Proverbs 20
1 Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.
Wine is, a scoffer, and strong drink, a brawler, every one therefore who erreth therein, is unwise.
2 The fear of a king is as the roaring of a lion: whoso provoketh him to anger 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 cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling.
Honour, hath the man who sitteth away from strife, but, any fool, may break through.
4 The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing.
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 man is like deep water; but a man of understanding will draw it out.
Deep water, is counsel in a man’s heart, but, a man of understanding, will draw it out.
6 Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find?
A kind man one may call, a great man, —but, a faithful man, who can find?
7 The just man walketh in his integrity: his children are blessed after him.
As for a righteous man, walking in his integrity, how happy are his children after him!
8 A king that sitteth in the throne of judgment scattereth away all evil with his eyes.
A king sitting on the throne of judgment, scattereth, with his eyes, all wrong.
9 Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?
Who can say, I have cleansed my heart, I am pure from my sin?
10 Divers weights, and divers measures, both of them are alike abomination to Yhwh.
Divers weights, and divers measures, an abomination to Yahweh, are they, both.
11 Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be 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, Yhwh hath made even both of them.
The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, Yahweh hath made them, both.
13 Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied with bread.
Do not love sleep, lest thou come to poverty, open thine eyes, be satisfied with bread.
14 It is naught, it is naught, saith the buyer: but when he is gone his way, then he boasteth.
Bad! bad! saith the buyer, but, going his way, then, he boasteth.
15 There is gold, and a multitude of rubies: but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.
There are gold, and an abundance of corals, but, precious jewels, are the lips of knowledge.
16 Take his garment that is surety for a stranger: and take a pledge of him for a strange woman.
Take his garment who is pledge for a stranger, —then, for a woman unknown, accept him as surety.
17 Bread of deceit 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 Every purpose is established by counsel: and with good advice make war.
Plans—by counsel, shalt thou establish, and, with concerted measures, make thou war.
19 He that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets: therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with 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 Whoso curseth his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in obscure darkness.
Whoso revileth his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in deep darkness.
21 An inheritance may be gotten hastily at the beginning; but the end thereof shall not be blessed.
An inheritance hastily gotten at the beginning, the latter end thereof, shall not bring blessing.
22 Say not thou, I will recompense evil; but wait on Yhwh, and he shall save thee.
Do not say, I will requite wrong! Wait thou for Yahweh that he may save thee.
23 Divers weights are an abomination unto Yhwh; and a false balance is not good.
An abomination to Yahweh, are divers weights, and, deceptive balances, are not good.
24 Man’s goings are of Yhwh; how can a man then 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 a snare to the man who devoureth that which is holy, and after vows to make enquiry.
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 the wheel over them.
A wise king, winnoweth out the lawless, when he hath turned over them the wheel.
27 The spirit of man is the candle of Yhwh, searching all the inward parts of the belly.
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 upholden by mercy.
Lovingkindness and faithfulness, will guard a king, —therefore should he support, with lovingkindness, his throne.
29 The glory of young men is their strength: and the beauty of old men is the gray head.
The beauty of young men, is their strength, and, the ornament of old men, a hoary head.
30 The blueness of a wound cleanseth away evil: so do stripes the inward parts of the belly.
Blows that cut in, cleanse away wickedness, and, smitings, [enter] the chambers of the inner man.
