20 Wine^(A) is a mocker^(B) and beer a brawler;
    whoever is led astray^(C) by them is not wise.^(D)

² A king’s wrath strikes terror like the roar of a lion;^(E)
    those who anger him forfeit their lives.^(F)

³ It is to one’s honor to avoid strife,
    but every fool^(G) is quick to quarrel.^(H)

⁴ Sluggards^(I) do not plow in season;
    so at harvest time they look but find nothing.^(J)

⁵ The purposes of a person’s heart are deep waters,^(K)
    but one who has insight draws them out.

⁶ Many claim to have unfailing love,
    but a faithful person who can find?^(L)

⁷ The righteous lead blameless lives;^(M)
    blessed are their children after them.^(N)

⁸ When a king sits on his throne to judge,^(O)
    he winnows out all evil with his eyes.^(P)

⁹ Who can say, “I have kept my heart pure;^(Q)
    I am clean and without sin”?^(R)

¹⁰ Differing weights and differing measures—
    the Lord detests them both.^(S)

¹¹ Even small children are known by their actions,
    so is their conduct really pure^(T) and upright?

¹² Ears that hear and eyes that see—
    the Lord has made them both.^(U)

¹³ Do not love sleep or you will grow poor;^(V)
    stay awake and you will have food to spare.

¹⁴ “It’s no good, it’s no good!” says the buyer—
    then goes off and boasts about the purchase.

¹⁵ Gold there is, and rubies in abundance,
    but lips that speak knowledge are a rare jewel.

¹⁶ Take the garment of one who puts up security for a stranger;
    hold it in pledge^(W) if it is done for an outsider.^(X)

¹⁷ Food gained by fraud tastes sweet,^(Y)
    but one ends up with a mouth full of gravel.^(Z)

¹⁸ Plans are established by seeking advice;
    so if you wage war, obtain guidance.^(AA)

¹⁹ A gossip betrays a confidence;^(AB)
    so avoid anyone who talks too much.

²⁰ If someone curses their father or mother,^(AC)
    their lamp will be snuffed out in pitch darkness.^(AD)

²¹ An inheritance claimed too soon
    will not be blessed at the end.

²² Do not say, “I’ll pay you back for this wrong!”^(AE)
    Wait for the Lord, and he will avenge you.^(AF)

²³ The Lord detests differing weights,
    and dishonest scales do not please him.^(AG)

²⁴ A person’s steps are directed^(AH) by the Lord.^(AI)
    How then can anyone understand their own way?^(AJ)

²⁵ It is a trap to dedicate something rashly
    and only later to consider one’s vows.^(AK)

²⁶ A wise king winnows out the wicked;
    he drives the threshing wheel over them.^(AL)

²⁷ The human spirit is^[a] the lamp of the Lord^(AM)
    that sheds light on one’s inmost being.^(AN)

²⁸ Love and faithfulness keep a king safe;
    through love^(AO) his throne is made secure.^(AP)

²⁹ The glory of young men is their strength,
    gray hair the splendor of the old.^(AQ)

³⁰ Blows and wounds scrub^(AR) away evil,
    and beatings^(AS) purge the inmost being.

⁵ And now the Lord says—
    he who formed me in the womb^(P) to be his servant
to bring Jacob back to him
    and gather Israel^(Q) to himself,
for I am^[a] honored^(R) in the eyes of the Lord
    and my God has been my strength^(S)—
⁶ he says:
“It is too small a thing for you to be my servant^(T)
    to restore the tribes of Jacob
    and bring back those of Israel I have kept.^(U)
I will also make you a light^(V) for the Gentiles,^(W)
    that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.”^(X)

⁷ This is what the Lord says—
    the Redeemer and Holy One of Israel^(Y)—
to him who was despised^(Z) and abhorred by the nation,
    to the servant of rulers:
“Kings^(AA) will see you and stand up,
    princes will see and bow down,^(AB)
because of the Lord, who is faithful,^(AC)
    the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen^(AD) you.”

