Proverbs 20
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.
13 (O)Do not love sleep, or you will become poor;
Open your eyes, and you will be satisfied with [i]food.
14 “Bad, bad,” says the buyer,
But when he goes his way, then he boasts.
15 There is gold, and an abundance of [j]jewels;
But lips of knowledge are a more precious thing.
16 Take his garment when he becomes guarantor for a stranger;
And for foreigners, seize a pledge from him.
17 (P)Bread obtained by a lie is sweet to a person,
But afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel.
18 Prepare (Q)plans by consultation,
And (R)make war by wise guidance.
19 One who (S)goes about as a slanderer reveals secrets;
Therefore do not associate with [k](T)a gossip.
20 He who (U)curses his father or his mother,
His (V)lamp will go out in time of darkness.
21 An inheritance gained in a hurry at the beginning
Will not be blessed in the end.
22 (W)Do not say, “I will repay evil”;
(X)Wait for the Lord, and He will save you.
23 [l](Y)Differing weights are an abomination to the Lord,
And a [m](Z)false scale is not good.
24 (AA)A man’s steps are ordained by the Lord;
How then can a person understand his way?
25 It is a trap for a person to say carelessly, “It is holy!”
And (AB)after the vows to make inquiry.
26 A (AC)wise king scatters the wicked,
And [n]drives a (AD)threshing wheel over them.
27 The [o](AE)spirit of a person is the lamp of the Lord,
Searching all the [p]innermost parts of his being.
28 [q]Loyalty and (AF)truth watch over the king,
And he upholds his throne by [r]loyalty.
29 The glory of young men is their strength,
And the [s](AG)honor of old men is their gray hair.
30 (AH)Bruising wounds clean away evil,
And blows cleanse the [t]innermost parts.
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
- Proverbs 20:13 Lit bread
- Proverbs 20:15 Or corals
- Proverbs 20:19 Lit one who opens his lips
- Proverbs 20:23 Lit A stone and a stone
- Proverbs 20:23 Lit balance of deceit
- Proverbs 20:26 Lit turns
- Proverbs 20:27 Lit breath
- Proverbs 20:27 Lit chambers of the body
- Proverbs 20:28 I.e., covenant loyalty
- Proverbs 20:28 I.e., covenant loyalty
- Proverbs 20:29 Or splendor
- Proverbs 20:30 Lit chambers of the body
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
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
