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 beer is a brawler. Whoever is led astray by them 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 like the roaring of a lion. He who provokes him to anger forfeits his own life.
3 Cessation from strife is an honor to a man, And every fool interferes.
It is an honor for a man to keep aloof from strife, but every fool will be quarreling.
4 The slothful does not plow because of winter, He asks in harvest, and there is nothing.
The sluggard will not plow by reason of the winter; 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?
Many men claim to be men of unfailing love, but who can find a faithful man?
7 The righteous is habitually walking in his integrity, O the blessedness of his sons after him!
A righteous man walks in integrity. Blessed are his children after him.
8 A king sitting on a throne of judgment, Is scattering all evil with his eyes,
A king who sits on the throne of judgment scatters 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 pure. I am clean and without sin”?
10 A stone and a stone, an ephah and an ephah, Even both of them [are] an abomination to YHWH.
Differing weights and differing 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 makes himself known by his doings, whether his work is pure, and whether it is 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 has made even both of them.
13 Do not love sleep, lest you become poor, Open your eyes—be satisfied [with] bread.
Don’t love sleep, lest you come to poverty. Open your eyes, and you shall be satisfied with bread.
14 “Bad, bad,” says the buyer, And then he boasts himself going his way.
“It’s no good, it’s no good,” says the buyer; but when he is gone his way, then he boasts.
15 Substance, gold, and a multitude of rubies, Indeed, a precious vessel, [are] lips of knowledge.
There is gold and abundance of rubies, but the lips of knowledge are a rare jewel.
16 When a stranger has been guarantor, take his garment, And pledge it for strangers.
Take the garment of one who puts up collateral for a stranger; and hold him in pledge for a wayward woman.
17 The bread of falsehood [is] sweet to a man, And afterward his mouth is filled [with] gravel.
Fraudulent food is sweet to a man, but afterwards his mouth is filled with gravel.
18 You establish purposes by counsel, And with plans you make war.
Plans are established by advice; by wise guidance you wage war!
19 The busybody is a revealer of secret counsels, And do not make yourself guarantor for a deceiver [with] his lips.
He who goes about as a tale-bearer reveals secrets; therefore don’t keep company with him who opens wide his lips.
20 Whoever is vilifying his father and his mother, his lamp is extinguished in blackness of darkness.
Whoever curses his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in blackness of darkness.
21 An inheritance gotten wrongly at first, Even its latter end is not blessed.
An inheritance quickly gained at the beginning won’t be blessed in the end.
22 Do not say, “I repay evil,” Wait for YHWH, and He delivers you.
Don’t say, “I will pay back evil.” Wait for the LORD, and he will save you.
23 A stone and a stone [are] an abomination to YHWH, And balances of deceit [are] not good.
The LORD detests differing weights, and dishonest scales are not pleasing.
24 The steps of a man [are] from YHWH, And man—how does he understand his way?
A man’s steps are from the LORD; how then can man understand 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 to make a rash dedication, then later to consider his vows.
26 A wise king is scattering the wicked, And turns the wheel back on them.
A wise king winnows out the wicked, and drives the threshing 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 LORD’s lamp, searching all his innermost parts.
28 Kindness and truth keep a king, And he has supported his throne by kindness.
Love and faithfulness keep the king safe. His throne is sustained by love.
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. The splendor of old men is their gray hair.
30 Blows that wound cleanse away evil, Also the scourges of the inner parts of the heart!
Wounding blows cleanse away evil, and beatings purge the innermost parts.
