 Many a man proclaims his loving devotion, but who can find a trustworthy man?
A multitude of men each proclaim his kindness, And a man of steadfastness who finds?
7 The righteous man walks with integrity; blessed are his children after him.
The righteous is habitually walking in his integrity, O the blessedness of his sons after him!
8 A king who sits on a throne to judge sifts out all evil with his eyes.
A king sitting on a throne of judgment, Is scattering all evil with his eyes,
9 Who can say, “I have kept my heart pure; I am cleansed from my sin”?
Who says, “I have purified my heart, I have been cleansed from my sin?”
10 Differing weights and unequal measures — both are detestable to the LORD.
A stone and a stone, an ephah and an ephah, Even both of them [are] an abomination to YHWH.
11 Even a young man is known by his actions— whether his conduct is pure and upright.
Even by his actions a youth makes himself known, Whether his work is pure or upright.
12 Ears that hear and eyes that see— the LORD has made them both.
A hearing ear, and a seeing eye—YHWH has even made both of them.
13 Do not love sleep, or you will grow poor; open your eyes, and you will have plenty of food.
Do not love sleep, lest you become poor, Open your eyes—be satisfied [with] bread.
14 “Worthless, worthless!” says the buyer, but on the way out, he gloats.
“Bad, bad,” says the buyer, And then he boasts himself going his way.
15 There is an abundance of gold and rubies, but lips of knowledge are a rare treasure.
Substance, gold, and a multitude of rubies, Indeed, a precious vessel, [are] lips of knowledge.
16 Take the garment of the one who posts security for a stranger; get collateral if it is for a foreigner.
When a stranger has been guarantor, take his garment, And pledge it for strangers.
17 Food gained by fraud is sweet to a man, but later his mouth is full of gravel.
The bread of falsehood [is] sweet to a man, And afterward his mouth is filled [with] gravel.
18 Set plans by consultation, and wage war under sound guidance.
You establish purposes by counsel, And with plans you make war.
19 He who reveals secrets is a constant gossip; avoid the one who babbles with his lips.
The busybody is a revealer of secret counsels, And do not make yourself guarantor for a deceiver [with] his lips.
20 Whoever curses his father or mother, his lamp will be extinguished in deepest darkness.
Whoever is vilifying his father and his mother, his lamp is extinguished in blackness of darkness.
21 An inheritance gained quickly will not be blessed in the end.
An inheritance gotten wrongly at first, Even its latter end is not blessed.
22 Do not say, “I will avenge this evil!” Wait on the LORD, and He will save you.
Do not say, “I repay evil,” Wait for YHWH, and He delivers you.
23 Unequal weights are detestable to the LORD, and dishonest scales are no good.
A stone and a stone [are] an abomination to YHWH, And balances of deceit [are] not good.
24 A man’s steps are from the LORD, so how can anyone understand his own way?
The steps of a man [are] from YHWH, And man—how does he understand his way?
25 It is a trap for a man to dedicate something rashly, only later to reconsider his vows.
A snare to a man [that] he has swallowed a holy thing, And to make inquiry after vows.
26 A wise king separates out the wicked and drives the threshing wheel over them.
A wise king is scattering the wicked, And turns the wheel back on them.
27 The spirit of a man is the lamp of the LORD, searching out his inmost being.
The breath of man [is] a lamp of YHWH, Searching all the inner parts of the heart.
28 Loving devotion and faithfulness preserve a king; by these he maintains his throne.
Kindness and truth keep a king, And he has supported his throne by kindness.
29 The glory of young men is their strength, and gray hair is the splendor of the old.
The beauty of young men is their strength, And the honor of old men is grey hairs.
30 Lashes and wounds scour evil, and beatings cleanse the inmost parts.
Blows that wound cleanse away evil, Also the scourges of the inner parts of the heart!
