Proverbs 20:1-12 New American Standard Bible
On Life and Conduct
20 (A)Wine is a mocker, (B)intoxicating drink a brawler,
And whoever [a]is intoxicated by it is not wise.
2 The terror of a king is like the roaring of a lion;
One who provokes him to anger [b](C)forfeits his own life.
3 (D)Avoiding strife is an honor for a person,
But any fool will [c]quarrel.
4 The [d](E)lazy one does not plow after the autumn,
So he [e]begs during the harvest and has nothing.
5 A plan in the heart of a person is like deep water,
But a person of understanding draws it out.
6 Many a person (F)proclaims his own loyalty,
But who can find a (G)trustworthy person?
7 A righteous person who (H)walks in his integrity—
(I)How blessed are his sons after him.
8 (J)A king who sits on the throne of justice
[f]Disperses all evil with his eyes.
9 (K)Who can say, “I have cleansed my heart,
I am pure from my sin”?
10 [g](L)Differing weights and differing measures,
Both of them are abominable to the Lord.
11 It is by his deeds that a boy [h](M)distinguishes himself,
If his conduct is pure and right.
12 The hearing (N)ear and the seeing eye,
The Lord has made both of them.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 20:1 Lit errs
- Proverbs 20:2 Lit sins against
- Proverbs 20:3 Lit burst out
- Proverbs 20:4 Lit idle
- Proverbs 20:4 Lit asks
- Proverbs 20:8 Or Sifts
- Proverbs 20:10 Lit A stone and a stone, an ephah and an ephah
- Proverbs 20:11 Or makes himself known
Cross references
- Proverbs 20:1 : Gen 9:21; Prov 23:29, 30; Is 28:7; Hos 4:11
- Proverbs 20:1 : Prov 31:4; Is 5:22; 56:12
- Proverbs 20:2 : Num 16:38; 1 Kin 2:23; Prov 8:36; Hab 2:10
- Proverbs 20:3 : Gen 13:7f; Prov 17:14
- Proverbs 20:4 : Prov 13:4; 21:25
- Proverbs 20:6 : Prov 25:14; Matt 6:2; Luke 18:11
- Proverbs 20:6 : Ps 12:1; Luke 18:8
- Proverbs 20:7 : Prov 19:1
- Proverbs 20:7 : Ps 37:26; 112:2
- Proverbs 20:8 : Prov 20:26; 25:5
- Proverbs 20:9 : 1 Kin 8:46; 2 Chr 6:36; Job 14:4; Eccl 7:20; Rom 3:9; 1 John 1:8
- Proverbs 20:10 : Prov 11:1; 20:23
- Proverbs 20:11 : Matt 7:16
- Proverbs 20:12 : Ex 4:11; Ps 94:9
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
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