Proverbs 20

1  a Wine is a mocker b strong drink a brawler,
and whoever c is led astray by it is not wise. ▼
▼ Or will not become wise

 2 The terror of a king is like e the growling of a lion;
whoever provokes him to anger f forfeits his life.
 3 It is an honor for a man to g keep aloof from strife,
but every fool will be quarreling.
 4  h The sluggard does not plow in the autumn;
i he will seek at harvest and have nothing.
 5 The purpose in a man’s heart is like j deep water,
but a man of understanding will draw it out.
 6 Many a man k proclaims his own steadfast love,
but l a faithful man who can find?
 7 The righteous who m walks in his integrity—
n blessed are his children after him!
 8  o A king who sits on the throne of judgment
p winnows all evil with his eyes.
 9  q Who can say, “I have made my heart pure;
I am clean from my sin”?
 10  r Unequal ▼
▼ Or Two kinds of; also verse 23
 weights and unequal measures
are both alike an abomination to the  Lord.
 11 Even a child t makes himself known by his acts,
by whether his conduct is pure and upright. ▼
▼ Or  Even a child can dissemble in his actions, though his conduct seems pure and upright

 12  v The hearing ear and the seeing eye,
w the  Lord has made them both.
 13  x Love not sleep, lest you y come to poverty;
open your eyes, and you will have z plenty of bread.
 14 “Bad, bad,” says the buyer,
but when he goes away, then he boasts.
 15 There is gold and abundance of aa costly stones,
ab but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.
 16  ac Take a man’s garment when he has put up security for a stranger,
and ad hold it in pledge when he puts up security for foreigners. ▼
▼ Or  for an adulteress (compare 27:13)

 17  af Bread gained by deceit is sweet to a man,
but afterward his mouth will be full of ag gravel.
 18  ah Plans are established by counsel;
by ai wise guidance aj wage war.
 19 Whoever ak goes about slandering reveals secrets;
therefore do not associate with al a simple babbler. ▼
▼ Hebrew  with one who is simple in his lips

 20  an If one curses his father or his mother,
ao his lamp will be put out in utter darkness.
 21  ap An inheritance gained hastily in the beginning
will not be blessed in the end.
 22 Do not say aq “I will repay evil”;
ar wait for the  Lord, and he will deliver you.
 23  as Unequal weights are an abomination to the  Lord,
and at false scales are not good.
 24 A man’s au 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 av after making vows.
 26 A wise king aw winnows the wicked
and drives ax the wheel over them.
 27  ay The spirit ▼
▼ Hebrew breath
 of man is the lamp of the  Lord,
ba searching all bb his innermost parts.
 28  bc Steadfast love and faithfulness preserve the king,
and by steadfast love his bd throne is upheld.
 29 The glory of young men is their strength,
but be the splendor of old men is their gray hair.
 30  bf Blows that wound cleanse away evil;
strokes make clean bg the innermost parts.
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