Proverbs 20
1 Wine [is] a scorner—strong drink [is] noisy, And any going astray in it 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] a growl as of a young lion, He who is causing him to be angry is wronging his 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 Cessation from strife is an honor to a man, And every fool interferes.
[It is] a glory to a man to turn aside from railing; but every fool is entangled with such matters.
4 The slothful does not plow because of winter, He asks in harvest, and there is nothing.
A sluggard when reproached is not ashamed: so also he who borrows corn in harvest.
5 Counsel in the heart of a man [is] deep water, And a man of understanding draws it up.
Counsel in a man's heart is deep water; but a prudent man will draw it out.
6 A multitude of men each proclaim his kindness, And a man of steadfastness who finds?
A man is valuable, and a merciful man precious: but [it is] hard to find a faithful man.
7 The righteous is habitually walking in his integrity, O the blessedness of his sons after him!
He that walks blameless in justice, shall leave his children blessed.
8 A king sitting on a throne of judgment, Is scattering all evil with his eyes,
Whenever a righteous king sits on the throne, no evil thing can stand before his presence.
9 Who says, “I have purified my heart, I have been cleansed from my sin?”
Who will boast that he has a pure heart? or who will boldly say that he is pure from sins?
10 A stone and a stone, an ephah and an ephah, Even both of them [are] an abomination to YHWH.
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 by his actions a youth makes himself known, Whether his work is pure or upright.
A youth [when in company] with a godly man, will be restrained in his devices, and [then] his way will be straight.
12 A hearing ear, and a seeing eye—YHWH has even made both of them.
The ear hears, and the eye sees: even both of them are the Lord's work.
13 Do not love sleep, lest you become poor, Open your eyes—be satisfied [with] bread.
Love not to speak ill, lest you be cut off: open your eyes, and be filled with bread.
14 “Bad, bad,” says the buyer, And then he boasts himself going his way.
15 Substance, gold, and a multitude of rubies, Indeed, a precious vessel, [are] lips of knowledge.
16 When a stranger has been guarantor, take his garment, And pledge it for strangers.
17 The bread of falsehood [is] sweet to a man, And afterward his mouth is filled [with] gravel.
18 You establish purposes by counsel, And with plans you make war.
19 The busybody is a revealer of secret counsels, And do not make yourself guarantor for a deceiver [with] his lips.
20 Whoever is vilifying his father and his mother, his lamp is extinguished in blackness of darkness.
The lamp of him that reviles father or mother shall be put out, and his eyeballs shall see darkness.
21 An inheritance gotten wrongly at first, Even its latter end is not blessed.
A portion hastily gotten at first shall not be blessed in the end.
22 Do not say, “I repay evil,” Wait for YHWH, and He delivers you.
Say not, I will avenge myself on my enemy; but wait on the Lord, that he may help you.
23 A stone and a stone [are] an abomination to YHWH, And balances of deceit [are] not good.
A double weight is an abomination to the Lord; and a deceitful balance is not good in his sight.
24 The steps of a man [are] from YHWH, And man—how does he understand his way?
A man's goings are directed of the Lord: how then can a mortal understand his ways?
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 hastily to consecrate some of his own property: for [in that case] repentance comes after vowing.
26 A wise king is scattering the wicked, And turns the wheel back on them.
A wise king utterly crushes the ungodly, and will bring a wheel upon them.
27 The breath of man [is] a lamp of YHWH, Searching all the inner parts of the heart.
The spirit of man is a light of the Lord, who searches the inmost parts of the belly.
28 Kindness and truth keep a king, And he has supported his throne by kindness.
Mercy and truth are a guard to a king, and will surround his throne with righteousness.
29 The beauty of young men is their strength, And the honor of old men is grey hairs.
Wisdom is an ornament to young men; and grey [hairs] are the glory of old men.
30 Blows that wound cleanse away evil, Also the scourges of the inner parts of the heart!
Bruises and contusions befall bad men; and plagues [shall come] in the inward parts of [their] belly.
