Proverbs 20
New Living Translation
20 Wine produces mockers; alcohol leads to brawls.
Those led astray by drink cannot be wise.
2 The king’s fury is like a lion’s roar;
to rouse his anger is to risk your life.
3 Avoiding a fight is a mark of honor;
only fools insist on quarreling.
4 Those too lazy to plow in the right season
will have no food at the harvest.
5 Though good advice lies deep within the heart,
a person with understanding will draw it out.
6 Many will say they are loyal friends,
but who can find one who is truly reliable?
7 The godly walk with integrity;
blessed are their children who follow them.
8 When a king sits in judgment, he weighs all the evidence,
distinguishing the bad from the good.
9 Who can say, “I have cleansed my heart;
I am pure and free from sin”?
10 False weights and unequal measures[a]—
the Lord detests double standards of every kind.
11 Even children are known by the way they act,
whether their conduct is pure, and whether it is right.
12 Ears to hear and eyes to see—
both are gifts from the Lord.
13 If you love sleep, you will end in poverty.
Keep your eyes open, and there will be plenty to eat!
14 The buyer haggles over the price, saying, “It’s worthless,”
then brags about getting a bargain!
15 Wise words are more valuable
than much gold and many rubies.
16 Get security from someone who guarantees a stranger’s debt.
Get a deposit if he does it for foreigners.[b]
17 Stolen bread tastes sweet,
but it turns to gravel in the mouth.
18 Plans succeed through good counsel;
don’t go to war without wise advice.
19 A gossip goes around telling secrets,
so don’t hang around with chatterers.
20 If you insult your father or mother,
your light will be snuffed out in total darkness.
21 An inheritance obtained too early in life
is not a blessing in the end.
22 Don’t say, “I will get even for this wrong.”
Wait for the Lord to handle the matter.
23 The Lord detests double standards;
he is not pleased by dishonest scales.
24 The Lord directs our steps,
so why try to understand everything along the way?
25 Don’t trap yourself by making a rash promise to God
and only later counting the cost.
26 A wise king scatters the wicked like wheat,
then runs his threshing wheel over them.
27 The Lord’s light penetrates the human spirit,[c]
exposing every hidden motive.
28 Unfailing love and faithfulness protect the king;
his throne is made secure through love.
29 The glory of the young is their strength;
the gray hair of experience is the splendor of the old.
30 Physical punishment cleanses away evil;[d]
such discipline purifies the heart.
Proverbs 20
Christian Standard Bible
2 A king’s terrible wrath is like the roaring of a lion;
anyone who provokes him endangers himself.(B)
4 The slacker does not plow during planting season;[b]
at harvest time he looks,[c] and there is nothing.(E)
5 Counsel in a person’s heart is deep water;(F)
but a person of understanding draws it out.
6 Many a person proclaims his own loyalty,
but who can find a trustworthy person?(G)
8 A king sitting on a throne to judge
separates out all evil with his eyes.(J)
9 Who can say, “I have kept my heart pure;
I am cleansed from my sin”?(K)
11 Even a young man is known by his actions—
by whether his behavior is pure and upright.(M)
12 The hearing ear and the seeing eye—
the Lord made them both.(N)
13 Don’t love sleep, or you will become poor;
open your eyes, and you’ll have enough to eat.(O)
14 “It’s worthless, it’s worthless!” the buyer says,
but after he is on his way, he gloats.
15 There is gold and a multitude of jewels,
but knowledgeable lips are a rare treasure.(P)
16 Take his garment,
for he has put up security for a stranger;
get collateral if it is for foreigners.(Q)
21 An inheritance gained prematurely
will not be blessed ultimately.(Z)
24 Even a courageous person’s steps are determined by the Lord,(AF)
so how can anyone understand his own way?
25 It is a trap for anyone to dedicate something rashly
and later to reconsider his vows.(AG)
28 Loyalty and faithfulness guard a king;
through loyalty he maintains his throne.
29 The glory of young men is their strength,
and the splendor of old men is gray hair.(AK)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.