Proverbs 20
1 Wine is a mocker and beer is a brawler. Whoever is led astray by them is not wise.
Wine [is] a scorner—strong drink [is] noisy, And any going astray in it is not wise.
2 The terror of a king is like the roaring of a lion. He who provokes him to anger forfeits his own life.
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.
3 It is an honor for a man to keep aloof from strife, but every fool will be quarreling.
Cessation from strife is an honor to a man, And every fool interferes.
4 The sluggard will not plow by reason of the winter; therefore he shall beg in harvest, and have nothing.
The slothful does not plow because of winter, He asks in harvest, and there is nothing.
5 Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water, but a man of understanding will draw it out.
Counsel in the heart of a man [is] deep water, And a man of understanding draws it up.
6 Many men claim to be men of unfailing love, but who can find a faithful man?
A multitude of men each proclaim his kindness, And a man of steadfastness who finds?
7 A righteous man walks in integrity. Blessed are his children after him.
The righteous is habitually walking in his integrity, O the blessedness of his sons after him!
8 A king who sits on the throne of judgment scatters away all evil with his eyes.
A king sitting on a throne of judgment, Is scattering all evil with his eyes,
9 Who can say, “I have made my heart pure. I am clean and without sin”?
Who says, “I have purified my heart, I have been cleansed from my sin?”
10 Differing weights and differing measures, both of them alike are an abomination to Yahweh.
A stone and a stone, an ephah and an ephah, Even both of them [are] an abomination to YHWH.
11 Even a child makes himself known by his doings, whether his work is pure, and whether it is right.
Even by his actions a youth makes himself known, Whether his work is pure or upright.
12 The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, Yahweh has made even both of them.
A hearing ear, and a seeing eye—YHWH has even made both of them.
13 Don’t love sleep, lest you come to poverty. Open your eyes, and you shall be satisfied with bread.
Do not love sleep, lest you become poor, Open your eyes—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.
“Bad, bad,” says the buyer, And then he boasts himself going his way.
15 There is gold and abundance of rubies, but the lips of knowledge are a rare jewel.
Substance, gold, and a multitude of rubies, Indeed, a precious vessel, [are] 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.
When a stranger has been guarantor, take his garment, And pledge it for strangers.
17 Fraudulent food is sweet to a man, but afterwards his mouth is filled with gravel.
The bread of falsehood [is] sweet to a man, And afterward his mouth is filled [with] gravel.
18 Plans are established by advice; by wise guidance you wage war!
You establish purposes by counsel, And with plans you make war.
19 He who goes about as a tale-bearer reveals secrets; therefore don’t keep company with him who opens wide his lips.
The busybody is a revealer of secret counsels, And do not make yourself guarantor for a deceiver [with] his lips.
20 Whoever curses his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in blackness of darkness.
Whoever is vilifying his father and his mother, his lamp is extinguished in blackness of darkness.
21 An inheritance quickly gained at the beginning won’t be blessed in the end.
An inheritance gotten wrongly at first, Even its latter end is not blessed.
22 Don’t say, “I will pay back evil.” Wait for Yahweh, and he will save you.
Do not say, “I repay evil,” Wait for YHWH, and He delivers you.
23 Yahweh detests differing weights, and dishonest scales are not pleasing.
A stone and a stone [are] an abomination to YHWH, And balances of deceit [are] not good.
24 A man’s steps are from Yahweh; how then can man understand his way?
The steps of a man [are] from YHWH, And man—how does he understand his way?
25 It is a snare to a man to make a rash dedication, then later to consider his vows.
A snare to a man [that] he has swallowed a holy thing, And to make inquiry after vows.
26 A wise king winnows out the wicked, and drives the threshing wheel over them.
A wise king is scattering the wicked, And turns the wheel back on them.
27 The spirit of man is Yahweh’s lamp, searching all his innermost parts.
The breath of man [is] a lamp of YHWH, Searching all the inner parts of the heart.
28 Love and faithfulness keep the king safe. His throne is sustained by love.
Kindness and truth keep a king, And he has supported his throne by kindness.
29 The glory of young men is their strength. The splendor of old men is their gray hair.
The beauty of young men is their strength, And the honor of old men is grey hairs.
30 Wounding blows cleanse away evil, and beatings purge the innermost parts.
Blows that wound cleanse away evil, Also the scourges of the inner parts of the heart!
