Proverbs 19:15-20:16

English Standard Version

^15 (A)Slothfulness casts into ^(B)a deep sleep,
    and ^(C)an idle person will suffer hunger.
¹⁶ Whoever ^(D)keeps the commandment keeps his life;
    he who despises his ways will die.
^17 (E)Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord,
    and he ^(F)will repay him for his ^(G)deed.
^18 (H)Discipline your son, for there is hope;
    do not set your heart on ^(I)putting him to death.
¹⁹ A man of great wrath will pay the penalty,
    for if you deliver him, you will only have to do it again.
²⁰ Listen to advice and accept instruction,
    that you may gain wisdom in ^(J)the future.
^21 (K)Many are the plans in the mind of a man,
    but ^(L)it is the purpose of the Lord ^(M)that will stand.
²² What is desired in a man is steadfast love,
    and a poor man is better than a liar.
²³ The fear of the Lord ^(N)leads to life,
    and whoever has it rests ^(O)satisfied;
    he will ^(P)not be visited by harm.
^24 (Q)The sluggard buries his hand in ^(R)the dish
    and will not even bring it back to his mouth.
^25 (S)Strike ^(T)a scoffer, and the simple will ^(U)learn prudence;
    ^(V)reprove a man of understanding, and he will gain knowledge.
²⁶ He who does violence to his father and chases away his mother
    is ^(W)a son who brings shame and reproach.
²⁷ Cease to hear instruction, my son,
    ^(X)and you will stray from the words of knowledge.
²⁸ A worthless witness mocks at justice,
    and the mouth of the wicked ^(Y)devours iniquity.
²⁹ Condemnation is ready for ^(Z)scoffers,
    and ^(AA)beating for the backs of fools.
20 ^(AB)Wine is a mocker, ^(AC)strong drink a brawler,
    and whoever ^(AD)is led astray by it is not wise.^[a]
2 The terror of a king is like ^(AE)the growling of a lion;
    whoever provokes him to anger ^(AF)forfeits his life.
³ It is an honor for a man to ^(AG)keep aloof from strife,
    but every fool will be quarreling.
^4 (AH)The sluggard does not plow in the autumn;
    ^(AI)he will seek at harvest and have nothing.
⁵ The purpose in a man's heart is like ^(AJ)deep water,
    but a man of understanding will draw it out.
⁶ Many a man ^(AK)proclaims his own steadfast love,
    but ^(AL)a faithful man who can find?
⁷ The righteous who ^(AM)walks in his integrity—
    ^(AN)blessed are his children after him!
^8 (AO)A king who sits on the throne of judgment
    ^(AP)winnows all evil with his eyes.
^9 (AQ)Who can say, “I have made my heart pure;
    I am clean from my sin”?
^10 (AR)Unequal^[b] weights and unequal measures
    are both alike an abomination to the Lord.
¹¹ Even a child ^(AS)makes himself known by his acts,
    by whether his conduct is pure and upright.^[c]
12 (AT)The hearing ear and the seeing eye,
    ^(AU)the Lord has made them both.
^13 (AV)Love not sleep, lest you ^(AW)come to poverty;
    open your eyes, and you will have ^(AX)plenty of bread.
¹⁴ “Bad, bad,” says the buyer,
    but when he goes away, then he boasts.
¹⁵ There is gold and abundance of ^(AY)costly stones,
    ^(AZ)but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.
^16 (BA)Take a man's garment when he has put up security for a stranger,
    and ^(BB)hold it in pledge when he puts up security for foreigners.^[d]