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
Lexham English Bible
20 Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler,
and any who go astray by it are not wise.
2 Roaring like the lion is the dreaded anger of a king;
he who provokes him forfeits his life.[a]
3 It is honorable for the man to refrain from strife,
but every fool will be quick to quarrel.
4 The lazy person will not plow in season;
he will expect at the harvest, but there will be nothing.
5 Deep waters are like purpose in the heart[b] of a man,
and a man of understanding will draw it[c] out.
6 Many a person will proclaim his loyalty for himself,
but a man who is trustworthy, who can find?
7 He who walks in his integrity is righteous;
happy are his children who follow him.
8 A king who sits on the throne of judgment
winnows all evil with his eyes.
9 Who will say “I have made my heart[d] clean;
I am pure from my sin”?
10 Stone and stone, measure and measure,
both of them[e] are an abomination of Yahweh.
11 Even by his acts, a young man[f] will make himself known,
whether his acts are pure and upright.
12 The ear that hears and the eye that sees,
Yahweh has made them both.[g]
13 Do not love sleep, lest you become poor;
open your eyes and have plenty bread.
14 “Bad, bad,” the buyer will say,
but when one goes to him, then he will boast.
15 There is gold and many costly stones,
but precious jewels are lips of knowledge.
16 Take his garment, for he has given security to a stranger,
and on behalf of a foreigner—take it as pledge.
17 Bread gained by deceit is sweet for the man,
but afterward, his mouth will be filled with gravel.
18 A plan[h] will be established by advice,
and with guidance make war.
19 He reveals a secret, he who walks about with gossip,
and do not associate with a babbler’s lips.
20 He who curses his father and his mother,
his lamp will be extinguished in the midst of darkness.[i]
21 An inheritance acquired hastily at the beginning[j]
will not be blessed at its end.
22 Do not say “I will repay evil”;
wait for Yahweh and he will deliver you.
23 An abomination of Yahweh is a stone and a weight,[k]
and scales of falsehood are not good.
24 Away from Yahweh are the steps of a strong man,
and how will humankind understand his ways?
25 It is a snare to humankind to say rashly “It is holy,”
and after vows, to scrutinize.
26 A wise king winnows the wicked,
and he will drive a wheel over them.
27 The lamp of Yahweh is the spirit[l] of humankind,
he who searches every innermost part.[m]
28 Loyalty and faithfulness will preserve a king,
and he is upheld with the righteousness of his throne.
29 The glory of young men is their strength,[n]
but the beauty of the aged is gray hair.
30 The blows of a wound will cleanse evil,
as will[o] beatings of the innermost part.[p]
Footnotes
- Proverbs 20:2 Or “soul,” or “inner self”
- Proverbs 20:5 Or “mind”
- Proverbs 20:5 Or “her”; referring to “purpose”
- Proverbs 20:9 Or “mind”
- Proverbs 20:10 Literally “also the two of them”
- Proverbs 20:11 Or “young boy,” or “adolescent”
- Proverbs 20:12 Literally “also the two of them”
- Proverbs 20:18 Hebrew “plans”
- Proverbs 20:20 Literally “in a pupil of darkness”
- Proverbs 20:21 Literally “at the first”
- Proverbs 20:23 Literally “a stone and a stone”
- Proverbs 20:27 Or “soul”
- Proverbs 20:27 Literally “parts of the inmost”
- Proverbs 20:29 Or “strengthens them”
- Proverbs 20:30 Hebrew “and”
- Proverbs 20:30 Literally “parts of the inmost”
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.
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