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 a brawler, and 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 wroth is wronging his soul.
The terror of a king is like the roar of a lion; whoever provokes him forfeits his own life.
3 An honour to a man is cessation from strife, And every fool intermeddleth.
It is honorable for a man to resolve a dispute, but any fool will quarrel.
4 Because of winter the slothful plougheth not, He asketh in harvest, and there is nothing.
The slacker does not plow in season; at harvest time he looks, but nothing is there.
5 Counsel in the heart of a man [is] deep water, And a man of understanding draweth it up.
The intentions of a man’s heart are deep waters, but a man of understanding draws them out.
6 A multitude of men proclaim each his kindness, And a man of stedfastness who doth find?
Many a man proclaims his loving devotion, but who can find a trustworthy man?
7 The righteous is walking habitually in his integrity, O the happiness of his sons after him!
The righteous man walks with integrity; blessed are his children after him.
8 A king sitting on a throne of judgment, Is scattering with his eyes all evil,
A king who sits on a throne to judge sifts out all evil with his eyes.
9 Who saith, 'I have purified my heart, I have been cleansed from my sin?'
Who can say, “I have kept my heart pure; I am cleansed from my sin”?
10 A stone and a stone, an ephah and an ephah, Even both of them [are] an abomination to Jehovah.
Differing weights and unequal measures — both are detestable to the LORD.
11 Even by his actions a youth maketh himself known, Whether his work be pure or upright.
Even a young man is known by his actions— whether his conduct is pure and upright.
12 A hearing ear, and a seeing eye, Jehovah hath made even both of them.
Ears that hear and eyes that see— the LORD has made them both.
13 Love not sleep, lest thou become poor, Open thine eyes — be satisfied [with] bread.
Do not love sleep, or you will grow poor; open your eyes, and you will have plenty of food.
14 'Bad, bad,' saith the buyer, And going his way then he boasteth himself.
“Worthless, worthless!” says the buyer, but on the way out, he gloats.
15 Substance, gold, and a multitude of rubies, Yea, a precious vessel, [are] lips of knowledge.
There is an abundance of gold and rubies, but lips of knowledge are a rare treasure.
16 Take his garment when a stranger hath been surety, And for strangers pledge it.
Take the garment of the one who posts security for a stranger; get collateral if it is for a foreigner.
17 Sweet to a man [is] the bread of falsehood, And afterwards is his mouth filled [with] gravel.
Food gained by fraud is sweet to a man, but later his mouth is full of gravel.
18 Purposes by counsel thou dost establish, And with plans make thou war.
Set plans by consultation, and wage war under sound guidance.
19 A revealer of secret counsels is the busybody, And for a deceiver [with] his lips make not thyself surety.
He who reveals secrets is a constant gossip; avoid the one who babbles with his lips.
20 Whoso is vilifying his father and his mother, Extinguished is his lamp in blackness of darkness.
Whoever curses his father or mother, his lamp will be extinguished in deepest darkness.
21 An inheritance gotten wrongly at first, Even its latter end is not blessed.
An inheritance gained quickly will not be blessed in the end.
22 Do not say, 'I recompense evil,' Wait for Jehovah, and He delivereth thee.
Do not say, “I will avenge this evil!” Wait on the LORD, and He will save you.
23 An abomination to Jehovah [are] a stone and a stone, And balances of deceit [are] not good.
Unequal weights are detestable to the LORD, and dishonest scales are no good.
24 From Jehovah [are] the steps of a man, And man — how understandeth he his way?
A man’s steps are from the LORD, so how can anyone understand his own way?
25 A snare to a man [is] he hath swallowed a holy thing, And after vows to make inquiry.
It is a trap for a man to dedicate something rashly, only later to reconsider his vows.
26 A wise king is scattering the wicked, And turneth back on them the wheel.
A wise king separates out the wicked and drives the threshing wheel over them.
27 The breath of man [is] a lamp of Jehovah, Searching all the inner parts of the heart.
The spirit of a man is the lamp of the LORD, searching out his inmost being.
28 Kindness and truth keep a king, And he hath supported by kindness his throne.
Loving devotion and faithfulness preserve a king; by these he maintains his throne.
29 The beauty of young men is their strength, And the honour of old men is grey hairs.
The glory of young men is their strength, and gray hair is the splendor of the old.
30 The bandages of a wound thou removest with the evil, Also the plagues of the inner parts of the heart!
Lashes and wounds scour evil, and beatings cleanse the inmost parts.
