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] raging: and whosoever is deceived 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 fear of a king [is] as the roaring of a lion: [whoso] 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 will be meddling.
4 Because of winter the slothful plougheth not, He asketh in harvest, and there is nothing.
The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; [therefore] shall he 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 like] deep water; but a man of understanding will draw 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 goodness: but a faithful man who can find?
7 The righteous is walking habitually in his integrity, O the happiness of his sons after him!
The just [man] walketh in his integrity: his children [are] blessed 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 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, [and] divers measures, both of them [are] alike abomination to the LORD.
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, the LORD 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.
[It is] naught, [it is] naught, 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 surety [for] a stranger: and take a pledge of him for a strange woman.
17 Sweet to a man [is] the bread of falsehood, And afterwards is his mouth filled [with] gravel.
Bread of deceit [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.
[Every] purpose is 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 [as] a talebearer revealeth 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.
Whoso curseth his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in obscure darkness.
21 An inheritance gotten wrongly at first, Even its latter end is not blessed.
An inheritance [may be] gotten hastily 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 will recompense evil; [but] wait on the LORD, 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 the LORD; and a false balance [is] not good.
24 From Jehovah [are] the steps of a man, And man — how understandeth he his way?
Man’s goings [are] of the LORD; how can a man then 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 the man [who] devoureth [that which is] holy, and after vows to make enquiry.
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.
The spirit of man [is] the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward 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 his throne is upholden 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 gray head.
30 The bandages of a wound thou removest with the evil, Also the plagues of the inner parts of the heart!
The blueness of a wound cleanseth away evil: so [do] stripes the inward parts of the belly.
