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 wroth is wronging his soul.
3 It is an honour for a man to keep aloof from strife; but every fool will be snarling.
An honour to a man is cessation from strife, And every fool intermeddleth.
4 The sluggard will not plow when winter setteth in; therefore he shall beg in harvest, and have nothing.
Because of winter the slothful plougheth not, He asketh 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 draweth it up.
6 Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness; but a faithful man who can find?
A multitude of men proclaim each his kindness, And a man of stedfastness who doth find?
7 He that walketh in his integrity as a just man, happy are his children after him.
The righteous is walking habitually in his integrity, O the happiness 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 with his eyes all evil,
9 Who can say: 'I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin'?
Who saith, '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 Jehovah.
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 maketh himself known, Whether his work be 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, Jehovah hath made even both of them.
13 Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, and thou shalt have bread in plenty.
Love not sleep, lest thou become poor, Open thine 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,' saith the buyer, And going his way then he boasteth himself.
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, Yea, 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.
Take his garment when a stranger hath been surety, And for strangers pledge it.
17 Bread of falsehood is sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.
Sweet to a man [is] the bread of falsehood, And afterwards is his mouth filled [with] gravel.
18 Every purpose is established by counsel; and with good advice carry on war.
Purposes by counsel thou dost establish, And with plans make thou war.
19 He that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets; therefore meddle not with him that openeth wide his lips.
A revealer of secret counsels is the busybody, And for a deceiver [with] his lips make not thyself surety.
20 Whoso curseth his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in the blackest darkness.
Whoso is vilifying his father and his mother, Extinguished is his lamp 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 recompense evil,' Wait for Jehovah, and He delivereth thee.
23 Divers weights are an abomination to the LORD; and a false balance is not good.
An abomination to Jehovah [are] a stone and a stone, And balances of deceit [are] not good.
24 A man's goings are of the LORD; how then can man look to his way?
From Jehovah [are] the steps of a man, And man — how understandeth he 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 [is] he hath swallowed a holy thing, And after vows to make inquiry.
26 A wise king sifteth the wicked, and turneth the wheel over them.
A wise king is scattering the wicked, And turneth back on them the wheel.
27 The spirit of man is the lamp of the LORD, searching all the inward parts.
The breath of man [is] a lamp of Jehovah, 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 hath supported by kindness his throne.
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 honour of old men is grey hairs.
30 Sharp wounds cleanse away evil; so do stripes that reach the inward parts.
The bandages of a wound thou removest with the evil, Also the plagues of the inner parts of the heart!
