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 beer is a brawler. Whoever is led astray by them 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 like the roaring of a lion. He who provokes him to anger forfeits his own life.
3 An honour to a man is cessation from strife, And every fool intermeddleth.
It is an honour for a man to keep aloof from strife, but every fool will be quarrelling.
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; therefore 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 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?
Many men claim to be men of unfailing love, but who can find a faithful man?
7 The righteous is walking habitually in his integrity, O the happiness of his sons after him!
A righteous man walks in 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 who sits on the throne of judgement scatters 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 pure. I am clean and without sin”?
10 A stone and a stone, an ephah and an ephah, Even both of them [are] an abomination to Jehovah.
Differing weights and differing measures, both of them alike are an abomination to the LORD.
11 Even by his actions a youth maketh himself known, Whether his work be pure or upright.
Even a child makes himself known by his doings, whether his work is pure, and whether it is 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 has made even both of them.
13 Love not sleep, lest thou become poor, Open thine eyes — be satisfied [with] bread.
Don’t love sleep, lest you come to poverty. Open your eyes, and you shall be satisfied with bread.
14 'Bad, bad,' saith the buyer, And going his way then he boasteth himself.
“It’s no good, it’s no good,” says the buyer; but when he is gone his way, then he boasts.
15 Substance, gold, and a multitude of rubies, Yea, a precious vessel, [are] lips of knowledge.
There is gold and abundance of rubies, but the lips of knowledge are a rare jewel.
16 Take his garment when a stranger hath been surety, And for strangers pledge it.
Take the garment of one who puts up collateral for a stranger; and hold him in pledge for a wayward woman.
17 Sweet to a man [is] the bread of falsehood, And afterwards is his mouth filled [with] gravel.
Fraudulent food is sweet to a man, but afterwards his mouth is filled with gravel.
18 Purposes by counsel thou dost establish, And with plans make thou war.
Plans are established by advice; by wise guidance you wage war!
19 A revealer of secret counsels is the busybody, And for a deceiver [with] his lips make not thyself surety.
He who goes about as a tale-bearer reveals secrets; therefore don’t keep company with him who opens wide his lips.
20 Whoso is vilifying his father and his mother, Extinguished is his lamp in blackness of darkness.
Whoever curses his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in blackness of darkness.
21 An inheritance gotten wrongly at first, Even its latter end is not blessed.
An inheritance quickly gained at the beginning won’t be blessed in the end.
22 Do not say, 'I recompense evil,' Wait for Jehovah, and He delivereth thee.
Don’t say, “I will pay back evil.” Wait for the LORD, and he will save you.
23 An abomination to Jehovah [are] a stone and a stone, And balances of deceit [are] not good.
The LORD detests differing weights, and dishonest scales are not pleasing.
24 From Jehovah [are] the steps of a man, And man — how understandeth he his way?
A man’s steps are from the LORD; how then can man understand his 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 to make a rash dedication, then later to consider his vows.
26 A wise king is scattering the wicked, And turneth back on them the wheel.
A wise king winnows out the wicked, and drives the threshing 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 LORD’s lamp, searching all his innermost parts.
28 Kindness and truth keep a king, And he hath supported by kindness his throne.
Love and faithfulness keep the king safe. His throne is sustained by love.
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. The splendour of old men is their grey hair.
30 The bandages of a wound thou removest with the evil, Also the plagues of the inner parts of the heart!
Wounding blows cleanse away evil, and beatings purge the innermost parts.
