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