Proverbs 20:14-30

English Standard Version

¹⁴ “Bad, bad,” says the buyer,
    but when he goes away, then he boasts.
¹⁵ There is gold and abundance of ^(A)costly stones,
    ^(B)but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.
^16 (C)Take a man's garment when he has put up security for a stranger,
    and ^(D)hold it in pledge when he puts up security for foreigners.^[a]
17 (E)Bread gained by deceit is sweet to a man,
    but afterward his mouth will be full of ^(F)gravel.
^18 (G)Plans are established by counsel;
    by ^(H)wise guidance ^(I)wage war.
¹⁹ Whoever ^(J)goes about slandering reveals secrets;
    therefore do not associate with ^(K)a simple babbler.^[b]
20 (L)If one curses his father or his mother,
    ^(M)his lamp will be put out in utter darkness.
^21 (N)An inheritance gained hastily in the beginning
    will not be blessed in the end.
²² Do not say, ^(O)“I will repay evil”;
    ^(P)wait for the Lord, and he will deliver you.
^23 (Q)Unequal weights are an abomination to the Lord,
    and ^(R)false scales are not good.
²⁴ A man's ^(S)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 ^(T)after making vows.
²⁶ A wise king ^(U)winnows the wicked
    and drives ^(V)the wheel over them.
^27 (W)The spirit^[c] of man is the lamp of the Lord,
    ^(X)searching all ^(Y)his innermost parts.
^28 (Z)Steadfast love and faithfulness preserve the king,
    and by steadfast love his ^(AA)throne is upheld.
²⁹ The glory of young men is their strength,
    but ^(AB)the splendor of old men is their gray hair.
^30 (AC)Blows that wound cleanse away evil;
    strokes make clean ^(AD)the innermost parts.