< Proverbs 20 >
1 Wine [is] a scorner—strong drink [is] noisy, And any going astray in it is not wise.
Wine is a mocker and strong drinke is raging: and whosoeuer is deceiued thereby, is not wise.
2 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.
The feare of the King is like the roaring of a lyon: hee that prouoketh him vnto anger, sinneth against his owne soule.
3 Cessation from strife is an honor to a man, And every fool interferes.
It is a mans honour to cease from strife: but euery foole will be medling.
4 The slothful does not plow because of winter, He asks in harvest, and there is nothing.
The slouthfull will not plowe, because of winter: therefore shall he beg in sommer, but haue nothing.
5 Counsel in the heart of a man [is] deep water, And a man of understanding draws it up.
The counsell in the heart of man is like deepe waters: but a man that hath vnderstanding, will drawe it out.
6 A multitude of men each proclaim his kindness, And a man of steadfastness who finds?
Many men wil boast, euery one of his owne goodnes: but who can finde a faithfull man?
7 The righteous is habitually walking in his integrity, O the blessedness of his sons after him!
He that walketh in his integritie, is iust: and blessed shall his children be after him.
8 A king sitting on a throne of judgment, Is scattering all evil with his eyes,
A King that sitteth in the throne of iudgement, chaseth away all euill with his eyes.
9 Who says, “I have purified my heart, I have been cleansed from my sin?”
Who can say, I haue made mine heart cleane, I am cleane from my sinne?
10 A stone and a stone, an ephah and an ephah, Even both of them [are] an abomination to YHWH.
Diuers weightes, and diuers measures, both these are euen abomination vnto the Lord.
11 Even by his actions a youth makes himself known, Whether his work is pure or upright.
A childe also is knowen by his doings, whether his worke be pure and right.
12 A hearing ear, and a seeing eye—YHWH has even made both of them.
The Lord hath made both these, euen the eare to heare, and the eye to see.
13 Do not love sleep, lest you become poor, Open your eyes—be satisfied [with] bread.
Loue not sleepe least thou come vnto pouertie: open thine eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied with bread.
14 “Bad, bad,” says the buyer, And then he boasts himself going his way.
It is naught, it is naught, sayth the buyer: but when he is gone apart, he boasteth.
15 Substance, gold, and a multitude of rubies, Indeed, a precious vessel, [are] lips of knowledge.
There is golde, and a multitude of precious stones: but the lips of knowledge are a precious iewel.
16 When a stranger has been guarantor, take his garment, And pledge it for strangers.
Take his garment, that is suretie for a stranger, and a pledge of him for the stranger.
17 The bread of falsehood [is] sweet to a man, And afterward his mouth is filled [with] gravel.
The bread of deceit is sweete to a man: but afterward his mouth shalbe filled with grauel.
18 You establish purposes by counsel, And with plans you make war.
Establish the thoughtes by counsell: and by counsell make warre.
19 The busybody is a revealer of secret counsels, And do not make yourself guarantor for a deceiver [with] his lips.
He that goeth about as a slanderer, discouereth secrets: therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips.
20 Whoever is vilifying his father and his mother, his lamp is extinguished in blackness of darkness.
He that curseth his father or his mother, his light shalbe put out in obscure darkenes.
21 An inheritance gotten wrongly at first, Even its latter end is not blessed.
An heritage is hastely gotten at the beginning, but the end thereof shall not be blessed.
22 Do not say, “I repay evil,” Wait for YHWH, and He delivers you.
Say not thou, I wil recompense euill: but waite vpon the Lord, and he shall saue thee.
23 A stone and a stone [are] an abomination to YHWH, And balances of deceit [are] not good.
Diuers weightes are an abomination vnto the Lord, and deceitful balances are not good.
24 The steps of a man [are] from YHWH, And man—how does he understand his way?
The steps of man are ruled by the Lord: how can a man then vnderstand his owne way?
25 A snare to a man [that] he has swallowed a holy thing, And to make inquiry after vows.
It is a destruction for a man to deuoure that which is sanctified, and after the vowes to inquire.
26 A wise king is scattering the wicked, And turns the wheel back on them.
A wise King scattereth the wicked, and causeth the wheele to turne ouer them.
27 The breath of man [is] a lamp of YHWH, Searching all the inner parts of the heart.
The light of the Lord is the breath of man, and searcheth all the bowels of the belly.
28 Kindness and truth keep a king, And he has supported his throne by kindness.
Mercie and trueth preserue the King: for his throne shall be established with mercie.
29 The beauty of young men is their strength, And the honor of old men is grey hairs.
The beautie of yong men is their strength, and the glory of the aged is the gray head.
30 Blows that wound cleanse away evil, Also the scourges of the inner parts of the heart!
The blewnes of the wound serueth to purge the euill, and the stripes within the bowels of the belly.