Proverbs 20

1 Wine is a mocker, strong drink is a brawler, and whoever is led astray by them is not wise.

2 The terror of a king is like the roar of a lion; whoever provokes him forfeits his own life.

3 It is honorable for a man to resolve a dispute, but any fool will quarrel.

4 The slacker does not plow in season; at harvest time he looks, but nothing is there.

5 The intentions of a man’s heart are deep waters, but a man of understanding draws them out.

6 Many a man proclaims his loving devotion, but who can find a trustworthy man?

7 The righteous man walks with integrity; blessed are his children after him.

8 A king who sits on a throne to judge sifts out all evil with his eyes.

9 Who can say, “I have kept my heart pure; I am cleansed from my sin”?

10 Differing weights and unequal measures—both are detestable to the LORD.

11 Even a young man is known by his actions—whether his conduct is pure and upright.

12 Ears that hear and eyes that see—the LORD has made them both.

13 Do not love sleep, or you will grow poor; open your eyes, and you will have plenty of food.

14 “Worthless, worthless!” says the buyer, but on the way out, he gloats.

15 There is an abundance of gold and rubies, but lips of knowledge are a rare treasure.

16 Take the garment of the one who posts security for a stranger; get collateral if it is for a foreigner.

17 Food gained by fraud is sweet to a man, but later his mouth is full of gravel.

18 Set plans by consultation, and wage war under sound guidance.

19 He who reveals secrets is a constant gossip; avoid the one who babbles with his lips.

20 Whoever curses his father or mother, his lamp will be extinguished in deepest darkness.

21 An inheritance gained quickly will not be blessed in the end.

22 Do not say, “I will avenge this evil!” Wait on the LORD, and He will save you.

23 Unequal weights are detestable to the LORD, and dishonest scales are no good.

24 A man’s steps are from the LORD, so how can anyone understand his own way?

25 It is a trap for a man to dedicate something rashly, only later to reconsider his vows.

26 A wise king separates out the wicked and drives the threshing wheel over them.

27 The spirit of a man is the lamp of the LORD, searching out his inmost being.

28 Loving devotion and faithfulness preserve a king; by these he maintains his throne.

29 The glory of young men is their strength, and gray hair is the splendor of the old.

30 Lashes and wounds scour evil, and beatings cleanse the inmost parts.

1 ¶ Wine [is] a mocker, strong drink [is] raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.

2 ¶ The fear of a king [is] as the roaring of a lion: [whoso] provoketh him to anger sinneth [against] his own soul.

3 ¶ [It is] an honour for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling.

4 ¶ 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 man [is like] deep water; but a man of understanding will draw it out.

6 ¶ Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find?

7 ¶ The just [man] walketh in his integrity: his children [are] blessed after him.

8 ¶ A king that sitteth in the throne of judgment scattereth away all evil with his eyes.

9 ¶ Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?

10 ¶ Divers weights, [and] divers measures, both of them [are] alike abomination to the LORD.

11 ¶ Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work [be] pure, and whether [it be] right.

12 ¶ The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the LORD hath made even both of them.

13 ¶ Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, [and] thou shalt be satisfied with bread.

14 ¶ [It is] naught, [it is] naught, saith the buyer: but when he is gone his way, then he boasteth.

15 ¶ There is gold, and a multitude of rubies: but the lips of knowledge [are] a precious jewel.

16 ¶ Take his garment that is surety [for] a stranger: and take a pledge of him for a strange woman.

17 ¶ Bread of deceit [is] sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.

18 ¶ [Every] purpose is established by counsel: and with good advice make war.

19 ¶ He that goeth about [as] a talebearer revealeth secrets: therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips.

20 ¶ Whoso curseth his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in obscure darkness.

21 ¶ An inheritance [may be] gotten hastily at the beginning; but the end thereof shall not be blessed.

22 ¶ Say not thou, I will recompense evil; [but] wait on the LORD, and he shall save thee.

23 ¶ Divers weights [are] an abomination unto the LORD; and a false balance [is] not good.

24 ¶ Man's goings [are] of the LORD; how can a man then understand his own way?

25 ¶ [It is] a snare to the man [who] devoureth [that which is] holy, and after vows to make enquiry.

26 ¶ A wise king scattereth the wicked, and bringeth the wheel over them.

27 ¶ The spirit of man [is] the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of the belly.

28 ¶ Mercy and truth preserve the king: and his throne is upholden by mercy.

29 ¶ The glory of young men [is] their strength: and the beauty of old men [is] the gray head.

30 ¶ The blueness of a wound cleanseth away evil: so [do] stripes the inward parts of the belly.

1 Wine maketh froward, and strong drink maketh wild: he that lusteth after it never becometh wise.

2 The terror of the king is as the roaring of a young lion: he that enrages him sinneth against his life.

3 It is a man's honour to be at strife: but they that love to strive are all fools.

4 Because of the cold the lazy man will not plow; so he must beg in the harvest, and get nothing.

5 The counsel of a man's heart is as deep waters: but a man of understanding knoweth what he meaneth.

6 Many men are called righteous: but who shall find one that is righteously righteous?

7 A righteous man that walketh in his piety, his children shall prosper after him.

8 A king that sitteth upon the throne to judge scattereth all evil with his eyes.

9 Who can say, I am pure in heart, and clean from my sin?

10 Many weights and measures are both abomination unto the LORD.

11 A man also knoweth a child by his character, whether he will be pious and upright.

12 An ear that heareth, and an eye that seeth; the LORD maketh them both.

13 Love not sleep, lest thou be poor: let thine eyes be open, and thou shalt have bread.

14 Evil, evil, say they, when they have it; but when it is gone, praise it.

15 There is gold and much pearl: but a reasonable mouth is a precious jewel.

16 Take away the garment of him that is a surety for another, and seize him for the sake of him that is not known.

17 The bread that is stolen is good for every man: but afterward his mouth shall be full of pebbles.

18 Proposals stand, if they be made with counsel: and war shall be made with discretion.

19 Be not sworn with him that revealeth secrecy, and with the slanderer, and with the false- mouthed.

20 Whosoever curseth his father and his mother, his light shall be put out in the midst of darkness.

21 The inheritance, which at the first is much sought after, shall not be blessed at the last.

22 Say not, I will repay evil. Wait for the LORD, and he will help thee.

23 Many weights are an abomination unto the LORD, and false scales are not good.

24 Every man's walk is from the LORD. What man understandeth his way?

25 It is a snare unto a man to blaspheme that which is holy, and after that to seek vows.

26 A wise king scattereth the wicked, and bringeth the wheel upon them.

27 The lamp of the LORD is the breath of man: it passeth through the whole heart.

28 Piety and truth keep the king, and his throne is established by piety.

29 The strength of the young is their price; and the gray hair is the ornament of the aged.

30 The wicked must be restrained with severe punishment, and with sore blows that are felt.