Proverbs 20
1 Wine is a mocker, strong drink is riotous; and whosoever reeleth thereby 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 as the roaring of a lion: he that provoketh him to anger forfeiteth his 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 an honour for a man to keep aloof from strife; but every fool will be snarling.
Cessation from strife is an honor to a man, And every fool interferes.
4 The sluggard will not plow when winter setteth in; therefore he shall beg in harvest, and have nothing.
The slothful does not plow because of winter, He asks in harvest, and there is nothing.
5 Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water; but a man of understanding will draw it out.
Counsel in the heart of a man [is] deep water, And a man of understanding draws it up.
6 Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness; but a faithful man who can find?
A multitude of men each proclaim his kindness, And a man of steadfastness who finds?
7 He that walketh in his integrity as a just man, happy are his children after him.
The righteous is habitually walking in his integrity, O the blessedness of his sons after him!
8 A king that sitteth on the throne of judgment scattereth away 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 made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin'?
Who says, “I have purified my heart, I have been cleansed from my sin?”
10 Divers weights, and divers measures, both of them alike are an abomination 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 child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right.
Even by his actions a youth makes himself known, Whether his work is pure or upright.
12 The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the LORD hath made even both of them.
A hearing ear, and a seeing eye—YHWH has even made both of them.
13 Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, and thou shalt have bread in plenty.
Do not love sleep, lest you become poor, Open your eyes—be satisfied [with] bread.
14 'It is bad, it is bad', saith the buyer; but when he is gone his way, then he boasteth.
“Bad, bad,” says the buyer, And then he boasts himself going his way.
15 There is gold, and a multitude of rubies; but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.
Substance, gold, and a multitude of rubies, Indeed, a precious vessel, [are] lips of knowledge.
16 Take his garment that is surety for a stranger; and hold him in pledge that is surety for an alien woman.
When a stranger has been guarantor, take his garment, And pledge it for strangers.
17 Bread of falsehood is sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.
The bread of falsehood [is] sweet to a man, And afterward his mouth is filled [with] gravel.
18 Every purpose is established by counsel; and with good advice carry on war.
You establish purposes by counsel, And with plans you make war.
19 He that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets; therefore meddle not with him that openeth wide his lips.
The busybody is a revealer of secret counsels, And do not make yourself guarantor for a deceiver [with] his lips.
20 Whoso curseth his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in the blackest darkness.
Whoever is vilifying his father and his mother, his lamp is extinguished in blackness of darkness.
21 An estate may be gotten hastily at the beginning; but the end thereof shall not be blessed.
An inheritance gotten wrongly at first, Even its latter end is not blessed.
22 Say not thou: 'I will requite evil'; wait for the LORD, and He will save thee.
Do not say, “I repay evil,” Wait for YHWH, and He delivers you.
23 Divers weights are an abomination to the LORD; and a false balance is not good.
A stone and a stone [are] an abomination to YHWH, And balances of deceit [are] not good.
24 A man's goings are of the LORD; how then can man look to his way?
The steps of a man [are] from YHWH, And man—how does he understand his way?
25 It is a snare to a man rashly to say: 'Holy', and after vows to make inquiry.
A snare to a man [that] he has swallowed a holy thing, And to make inquiry after vows.
26 A wise king sifteth the wicked, and turneth the wheel over them.
A wise king is scattering the wicked, And turns the wheel back on them.
27 The spirit of man is the lamp of the LORD, searching all the inward parts.
The breath of man [is] a lamp of YHWH, Searching all the inner parts of the heart.
28 Mercy and truth preserve the king; and his throne is upheld by mercy.
Kindness and truth keep a king, And he has supported his throne by kindness.
29 The glory of young men is their strength; and the beauty of old men is the hoary head.
The beauty of young men is their strength, And the honor of old men is grey hairs.
30 Sharp wounds cleanse away evil; so do stripes that reach the inward parts.
Blows that wound cleanse away evil, Also the scourges of the inner parts of the heart!
