Proverbs 20
1 Wine [is] a scorner — strong drink [is] noisy, And any going astray in it is not wise.
Wine is a scorner, strong drink is raging; and whoso erreth thereby 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 as the roaring of a lion: he that provoketh him to anger sinneth against his own soul.
3 An honour to a man is cessation from strife, And every fool intermeddleth.
It is an honour for a man to cease from strife; but every fool rusheth into it.
4 Because of winter the slothful plougheth not, He asketh in harvest, and there is nothing.
The sluggard will not plough by reason of the winter; he shall beg in harvest, and have nothing.
5 Counsel in the heart of a man [is] deep water, And a man of understanding draweth it up.
Counsel in the heart of man is deep water, and a man of understanding draweth it out.
6 A multitude of men proclaim each his kindness, And a man of stedfastness who doth find?
Most men will proclaim every one his own kindness; but a faithful man who shall find?
7 The righteous is walking habitually in his integrity, O the happiness of his sons after him!
The righteous walketh in his 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 sitting on the throne of judgment scattereth away 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 made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?
10 A stone and a stone, an ephah and an ephah, Even both of them [are] an abomination to Jehovah.
Divers weights, divers measures, even both of them are abomination to Jehovah.
11 Even by his actions a youth maketh himself known, Whether his work be pure or upright.
Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right.
12 A hearing ear, and a seeing eye, Jehovah hath made even both of them.
The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, Jehovah hath made even both of them.
13 Love not sleep, lest thou become poor, Open thine eyes — be satisfied [with] bread.
Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, [and] thou shalt be satisfied with bread.
14 'Bad, bad,' saith the buyer, And going his way then he boasteth himself.
Bad! bad! saith the buyer; but when he is gone his way, then he boasteth.
15 Substance, gold, and a multitude of rubies, Yea, a precious vessel, [are] lips of knowledge.
There is gold, and a multitude of rubies; but the lips of knowledge are a precious Jewel.
16 Take his garment when a stranger hath been surety, And for strangers pledge it.
Take his garment that is become surety [for] another, and hold him in pledge for strangers.
17 Sweet to a man [is] the bread of falsehood, And afterwards is his mouth filled [with] gravel.
Bread of falsehood is sweet to a man, but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.
18 Purposes by counsel thou dost establish, And with plans make thou war.
Plans are established by counsel; and with good advice make war.
19 A revealer of secret counsels is the busybody, And for a deceiver [with] his lips make not thyself surety.
He that goeth about talebearing revealeth secrets; therefore meddle not with him that openeth his lips.
20 Whoso is vilifying his father and his mother, Extinguished is his lamp in blackness of darkness.
Whoso curseth his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in the blackest darkness.
21 An inheritance gotten wrongly at first, Even its latter end is not blessed.
An inheritance obtained hastily at the beginning will not be blessed in the end.
22 Do not say, 'I recompense evil,' Wait for Jehovah, and He delivereth thee.
Say not, I will recompense evil: wait on Jehovah, and he shall save thee.
23 An abomination to Jehovah [are] a stone and a stone, And balances of deceit [are] not good.
Divers weights are an abomination unto Jehovah; and a false balance is not good.
24 From Jehovah [are] the steps of a man, And man — how understandeth he his way?
The steps of a man are from Jehovah; and how can a man 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 snare to a man rashly to say, It is hallowed, and after vows to make inquiry.
26 A wise king is scattering the wicked, And turneth back on them the wheel.
A wise king scattereth the wicked, and bringeth the wheel over them.
27 The breath of man [is] a lamp of Jehovah, Searching all the inner parts of the heart.
Man's spirit is the lamp of Jehovah, searching all the inner parts of the belly.
28 Kindness and truth keep a king, And he hath supported by kindness his throne.
Mercy and truth preserve the king; and he upholdeth his throne by mercy.
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 the beauty of old men is the grey head.
30 The bandages of a wound thou removest with the evil, Also the plagues of the inner parts of the heart!
Wounding stripes purge away evil, and strokes [purge] the inner parts of the belly.
