< Proverbs 20 >
1 Wine [is] a scorner — strong drink [is] noisy, And any going astray in it is not wise.
Wine is a mocker and strong drinke is raging: and whosoeuer is deceiued 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 feare of the King is like the roaring of a lyon: hee that prouoketh him vnto anger, sinneth against his owne soule.
3 An honour to a man is cessation from strife, And every fool intermeddleth.
It is a mans honour to cease from strife: but euery foole will be medling.
4 Because of winter the slothful plougheth not, He asketh in harvest, and there is nothing.
The slouthfull will not plowe, because of winter: therefore shall he beg in sommer, but haue nothing.
5 Counsel in the heart of a man [is] deep water, And a man of understanding draweth it up.
The counsell in the heart of man is like deepe waters: but a man that hath vnderstanding, will drawe it out.
6 A multitude of men proclaim each his kindness, And a man of stedfastness who doth find?
Many men wil boast, euery one of his owne goodnes: but who can finde a faithfull man?
7 The righteous is walking habitually in his integrity, O the happiness of his sons after him!
He that walketh in his integritie, is iust: and blessed shall his children be after him.
8 A king sitting on a throne of judgment, Is scattering with his eyes all evil,
A King that sitteth in the throne of iudgement, chaseth away all euill with his eyes.
9 Who saith, 'I have purified my heart, I have been cleansed from my sin?'
Who can say, I haue made mine heart cleane, I am cleane from my sinne?
10 A stone and a stone, an ephah and an ephah, Even both of them [are] an abomination to Jehovah.
Diuers weightes, and diuers measures, both these are euen abomination vnto the Lord.
11 Even by his actions a youth maketh himself known, Whether his work be pure or upright.
A childe also is knowen by his doings, whether his worke be pure and right.
12 A hearing ear, and a seeing eye, Jehovah hath made even both of them.
The Lord hath made both these, euen the eare to heare, and the eye to see.
13 Love not sleep, lest thou become poor, Open thine eyes — be satisfied [with] bread.
Loue not sleepe least thou come vnto pouertie: open thine eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied with bread.
14 'Bad, bad,' saith the buyer, And going his way then he boasteth himself.
It is naught, it is naught, sayth the buyer: but when he is gone apart, he boasteth.
15 Substance, gold, and a multitude of rubies, Yea, a precious vessel, [are] lips of knowledge.
There is golde, and a multitude of precious stones: but the lips of knowledge are a precious iewel.
16 Take his garment when a stranger hath been surety, And for strangers pledge it.
Take his garment, that is suretie for a stranger, and a pledge of him for the stranger.
17 Sweet to a man [is] the bread of falsehood, And afterwards is his mouth filled [with] gravel.
The bread of deceit is sweete to a man: but afterward his mouth shalbe filled with grauel.
18 Purposes by counsel thou dost establish, And with plans make thou war.
Establish the thoughtes by counsell: and by counsell make warre.
19 A revealer of secret counsels is the busybody, And for a deceiver [with] his lips make not thyself surety.
He that goeth about as a slanderer, discouereth secrets: therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips.
20 Whoso is vilifying his father and his mother, Extinguished is his lamp in blackness of darkness.
He that curseth his father or his mother, his light shalbe put out in obscure darkenes.
21 An inheritance gotten wrongly at first, Even its latter end is not blessed.
An heritage is hastely gotten at the beginning, but the end thereof shall not be blessed.
22 Do not say, 'I recompense evil,' Wait for Jehovah, and He delivereth thee.
Say not thou, I wil recompense euill: but waite vpon the Lord, and he shall saue thee.
23 An abomination to Jehovah [are] a stone and a stone, And balances of deceit [are] not good.
Diuers weightes are an abomination vnto the Lord, and deceitful balances are not good.
24 From Jehovah [are] the steps of a man, And man — how understandeth he his way?
The steps of man are ruled by the Lord: how can a man then vnderstand his owne way?
25 A snare to a man [is] he hath swallowed a holy thing, And after vows to make inquiry.
It is a destruction for a man to deuoure that which is sanctified, and after the vowes to inquire.
26 A wise king is scattering the wicked, And turneth back on them the wheel.
A wise King scattereth the wicked, and causeth the wheele to turne ouer them.
27 The breath of man [is] a lamp of Jehovah, Searching all the inner parts of the heart.
The light of the Lord is the breath of man, and searcheth all the bowels of the belly.
28 Kindness and truth keep a king, And he hath supported by kindness his throne.
Mercie and trueth preserue the King: for his throne shall be established with mercie.
29 The beauty of young men is their strength, And the honour of old men is grey hairs.
The beautie of yong men is their strength, and the glory of the aged is the gray head.
30 The bandages of a wound thou removest with the evil, Also the plagues of the inner parts of the heart!
The blewnes of the wound serueth to purge the euill, and the stripes within the bowels of the belly.