Proverbs 20
1 Wine [is] a mocker, strong drink [is] raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.
Wine makes men foolish, and strong drink makes men come to blows; and whoever comes into error through these is not wise.
2 The fear of a king [is] as the roaring of a lion: [whoso] provoketh him to anger sinneth [against] his own soul.
The wrath of a king is like the loud cry of a lion: he who makes him angry does wrong against himself.
3 [It is] an honour for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling.
It is an honour for a man to keep from fighting, but the foolish are ever at war.
4 The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; [therefore] shall he beg in harvest, and [have] nothing.
The hater of work will not do his ploughing because of the winter; so at the time of grain-cutting he will be requesting food and will get nothing.
5 Counsel in the heart of man [is like] deep water; but a man of understanding will draw it out.
The purpose in the heart of a man is like deep water, but a man of good sense will get it out.
6 Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find?
Most men make no secret of their kind acts: but where is a man of good faith to be seen?
7 The just [man] walketh in his integrity: his children [are] blessed after him.
An upright man goes on in his righteousness: happy are his children after him!
8 A king that sitteth in the throne of judgment scattereth away all evil with his eyes.
A king on the seat of judging puts to flight all evil with his eyes.
9 Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?
Who is able to say, I have made my heart clean, I am free from my sin?
10 Divers weights, [and] divers measures, both of them [are] alike abomination to the LORD.
Unequal weights and unequal measures, they are all disgusting to the Lord.
11 Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work [be] pure, and whether [it be] right.
Even a child may be judged by his doings, if his work is free from sin and if it is right.
12 The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the LORD hath made even both of them.
The hearing ear and the seeing eye are equally the Lord's work.
13 Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, [and] thou shalt be satisfied with bread.
Do not be a lover of sleep, or you will become poor: keep your eyes open, and you will have bread enough.
14 [It is] naught, [it is] naught, saith the buyer: but when he is gone his way, then he boasteth.
A poor thing, a poor thing, says he who is giving money for goods: but when he has gone on his way, then he makes clear his pride in what he has got.
15 There is gold, and a multitude of rubies: but the lips of knowledge [are] a precious jewel.
There is gold and a store of corals: but the lips of knowledge are a jewel of great price.
16 Take his garment that is surety [for] a stranger: and take a pledge of him for a strange woman.
Take a man's clothing if he makes himself responsible for a strange man, and get an undertaking from him who gives his word for strange men.
17 Bread of deceit [is] sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.
Bread of deceit is sweet to a man; but after, his mouth will be full of sand.
18 [Every] purpose is established by counsel: and with good advice make war.
Every purpose is put into effect by wise help: and by wise guiding make war.
19 He that goeth about [as] a talebearer revealeth secrets: therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips.
He who goes about talking of the business of others gives away secrets: so have nothing to do with him whose lips are open wide.
20 Whoso curseth his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in obscure darkness.
If anyone puts a curse on his father or his mother, his light will be put out in the blackest night.
21 An inheritance [may be] gotten hastily at the beginning; but the end thereof shall not be blessed.
A heritage may be got quickly at first, but the end of it will not be a blessing.
22 Say not thou, I will recompense evil; [but] wait on the LORD, and he shall save thee.
Do not say, I will give punishment for evil: go on waiting for the Lord, and he will be your saviour.
23 Divers weights [are] an abomination unto the LORD; and a false balance [is] not good.
Unequal weights are disgusting to the Lord, and false scales are not good.
24 Man’s goings [are] of the LORD; how can a man then understand his own way?
A man's steps are of the Lord; how then may a man have knowledge of his way?
25 [It is] a snare to the man [who] devoureth [that which is] holy, and after vows to make enquiry.
It is a danger to a man to say without thought, It is holy, and, after taking his oaths, to be questioning if it is necessary to keep them.
26 A wise king scattereth the wicked, and bringeth the wheel over them.
A wise king puts evil-doers to flight, and makes their evil-doing come back on them.
27 The spirit of man [is] the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of the belly.
The Lord keeps watch over the spirit of man, searching all the deepest parts of the body.
28 Mercy and truth preserve the king: and his throne is upholden by mercy.
Mercy and good faith keep the king safe, and the seat of his power is based on upright acts.
29 The glory of young men [is] their strength: and the beauty of old men [is] the gray head.
The glory of young men is their strength, and the honour of old men is their grey hairs.
30 The blueness of a wound cleanseth away evil: so [do] stripes the inward parts of the belly.
By the wounds of the rod evil is taken away, and blows make clean the deepest parts of the body.
