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
Names of God Bible
20 Wine makes people mock,
liquor makes them noisy,
and everyone under their influence is unwise.
2 The rage of a king is like the roar of a lion.
Whoever makes him angry forfeits his life.
3 Avoiding a quarrel is honorable.
After all, any stubborn fool can start a fight.
4 A lazy person does not plow in the fall.[a]
He looks for something in the harvest but finds nothing.
5 A motive in the human heart is like deep water,
and a person who has understanding draws it out.
6 Many people declare themselves loyal,
but who can find someone who is really trustworthy?
7 A righteous person lives on the basis of his integrity.
Blessed are his children after he is gone.
8 A king who sits on his throne to judge sifts out every evil with his eyes.
9 Who can say,
“I’ve made my heart pure.
I’m cleansed from my sin”?
10 A double standard of weights and measures—
both are disgusting to Yahweh.
11 Even a child makes himself known by his actions,
whether his deeds are pure or right.
12 The ear that hears,
the eye that sees—
Yahweh made them both.
13 Do not love sleep or you will end up poor.
Keep your eyes open, and you will have plenty to eat.
14 “Bad! Bad!” says the buyer.
Then, as he goes away, he brags about his bargain.
15 There are gold and plenty of jewels,
but the lips of knowledge are precious gems.
16 Hold on to the garment of one who guarantees a stranger’s loan,
and hold responsible the person who makes a loan on behalf of a foreigner.
17 Food gained dishonestly tastes sweet to a person,
but afterwards his mouth will be filled with gravel.
18 Plans are confirmed by getting advice,
and with guidance one wages war.
19 Whoever goes around as a gossip tells secrets.
Do not associate with a person whose mouth is always open.
20 The lamp of the person who curses his father and mother
will be snuffed out in total darkness.[b]
21 An inheritance quickly obtained in the beginning
will never be blessed in the end.
22 Do not say, “I’ll get even with you!”
Wait for Yahweh, and he will save you.
23 A double standard of weights is disgusting to Yahweh,
and dishonest scales are no good.
24 Yahweh is the one who directs a person’s steps.
How then can anyone understand his own way?
25 It is a trap for a person to say impulsively, “This is a holy offering!”
and later to have second thoughts about those vows.
26 A wise king scatters the wicked
and then runs them over.
27 A person’s soul is Yahweh’s lamp.
It searches his entire innermost being.
28 Mercy and truth protect a king,
and with mercy he maintains his throne.
29 While the glory of young men is their strength,
the splendor of older people is their silver hair.
30 Brutal beatings cleanse away wickedness.
Such beatings cleanse the innermost being.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 20:4 Fall was the start of the planting season in Palestine.
- Proverbs 20:20 Or “snuffed out as darkness approaches.”
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1946, 1952, and 1971 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The Names of God Bible (without notes) © 2011 by Baker Publishing Group.