Proverbs 20
1 Wine is a luxurious thing, and drunkenness riotous: whosoever is delighted therewith shell not be wise.
Wine is, a scoffer, and strong drink, a brawler, every one therefore who erreth therein, is unwise.
2 As the roaring of a lion, so also is the dread of a king: he that provoketh him, sinneth against his own soul.
The growl as of a young lion, is the dread inspired by a king, he that provoketh him, endangereth his own life.
3 It is an honour for a man to separate himself from quarrels: but all fools are meddling with reproaches.
Honour, hath the man who sitteth away from strife, but, any fool, may break through.
4 Because of the cold the sluggard would not plough: he shall beg therefore in the summer, and it shall not be given him.
By reason of the autumn, a sluggard will not plough, therefore shall he beg in harvest, and there be nothing.
5 Counsel in the heart of a man is like deep water: but a wise man will draw it out.
Deep water, is counsel in a man’s heart, but, a man of understanding, will draw it out.
6 Many men are called merciful: but who shall find a faithful man?
A kind man one may call, a great man, —but, a faithful man, who can find?
7 The just that walketh in his simplicity, shall leave behind him blessed children.
As for a righteous man, walking in his integrity, how happy are his children after him!
8 The king, that sitteth on the throne of judgment, scattereth away all evil with his look.
A king sitting on the throne of judgment, scattereth, with his eyes, all wrong.
9 Who can say: My heart is clean, I am pure from sin?
Who can say, I have cleansed my heart, I am pure from my sin?
10 Diverse weights and diverse measures, both are abominable before God.
Divers weights, and divers measures, an abomination to Yahweh, are they, both.
11 By his inclinations a child is known, if his works be clean and right.
Even, by his doings, doth a youth make himself known, whether, pure and upright, be his work.
12 The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the Lord hath made them both.
The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, Yahweh hath made them, both.
13 Love not sleep, lest poverty oppress thee: open thy eyes, and be filled with bread.
Do not love sleep, lest thou come to poverty, open thine eyes, be satisfied with bread.
14 It is nought, it is nought, saith every buyer: and when he is gone away, then he will boast.
Bad! bad! saith the buyer, but, going his way, then, he boasteth.
15 There is gold, and a multitude of jewels: but the lips of knowledge are a precious vessel.
There are gold, and an abundance of corals, but, precious jewels, are the lips of knowledge.
16 Take away the garment of him that is surety for a stranger, and take a pledge from him for strangers.
Take his garment who is pledge for a stranger, —then, for a woman unknown, accept him as surety.
17 The bread of lying is sweet to a man: but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.
Sweet to a man, may be the bread of falsehood, but, afterward, shall his mouth be filled with gravel.
18 Designs are strengthened by counsels: and wars are to be managed by governments.
Plans—by counsel, shalt thou establish, and, with concerted measures, make thou war.
19 Meddle not with him that revealeth secrets, and walketh deceitfully, and openeth wide his lips.
A revealer of secrets, is one who goeth about talebearing, therefore, with him who openeth his lips, shalt thou not have fellowship.
20 He that curseth his father, and mother, his lamp shall be put out in the midst of darkness.
Whoso revileth his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in deep darkness.
21 The inheritance gotten hastily in the beginning, in the end shall be without a blessing.
An inheritance hastily gotten at the beginning, the latter end thereof, shall not bring blessing.
22 Say not: I will return evil: wait for the Lord and he will deliver thee.
Do not say, I will requite wrong! Wait thou for Yahweh that he may save thee.
23 Diverse weights are an abomination before the Lord: a deceitful balance is not good.
An abomination to Yahweh, are divers weights, and, deceptive balances, are not good.
24 The steps of man are guided by the Lord: but who is the man that can understand his own way?
From Yahweh, are a man’s steps, a son of earth, then—how can he discern his way?
25 It is ruin to a man to devour holy ones, and after vows to retract.
It is a snare to a man, that he should rashly cry Holy! and, after making vows, to reflect!
26 A wise king scattereth the wicked, and bringeth over them the wheel.
A wise king, winnoweth out the lawless, when he hath turned over them the wheel.
27 The spirit of a man is the lamp of the Lord, which searcheth all the hidden things of the bowels.
The lamp of Yahweh, is the spirit of a son of earth, searching all the chambers of the inner man.
28 Mercy and truth preserve the king, and his throne is strengthened by clemency.
Lovingkindness and faithfulness, will guard a king, —therefore should he support, with lovingkindness, his throne.
29 The joy of young men is their strength: and the dignity of old men, their grey hairs.
The beauty of young men, is their strength, and, the ornament of old men, a hoary head.
30 The blueness of a wound shall wipe away evils: and stripes in the more inward parts of the belly.
Blows that cut in, cleanse away wickedness, and, smitings, [enter] the chambers of the inner man.
