Proverbs 20:4-20

English Standard Version

^4 (A)The sluggard does not plow in the autumn;
    ^(B)he will seek at harvest and have nothing.
⁵ The purpose in a man's heart is like ^(C)deep water,
    but a man of understanding will draw it out.
⁶ Many a man ^(D)proclaims his own steadfast love,
    but ^(E)a faithful man who can find?
⁷ The righteous who ^(F)walks in his integrity—
    ^(G)blessed are his children after him!
^8 (H)A king who sits on the throne of judgment
    ^(I)winnows all evil with his eyes.
^9 (J)Who can say, “I have made my heart pure;
    I am clean from my sin”?
^10 (K)Unequal^[a] weights and unequal measures
    are both alike an abomination to the Lord.
¹¹ Even a child ^(L)makes himself known by his acts,
    by whether his conduct is pure and upright.^[b]
12 (M)The hearing ear and the seeing eye,
    ^(N)the Lord has made them both.
^13 (O)Love not sleep, lest you ^(P)come to poverty;
    open your eyes, and you will have ^(Q)plenty of bread.
¹⁴ “Bad, bad,” says the buyer,
    but when he goes away, then he boasts.
¹⁵ There is gold and abundance of ^(R)costly stones,
    ^(S)but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.
^16 (T)Take a man's garment when he has put up security for a stranger,
    and ^(U)hold it in pledge when he puts up security for foreigners.^[c]
17 (V)Bread gained by deceit is sweet to a man,
    but afterward his mouth will be full of ^(W)gravel.
^18 (X)Plans are established by counsel;
    by ^(Y)wise guidance ^(Z)wage war.
¹⁹ Whoever ^(AA)goes about slandering reveals secrets;
    therefore do not associate with ^(AB)a simple babbler.^[d]
20 (AC)If one curses his father or his mother,
    ^(AD)his lamp will be put out in utter darkness.