“In the time of my favor^(AE) I will answer you,
    and in the day of salvation I will help you;^(AF)
I will keep^(AG) you and will make you
    to be a covenant for the people,^(AH)
to restore the land^(AI)
    and to reassign its desolate inheritances,^(AJ)
9 to say to the captives,^(AK) ‘Come out,’
    and to those in darkness,^(AL) ‘Be free!’

“They will feed beside the roads
    and find pasture on every barren hill.^(AM)
10 They will neither hunger nor thirst,^(AN)
    nor will the desert heat or the sun beat down on them.^(AO)
He who has compassion^(AP) on them will guide^(AQ) them
    and lead them beside springs^(AR) of water.
¹¹ I will turn all my mountains into roads,
    and my highways^(AS) will be raised up.^(AT)
12 See, they will come from afar^(AU)—
    some from the north, some from the west,^(AV)
    some from the region of Aswan.^[b]”

¹³ Shout for joy,^(AW) you heavens;
    rejoice, you earth;^(AX)
    burst into song, you mountains!^(AY)
For the Lord comforts^(AZ) his people
    and will have compassion^(BA) on his afflicted ones.^(BB)

¹⁴ But Zion^(BC) said, “The Lord has forsaken^(BD) me,
    the Lord has forgotten me.”

¹⁵ “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast
    and have no compassion on the child^(BE) she has borne?
Though she may forget,
    I will not forget you!^(BF)
16 See, I have engraved^(BG) you on the palms of my hands;
    your walls^(BH) are ever before me.
¹⁷ Your children hasten back,
    and those who laid you waste^(BI) depart from you.
¹⁸ Lift up your eyes and look around;
    all your children gather^(BJ) and come to you.
As surely as I live,^(BK)” declares the Lord,
    “you will wear^(BL) them all as ornaments;
    you will put them on, like a bride.

¹⁹ “Though you were ruined and made desolate^(BM)
    and your land laid waste,^(BN)
now you will be too small for your people,^(BO)
    and those who devoured^(BP) you will be far away.
²⁰ The children born during your bereavement
    will yet say in your hearing,
‘This place is too small for us;
    give us more space to live in.’^(BQ)
21 Then you will say in your heart,
    ‘Who bore me these?^(BR)
I was bereaved^(BS) and barren;
    I was exiled and rejected.^(BT)
    Who brought these^(BU) up?
I was left^(BV) all alone,^(BW)
    but these—where have they come from?’”

“See, I will beckon to the nations,
    I will lift up my banner^(BY) to the peoples;
they will bring^(BZ) your sons in their arms
    and carry your daughters on their hips.^(CA)
23 Kings^(CB) will be your foster fathers,
    and their queens your nursing mothers.^(CC)
They will bow down^(CD) before you with their faces to the ground;
    they will lick the dust^(CE) at your feet.
Then you will know that I am the Lord;^(CF)
    those who hope^(CG) in me will not be disappointed.^(CH)”

²⁴ Can plunder be taken from warriors,^(CI)
    or captives be rescued from the fierce^[c]?

“Yes, captives^(CJ) will be taken from warriors,^(CK)
    and plunder retrieved from the fierce;^(CL)
I will contend with those who contend with you,^(CM)
    and your children I will save.^(CN)
26 I will make your oppressors^(CO) eat^(CP) their own flesh;
    they will be drunk on their own blood,^(CQ) as with wine.
Then all mankind will know^(CR)
    that I, the Lord, am your Savior,^(CS)
    your Redeemer,^(CT) the Mighty One of Jacob.^(CU)”

“Where is your mother’s certificate of divorce^(CV)
    with which I sent her away?
Or to which of my creditors
    did I sell^(CW) you?
Because of your sins^(CX) you were sold;^(CY)
    because of your transgressions your mother was sent away.
² When I came, why was there no one?
    When I called, why was there no one to answer?^(CZ)
Was my arm too short^(DA) to deliver you?
    Do I lack the strength^(DB) to rescue you?
By a mere rebuke^(DC) I dry up the sea,^(DD)
    I turn rivers into a desert;^(DE)
their fish rot for lack of water
    and die of thirst.
³ I clothe the heavens with darkness^(DF)
    and make sackcloth^(DG) its covering.”