Proverbs 20
1 Wine is a mocker and beer is a brawler. Whoever is led astray by them is not wise.
Wine is a mocker, strong drink is noisy; and whosoever indulgeth therein will never be wise.
2 The terror of a king is like the roaring of a lion. He who provokes him to anger forfeits his own life.
Like the roaring of a young lion is the dread of a king: whoso provoketh him to anger sinneth against his own soul.
3 It is an honor for a man to keep aloof from strife, but every fool will be quarreling.
It is an honor for a man to cease from a contest; but every fool enrageth himself.
4 The sluggard will not plow by reason of the winter; therefore he shall beg in harvest, and have nothing.
Because it is winter's cold, will the sluggard not plough: when he therefore seeketh in the harvest time, there will be nothing.
5 Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water, but a man of understanding will draw it out.
Like deep water is counsel in the heart of man; but the man of understanding will draw it out.
6 Many men claim to be men of unfailing love, but who can find a faithful man?
Most men will proclaim every one his own kindness; but who can find a faithful man?
7 A righteous man walks in integrity. Blessed are his children after him.
The righteous walketh in his integrity: happy will be his children after him.
8 A king who sits on the throne of judgment scatters away all evil with his eyes.
A king that sitteth on the throne of justice scattereth away with his eyes all evil.
9 Who can say, “I have made my heart pure. I am clean and without sin”?
Who can say, I have made my heart pure, I am cleansed from my sin.
10 Differing weights and differing measures, both of them alike are an abomination to the LORD.
Divers weights, and divers measures, are both of them alike an abomination of the Lord.
11 Even a child makes himself known by his doings, whether his work is pure, and whether it is right.
Even a child maketh himself known by his doings, whether his work will be pure, and whether it will be upright.
12 The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the LORD has made even both of them.
The ear that heareth, and the eye that seeth, the Lord hath made both of them alike.
13 Don’t love sleep, lest you come to poverty. Open your eyes, and you shall be satisfied with bread.
Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty: open thy eyes, so wilt thou be satisfied with bread.
14 “It’s no good, it’s no good,” says the buyer; but when he is gone his way, then he boasts.
It is bad, it is bad, saith the buyer; but when he is gone his way, then doth he boast.
15 There is gold and abundance of rubies, but the lips of knowledge are a rare jewel.
There is gold, and a multitude of pearls; but a precious vessel are the lips of knowledge.
16 Take the garment of one who puts up collateral for a stranger; and hold him in pledge for a wayward woman.
Take away his garment, because he hath become surety for a stranger; and on account of a strange woman take a pledge from him.
17 Fraudulent food is sweet to a man, but afterwards his mouth is filled with gravel.
Bread of falsehood is pleasant to a man; but afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel-stones.
18 Plans are established by advice; by wise guidance you wage war!
Plans are established by counsel; and with wise reflection conduct war.
19 He who goes about as a tale-bearer reveals secrets; therefore don’t keep company with him who opens wide his lips.
He that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets: therefore meddle not with him that enticeth with his lips.
20 Whoever curses his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in blackness of darkness.
Whoso curseth his father or his mother—his lamp shall be quenched in obscure darkness.
21 An inheritance quickly gained at the beginning won’t be blessed in the end.
An inheritance hastily gotten at the beginning will at its end not be blessed,
22 Don’t say, “I will pay back evil.” Wait for the LORD, and he will save you.
Do not say, I will recompense evil; [but] wait on the Lord, and he will help thee.
23 The LORD detests differing weights, and dishonest scales are not pleasing.
Divers weights are an abomination of the Lord; and a deceitful balance is not good.
24 A man’s steps are from the LORD; how then can man understand his way?
From the Lord are the steps of man [ordained]; but man— how can he understand his own way?
25 It is a snare to a man to make a rash dedication, then later to consider his vows.
It is a snare to a man to sanctify things hastily, and to make inquiry only after having made vows.
26 A wise king winnows out the wicked, and drives the threshing wheel over them.
A wise king scattereth the wicked, and turneth over them the threshing-wheel.
27 The spirit of man is the LORD’s lamp, searching all his innermost parts.
A lamp of the Lord is the soul of man, searching all the inner chambers of the body.
28 Love and faithfulness keep the king safe. His throne is sustained by love.
Kindness and truth will watch over a king, and he will prop up through kindness his throne.
29 The glory of young men is their strength. The splendor of old men is their gray hair.
The ornament of young men is their strength; and the glory of old men is a hoary head.
30 Wounding blows cleanse away evil, and beatings purge the innermost parts.
The bruises of a wound are cleansing means for the bad, and stripes [will reach] the inner chambers of the body.
