Proverbs 20
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
20 Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler,
and whoever is led astray by it is not wise.(A)
2 The dread anger of a king is like the growling of a lion;
anyone who provokes him to anger forfeits life itself.(B)
3 It is honorable to refrain from strife,
but every fool is quick to quarrel.(C)
4 The lazy person does not plow in season;
harvest comes, and there is nothing to be found.(D)
5 The purposes in the human mind are like deep water,
but the intelligent will draw them out.(E)
6 Many proclaim themselves loyal,
but who can find one worthy of trust?(F)
7 The righteous walk in integrity—
happy are the children who follow them!(G)
8 A king who sits on the throne of judgment
winnows all evil with his eyes.
9 Who can say, “I have made my heart clean;
I am pure from my sin”?(H)
10 Diverse weights and diverse measures
are both alike an abomination to the Lord.(I)
11 Even children make themselves known by their acts,
by whether what they do is pure and right.(J)
12 The hearing ear and the seeing eye—
the Lord has made them both.(K)
13 Do not love sleep, or else you will come to poverty;
open your eyes, and you will have plenty of bread.(L)
14 “Bad, bad,” says the buyer,
then goes away and boasts.
15 There is gold and abundance of costly stones,
but the lips informed by knowledge are a precious jewel.
16 Take the garment of one who has given surety for a stranger;
seize the pledge given as surety for foreigners.
17 Bread gained by deceit is sweet,
but afterward the mouth will be full of gravel.(M)
18 Plans are established by taking advice;
wage war by following wise guidance.(N)
19 A gossip reveals secrets;
therefore do not associate with a babbler.(O)
20 If you curse father or mother,
your lamp will go out in utter darkness.(P)
21 An estate quickly acquired in the beginning
will not be blessed in the end.(Q)
22 Do not say, “I will repay evil”;
wait for the Lord, and he will help you.(R)
23 Differing weights are an abomination to the Lord,
and false scales are not good.
24 All our steps are ordered by the Lord;
how then can we understand our own ways?(S)
25 It is a snare for one to say rashly, “It is holy,”
and begin to reflect only after making a vow.(T)
26 A wise king winnows the wicked
and drives the wheel over them.
27 The human spirit is the lamp of the Lord,
searching every inmost part.(U)
28 Loyalty and faithfulness preserve the king,
and his throne is upheld by righteousness.[a](V)
29 The glory of youths is their strength,
but the beauty of the aged is their gray hair.(W)
30 Blows that wound cleanse away evil;
beatings make clean the innermost parts.
Footnotes
- 20.28 Gk: Heb loyalty
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”
Proverbs 20
New International Version
2 A king’s wrath strikes terror like the roar of a lion;(E)
those who anger him forfeit their lives.(F)
5 The purposes of a person’s heart are deep waters,(K)
but one who has insight draws them out.
6 Many claim to have unfailing love,
but a faithful person who can find?(L)
10 Differing weights and differing measures—
the Lord detests them both.(S)
11 Even small children are known by their actions,
so is their conduct really pure(T) and upright?
12 Ears that hear and eyes that see—
the Lord has made them both.(U)
13 Do not love sleep or you will grow poor;(V)
stay awake and you will have food to spare.
14 “It’s no good, it’s no good!” says the buyer—
then goes off and boasts about the purchase.
15 Gold there is, and rubies in abundance,
but lips that speak knowledge are a rare jewel.
16 Take the garment of one who puts up security for a stranger;
hold it in pledge(W) if it is done for an outsider.(X)
18 Plans are established by seeking advice;
so if you wage war, obtain guidance.(AA)
19 A gossip betrays a confidence;(AB)
so avoid anyone who talks too much.
20 If someone curses their father or mother,(AC)
their lamp will be snuffed out in pitch darkness.(AD)
21 An inheritance claimed too soon
will not be blessed at the end.
22 Do not say, “I’ll pay you back for this wrong!”(AE)
Wait for the Lord, and he will avenge you.(AF)
23 The Lord detests differing weights,
and dishonest scales do not please him.(AG)
24 A person’s steps are directed(AH) by the Lord.(AI)
How then can anyone understand their own way?(AJ)
25 It is a trap to dedicate something rashly
and only later to consider one’s vows.(AK)
26 A wise king winnows out the wicked;
he drives the threshing wheel over them.(AL)
29 The glory of young men is their strength,
gray hair the splendor of the old.(AQ)
Footnotes
- Proverbs 20:27 Or A person’s words are
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