Proverbs 20
1 Wine [is] a scorner — strong drink [is] noisy, And any going astray in it is not wise.
Wine turns you into a mocker, alcohol makes you aggressive; you're stupid to be deceived by drink.
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.
When a king gets terribly angry, he sounds like a roaring lion; anyone who makes him furious is liable to be killed.
3 An honour to a man is cessation from strife, And every fool intermeddleth.
Avoiding conflict is the proper thing to do, but stupid people are quick to argue.
4 Because of winter the slothful plougheth not, He asketh in harvest, and there is nothing.
Slackers don't sow when they should, so when harvest comes they don't have anything.
5 Counsel in the heart of a man [is] deep water, And a man of understanding draweth it up.
Discovering what someone is planning in their mind is like looking at deep water, but a person who has understanding will find out.
6 A multitude of men proclaim each his kindness, And a man of stedfastness who doth find?
Many people tell you they're loyal, but can you find someone really trustworthy?
7 The righteous is walking habitually in his integrity, O the happiness of his sons after him!
Good people live honestly; how happy are their children if they follow them.
8 A king sitting on a throne of judgment, Is scattering with his eyes all evil,
When a king sits in judgment he recognizes all that isn't right.
9 Who saith, 'I have purified my heart, I have been cleansed from my sin?'
Who can claim, “I've made sure my conscience is clean; I've purified myself from sin”?
10 A stone and a stone, an ephah and an ephah, Even both of them [are] an abomination to Jehovah.
The Lord hates both dishonest weights and dishonest measures.
11 Even by his actions a youth maketh himself known, Whether his work be pure or upright.
Even children reveal what they're like by what they do, whether their actions are good and right.
12 A hearing ear, and a seeing eye, Jehovah hath made even both of them.
The Lord made our ears to hear and our eyes to see.
13 Love not sleep, lest thou become poor, Open thine eyes — be satisfied [with] bread.
If you love sleeping you'll become poor. Wake up and get busy, and you'll have plenty to eat.
14 'Bad, bad,' saith the buyer, And going his way then he boasteth himself.
“It's really rubbish,” says the one buying, but afterwards goes and boasts to others about making a good deal.
15 Substance, gold, and a multitude of rubies, Yea, a precious vessel, [are] lips of knowledge.
There's gold and plenty of expensive gemstones, but talking sense is a more valuable jewel.
16 Take his garment when a stranger hath been surety, And for strangers pledge it.
If someone guarantees a stranger's debt with their cloak, be sure to take it! Make sure you have whatever is pledged to foreigners!
17 Sweet to a man [is] the bread of falsehood, And afterwards is his mouth filled [with] gravel.
Food you get by cheating may taste sweet, but afterwards it will be like a mouthful of gravel.
18 Purposes by counsel thou dost establish, And with plans make thou war.
With sound advice, plans are successful; if you're going to war, make sure you have good guidance.
19 A revealer of secret counsels is the busybody, And for a deceiver [with] his lips make not thyself surety.
A gossip goes around revealing secrets; stay away from people who talk a lot.
20 Whoso is vilifying his father and his mother, Extinguished is his lamp in blackness of darkness.
Anyone who curses their father or mother will have their light put out and end in utter darkness.
21 An inheritance gotten wrongly at first, Even its latter end is not blessed.
Wealth gained too soon won't do you any good in the end.
22 Do not say, 'I recompense evil,' Wait for Jehovah, and He delivereth thee.
Don't say, “I'll get you back for doing me wrong.” Leave it to the Lord, and he'll help you.
23 An abomination to Jehovah [are] a stone and a stone, And balances of deceit [are] not good.
The Lord hates incorrect weights; using dishonest scales is wrong.
24 From Jehovah [are] the steps of a man, And man — how understandeth he his way?
The Lord shows us the way to go, so how would we decide for ourselves?
25 A snare to a man [is] he hath swallowed a holy thing, And after vows to make inquiry.
It's a mistake to make a promise to God and then have second thoughts about it later.
26 A wise king is scattering the wicked, And turneth back on them the wheel.
A wise king separates out the wicked by winnowing and punishes them by threshing.
27 The breath of man [is] a lamp of Jehovah, Searching all the inner parts of the heart.
The Lord's light shines on the conscience, revealing our deepest thoughts.
28 Kindness and truth keep a king, And he hath supported by kindness his throne.
Trustworthy love and faithfulness keep a king safe; trustworthy love supports his rule.
29 The beauty of young men is their strength, And the honour of old men is grey hairs.
Young men value their strength, but the old value even more the wisdom that comes with gray hair.
30 The bandages of a wound thou removest with the evil, Also the plagues of the inner parts of the heart!
Wounds and blows clean away what's evil; beatings clean what's deep down inside.
