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 wroth 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 An honour to a man is cessation from strife, And every fool intermeddleth.
[It is] a glory to a man to turn aside from railing; but every fool is entangled with such matters.
4 Because of winter the slothful plougheth not, He asketh 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 draweth it up.
Counsel in a man's heart is deep water; but a prudent man will draw it out.
6 A multitude of men proclaim each his kindness, And a man of stedfastness who doth find?
A man is valuable, and a merciful man precious: but [it is] hard to find a faithful man.
7 The righteous is walking habitually in his integrity, O the happiness 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 with his eyes all evil,
Whenever a righteous king sits on the throne, no evil thing can stand before his presence.
9 Who saith, '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 Jehovah.
A large and small weight, and divers measures, are even both of them unclean before the Lord; and [so is] he that makes them.
11 Even by his actions a youth maketh himself known, Whether his work be 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, Jehovah hath made even both of them.
The ear hears, and the eye sees: even both of them are the Lord's work.
13 Love not sleep, lest thou become poor, Open thine eyes — be satisfied [with] bread.
Love not to speak ill, lest thou be cut off: open thine eyes, and be filled with bread.
14 'Bad, bad,' saith the buyer, And going his way then he boasteth himself.
15 Substance, gold, and a multitude of rubies, Yea, a precious vessel, [are] lips of knowledge.
16 Take his garment when a stranger hath been surety, And for strangers pledge it.
17 Sweet to a man [is] the bread of falsehood, And afterwards is his mouth filled [with] gravel.
18 Purposes by counsel thou dost establish, And with plans make thou war.
19 A revealer of secret counsels is the busybody, And for a deceiver [with] his lips make not thyself surety.
20 Whoso is vilifying his father and his mother, Extinguished is his lamp 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 recompense evil,' Wait for Jehovah, and He delivereth thee.
Say not, I will avenge myself on my enemy; but wait on the Lord, that he may help thee.
23 An abomination to Jehovah [are] a stone and a stone, 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 From Jehovah [are] the steps of a man, And man — how understandeth he 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 [is] he hath swallowed a holy thing, And after vows to make inquiry.
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 turneth back on them the wheel.
A wise king utterly crushes the ungodly, and will bring a wheel upon them.
27 The breath of man [is] a lamp of Jehovah, 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 hath supported by kindness his throne.
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 honour of old men is grey hairs.
Wisdom is an ornament to young men; and grey [hairs] are the glory of old men.
30 The bandages of a wound thou removest with the evil, Also the plagues of the inner parts of the heart!
Bruises and contusions befall bad men; and plagues [shall come] in the inward parts of [their] belly.
