Proverbs 20
Legacy Standard Bible
Hope in Yahweh and He Will Save You
20 (A)Wine is a mocker, (B)strong drink a brawler,
And whoever is led astray by it is not wise.
2 The terror of a king is like the roar of a lion;
He who provokes him to anger (C)sins against his own soul.
3 It is a glory for a man to (D)cease quarreling,
But any ignorant fool will break out in dispute.
4 The (E)sluggard does not plow from winter on,
So he [a]begs during the harvest and has nothing.
5 Counsel in the heart of a man is like deep water,
But a man of discernment draws it out.
6 Many a man will (F)call out his own lovingkindness,
But a (G)faithful man, who can find?
7 A righteous man 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
[b]Disperses all evil with his eyes.
9 (K)Who can say, “I have kept my heart pure,
I am clean from my sin”?
10 [c](L)Differing weights and differing measures,
Both of them are an abomination to Yahweh.
11 It is by his deeds that a young man (M)makes himself known
If his conduct is pure and right.
12 The hearing (N)ear and the seeing eye,
Yahweh has made both of them.
13 (O)Do not love sleep, lest you become poor;
Open your eyes, and you will be satisfied with [d]food.
14 “Bad, bad,” says the buyer,
But when he goes his way, then he boasts.
15 There is gold, and an abundance of pearls;
But the lips of knowledge are a more precious vessel.
16 Take his garment when he becomes a guarantor for a stranger;
And for foreigners, hold him in pledge.
17 (P)Bread obtained by lying is sweet to a man,
But afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel.
18 [e](Q)Thoughts are established by counsel,
So (R)make war by guidance.
19 He who (S)goes about as a slanderer reveals secrets,
Therefore do not associate with [f](T)one of loose lips.
20 He who (U)curses his father or his mother,
His (V)lamp will go out in the [g]midst of darkness.
21 An inheritance gained hurriedly at the beginning
In the end will not be blessed.
22 (W)Do not say, “I will repay evil”;
(X)Hope in Yahweh, and He will save you.
23 [h](Y)Differing weights are an abomination to Yahweh,
And a (Z)deceitful balance is not good.
24 (AA)The steps of a man are from Yahweh,
How then can man understand his way?
25 It is a trap for a man to say rashly, “It is holy!”
And (AB)after the vows to make inquiry.
26 A (AC)wise king winnows the wicked,
And turns the (AD)threshing wheel over them.
27 The [i](AE)breath of man is the lamp of Yahweh,
Searching all the [j]innermost parts of his body.
28 Lovingkindness and (AF)truth will guard the king,
And he upholds his throne by lovingkindness.
29 The honor of young men is their strength,
And the [k](AG)majesty of old men is their gray hair.
30 (AH)Stripes that wound scour away evil,
And strokes reach the [l]innermost parts of the body.
Footnotes
- 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 20:13 Lit bread
- Proverbs 20:18 Or Plans
- Proverbs 20:19 Lit one who opens his lips
- Proverbs 20:20 Lit pupil (of the eye)
- Proverbs 20:23 Lit A stone and a stone
- Proverbs 20:27 Or what a man breathes out
- Proverbs 20:27 Lit chambers of the stomach
- Proverbs 20:29 Or splendor
- Proverbs 20:30 Lit chambers of the stomach
Proverbs 20
English Standard Version
20 (A)Wine is a mocker, (B)strong drink a brawler,
and whoever (C)is led astray by it is not wise.[a]
2 The terror of a king is like (D)the growling of a lion;
whoever provokes him to anger (E)forfeits his life.
3 It is an honor for a man to (F)keep aloof from strife,
but every fool will be quarreling.
4 (G)The sluggard does not plow in the autumn;
(H)he will seek at harvest and have nothing.
5 The purpose in a man's heart is like (I)deep water,
but a man of understanding will draw it out.
6 Many a man (J)proclaims his own steadfast love,
but (K)a faithful man who can find?
7 The righteous who (L)walks in his integrity—
(M)blessed are his children after him!
8 (N)A king who sits on the throne of judgment
(O)winnows all evil with his eyes.
9 (P)Who can say, “I have made my heart pure;
I am clean from my sin”?
10 (Q)Unequal[b] weights and unequal measures
are both alike an abomination to the Lord.
11 Even a child (R)makes himself known by his acts,
by whether his conduct is pure and upright.[c]
12 (S)The hearing ear and the seeing eye,
(T)the Lord has made them both.
13 (U)Love not sleep, lest you (V)come to poverty;
open your eyes, and you will have (W)plenty of bread.
14 “Bad, bad,” says the buyer,
but when he goes away, then he boasts.
15 There is gold and abundance of (X)costly stones,
(Y)but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.
16 (Z)Take a man's garment when he has put up security for a stranger,
and (AA)hold it in pledge when he puts up security for foreigners.[d]
17 (AB)Bread gained by deceit is sweet to a man,
but afterward his mouth will be full of (AC)gravel.
18 (AD)Plans are established by counsel;
by (AE)wise guidance (AF)wage war.
19 Whoever (AG)goes about slandering reveals secrets;
therefore do not associate with (AH)a simple babbler.[e]
20 (AI)If one curses his father or his mother,
(AJ)his lamp will be put out in utter darkness.
21 (AK)An inheritance gained hastily in the beginning
will not be blessed in the end.
22 Do not say, (AL)“I will repay evil”;
(AM)wait for the Lord, and he will deliver you.
23 (AN)Unequal weights are an abomination to the Lord,
and (AO)false scales are not good.
24 A man's (AP)steps are from the Lord;
how then can man understand his way?
25 It is a snare to say rashly, “It is holy,”
and to reflect only (AQ)after making vows.
26 A wise king (AR)winnows the wicked
and drives (AS)the wheel over them.
27 (AT)The spirit[f] of man is the lamp of the Lord,
(AU)searching all (AV)his innermost parts.
28 (AW)Steadfast love and faithfulness preserve the king,
and by steadfast love his (AX)throne is upheld.
29 The glory of young men is their strength,
but (AY)the splendor of old men is their gray hair.
30 (AZ)Blows that wound cleanse away evil;
strokes make clean (BA)the innermost parts.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 20:1 Or will not become wise
- Proverbs 20:10 Or Two kinds of; also verse 23
- Proverbs 20:11 Or Even a child can dissemble in his actions, though his conduct seems pure and upright
- Proverbs 20:16 Or for an adulteress (compare 27:13)
- Proverbs 20:19 Hebrew with one who is simple in his lips
- Proverbs 20:27 Hebrew breath
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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
