Proverbs 20
1 Wine [is] a mocker, strong drink [is] raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.
Wine is an intemperate thing, and strong drink full of violence: but every fool is entangled with them.
2 The fear of a king [is] as the roaring of a lion: [whoso] provoketh him to anger sinneth [against] his own soul.
The threat of a king differs not from the rage of a lion; and he that provokes him sins against his own soul.
3 [It is] an honour for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling.
[It is] a glory to a man to turn aside from railing; but every fool is entangled with such matters.
4 The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; [therefore] shall he beg in harvest, and [have] nothing.
A sluggard when reproached is not ashamed: so also he who borrows corn in harvest.
5 Counsel in the heart of man [is like] deep water; but a man of understanding will draw it out.
Counsel in a man's heart is deep water; but a prudent man will draw it out.
6 Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find?
A man is valuable, and a merciful man precious: but [it is] hard to find a faithful man.
7 The just [man] walketh in his integrity: his children [are] blessed after him.
He that walks blameless in justice, shall leave his children blessed.
8 A king that sitteth in the throne of judgment scattereth away all evil with his eyes.
Whenever a righteous king sits on the throne, no evil thing can stand before his presence.
9 Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?
Who will boast that he has a pure heart? or who will boldly say that he is pure from sins?
10 Divers weights, [and] divers measures, both of them [are] alike abomination to the LORD.
A large and small weight, and various measures, are even both of them unclean before the Lord; and [so is] he that makes them.
11 Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work [be] pure, and whether [it be] right.
A youth [when in company] with a godly man, will be restrained in his devices, and [then] his way will be straight.
12 The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the LORD hath made even both of them.
The ear hears, and the eye sees: even both of them are the Lord's work.
13 Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, [and] thou shalt be satisfied with bread.
Love not to speak ill, lest you be cut off: open your eyes, and be filled with bread.
14 [It is] naught, [it is] naught, saith the buyer: but when he is gone his way, then he boasteth.
15 There is gold, and a multitude of rubies: but the lips of knowledge [are] a precious jewel.
16 Take his garment that is surety [for] a stranger: and take a pledge of him for a strange woman.
17 Bread of deceit [is] sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.
18 [Every] purpose is established by counsel: and with good advice make war.
19 He that goeth about [as] a talebearer revealeth secrets: therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips.
20 Whoso curseth his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in obscure darkness.
The lamp of him that reviles father or mother shall be put out, and his eyeballs shall see darkness.
21 An inheritance [may be] gotten hastily at the beginning; but the end thereof shall not be blessed.
A portion hastily gotten at first shall not be blessed in the end.
22 Say not thou, I will recompense evil; [but] wait on the LORD, and he shall save thee.
Say not, I will avenge myself on my enemy; but wait on the Lord, that he may help you.
23 Divers weights [are] an abomination unto the LORD; and a false balance [is] not good.
A double weight is an abomination to the Lord; and a deceitful balance is not good in his sight.
24 Man’s goings [are] of the LORD; how can a man then understand his own way?
A man's goings are directed of the Lord: how then can a mortal understand his ways?
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 hastily to consecrate some of his own property: for [in that case] repentance comes after vowing.
26 A wise king scattereth the wicked, and bringeth the wheel over them.
A wise king utterly crushes the ungodly, and will bring a wheel upon them.
27 The spirit of man [is] the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of the belly.
The spirit of man is a light of the Lord, who searches the inmost parts of the belly.
28 Mercy and truth preserve the king: and his throne is upholden by mercy.
Mercy and truth are a guard to a king, and will surround his throne with righteousness.
29 The glory of young men [is] their strength: and the beauty of old men [is] the gray head.
Wisdom is an ornament to young men; and grey [hairs] are the glory of old men.
30 The blueness of a wound cleanseth away evil: so [do] stripes the inward parts of the belly.
Bruises and contusions befall bad men; and plagues [shall come] in the inward parts of [their] belly.
