Proverbs 20
Revised Standard Version
20 Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler;
and whoever is led astray by it is not wise.
2 The dread wrath of a king is like the growling of a lion;
he who provokes him to anger forfeits his life.
3 It is an honor for a man to keep aloof from strife;
but every fool will be quarreling.
4 The sluggard does not plow in the autumn;
he will seek at harvest and have nothing.
5 The purpose in a man’s mind is like deep water,
but a man of understanding will draw it out.
6 Many a man proclaims his own loyalty,
but a faithful man who can find?
7 A righteous man who walks in his integrity—
blessed are his sons after him!
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”?
10 Diverse weights and diverse measures
are both alike an abomination to the Lord.
11 Even a child makes himself known by his acts,
whether what he does is pure and right.
12 The hearing ear and the seeing eye,
the Lord has made them both.
13 Love not sleep, lest you come to poverty;
open your eyes, and you will have plenty of bread.
14 “It is bad, it is bad,” says the buyer;
but when he goes away, then he boasts.
15 There is gold, and abundance of costly stones;
but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.
16 Take a man’s garment when he has given surety for a stranger,
and hold him in pledge when he gives surety for foreigners.
17 Bread gained by deceit is sweet to a man,
but afterward his mouth will be full of gravel.
18 Plans are established by counsel;
by wise guidance wage war.
19 He who goes about gossiping reveals secrets;
therefore do not associate with one who speaks foolishly.
20 If one curses his father or his mother,
his lamp will be put out in utter darkness.
21 An inheritance gotten hastily in the beginning
will in the end not be blessed.
22 Do not say, “I will repay evil”;
wait for the Lord, and he will help you.
23 Diverse weights are an abomination to the Lord,
and false scales are not good.
24 A man’s steps are ordered by the Lord;
how then can man understand his way?
25 It is a snare for a man to say rashly, “It is holy,”
and to reflect only after making his vows.
26 A wise king winnows the wicked,
and drives the wheel over them.
27 The spirit of man is the lamp of the Lord,
searching all his innermost parts.
28 Loyalty and faithfulness preserve the king,
and his throne is upheld by righteousness.[a]
29 The glory of young men is their strength,
but the beauty of old men is their gray hair.
30 Blows that wound cleanse away evil;
strokes make clean the innermost parts.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 20:28 Gk: Heb loyalty
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
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