Proverbs 20
Modern English Version
20 Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging,
and whoever is deceived by it is not wise.
2 The terror of a king is as the roaring of a lion;
whoever provokes him to anger sins against his own soul.
3 It is an honor for a man to cease from strife,
but every fool will be meddling.
4 The sluggard will not plow because of the cold;
therefore he will beg during 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 everyone his own goodness,
but who can find a faithful man?
7 The just man walks in his integrity;
his children are blessed after him.
8 A king who sits on the throne of judgment
scatters away all evil with his eyes.
9 Who can say, “I have made my heart clean,
I am pure from my sin”?
10 Diverse weights and diverse measures,
both of them alike are an abomination to the Lord.
11 Even a child is known by his doings,
whether his work is pure and whether it is right.
12 The hearing ear and the seeing eye,
the Lord has made both of them.
13 Do not love sleep, lest you come to poverty;
open your eyes, and you will be satisfied with bread.
14 “It is bad, it is bad,” says the buyer;
but when he has gone his way, then he boasts.
15 There is gold and a multitude of rubies,
but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.
16 Take the garment of him who is a pledge for a stranger,
and hold it as a security when it is for a wayward woman.
17 Bread of deceit is sweet to a man,
but afterwards his mouth will be filled with gravel.
18 Every purpose is established by counsel,
and with good advice wage war.
19 He who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets;
therefore do not meddle with him who flatters with his lips.
20 Whoever curses his father or his mother,
his lamp will be put out in obscure darkness.
21 An inheritance may be gained hastily at the beginning,
but the end of it will not be blessed.
22 Do not say, “I will recompense evil”;
but wait on the Lord, and He will save you.
23 Diverse weights are an abomination to 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 dedicates rashly that which is holy,
and after the vows to make inquiry.
26 A wise king sifts out the wicked,
and drives the threshing wheel over them.
27 The spirit of man is the candle of the Lord,
searching all the inward parts of the heart.
28 Mercy and truth preserve the king,
and his throne is upheld by mercy.
29 The glory of young men is their strength,
and the beauty of old men is the gray head.
30 The blows of a wound cleanse away evil,
so do stripes the inward parts of the heart.
Proverbs 20
American Standard Version
20 Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler;
And whosoever [a]erreth thereby is not wise.
2 The terror of a king is as the roaring of a lion:
He that [b]provoketh him to anger sinneth against his own [c]life.
3 It is an honor for a man to [d]keep aloof from strife;
But every fool will be quarrelling.
4 The sluggard will not plow by reason of the winter;
[e]Therefore he shall 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 [f]Most men will proclaim every one his own kindness;
But a faithful man who can find?
7 A righteous man that walketh in his integrity,
Blessed are his children after him.
8 A king that sitteth on the throne of judgment
[g]Scattereth away all evil with his eyes.
9 Who can say, I have made my heart clean,
I am pure from my sin?
10 [h]Diverse weights, and diverse measures,
Both of them alike are an abomination to Jehovah.
11 Even a child maketh himself known by his doings,
Whether his work be pure, and whether it be right.
12 The hearing ear, and the seeing eye,
Jehovah 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 bad, it is bad, saith the buyer;
But when he is gone his way, then he boasteth.
15 There is gold, and abundance of rubies;
But the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.
16 Take his garment that is surety for a stranger;
And [i]hold him in pledge that is surety for [j]foreigners.
17 Bread of falsehood is sweet to a man;
But afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.
18 Every purpose is established by counsel;
And by wise guidance make thou war.
19 He that goeth about as a tale-bearer revealeth secrets;
Therefore company not with him that openeth wide his lips.
20 Whoso curseth his father or his mother,
His lamp shall be put out in blackness of 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:
Wait for Jehovah, and he will save thee.
23 Diverse weights are an abomination to Jehovah;
And [k]a false balance is not good.
24 A man’s goings are of Jehovah;
How then can man understand his way?
25 It is a snare to a man [l]rashly to say, It is holy,
And after vows to make inquiry.
26 A wise king winnoweth the wicked,
And bringeth the threshing-wheel over them.
27 The spirit of man is the lamp of Jehovah,
Searching all his innermost parts.
28 Kindness and truth preserve the king;
And [m]his throne is upholden by kindness.
29 The glory of young men is their strength;
And the beauty of old men is the hoary head.
30 Stripes that wound cleanse away evil;
And strokes reach the innermost parts.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 20:1 Or, reeleth
- Proverbs 20:2 Or, angereth himself against him
- Proverbs 20:2 Hebrew soul.
- Proverbs 20:3 Or, cease
- Proverbs 20:4 Or, Therefore when he seeketh in harvest, there shall be nothing
- Proverbs 20:6 Or, Many a man will meet one that is kind to him
- Proverbs 20:8 Or, Winnoweth
- Proverbs 20:10 Hebrew A stone and a stone, an ephah and an ephah.
- Proverbs 20:16 Or, take a pledge of him
- Proverbs 20:16 Another reading is, a foreign woman.
- Proverbs 20:23 Hebrew a balance of deceit.
- Proverbs 20:25 Or, rashly to utter holy words. Or, to devour that which is holy
- Proverbs 20:28 Or, he upholdeth his throne
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.
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