Proverbs 20

1 Wine is a mocker and strong drink is a brawler; whoever is led astray by drink is not wise.

Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whoever is deceived thereby is not wise.

2 The fear of a king is like the fear of a young lion that is roaring; the one who makes him angry forfeits his life.

The fear of a king is as the roaring of a lion: whoever provokes him to anger sins against his own soul.

3 It is an honor for anyone to avoid conflict, but every fool jumps into an argument.

It is an honor for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling.

4 The lazy person does not plow in autumn; he seeks a crop at harvest time but will have nothing.

The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing.

5 The purpose in a human heart is like deep water, but someone with understanding will draw it out.

Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water; but a man of understanding will draw it out.

6 Many a person proclaims he is loyal, but who can find one who is faithful?

Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find?

7 The righteous person walks in his integrity, and his sons who follow after him will be blessed.

The just man walks in his integrity: his children are blessed after him.

8 A king who sits on the throne performing the duties of a judge is winnowing with his eyes all the evil that is before him.

A king that sits in the throne of judgment scatters away all evil with his eyes.

9 Who can say, “I have kept my heart pure; I am clean from my sin”?

Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?

10 Differing weights and unequal measures— Yahweh hates them both.

Divers weights, and divers measures, both of them are alike abomination to the LORD.

11 Even a youth is known by his actions, by whether his conduct is pure and upright.

Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right.

12 Ears that hear and eyes that see— Yahweh made them both.

The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the LORD has made even both of them.

13 Do not love sleep or you will come to poverty; open your eyes and you will have plenty to eat.

Love not sleep, lest you come to poverty; open your eyes, and you shall be satisfied with bread.

14 “Bad! Bad!” says the buyer, but when he goes away he boasts.

It is naught, it is naught, says the buyer: but when he is gone his way, then he boasts.

15 There is gold and an abundance of costly stones, but lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.

There is gold, and a multitude of rubies: but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.

16 Take a garment of one who has put up security for a stranger, and hold it in pledge when he puts up security for an immoral woman.

Take his garment that is surety for a stranger: and take a pledge of him for a strange woman.

17 Bread gained by deceit tastes sweet, but afterward his mouth will be full of gravel.

Bread of deceit is sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.

18 Plans are established by advice and only with wise guidance should you wage war.

Every purpose is established by counsel: and with good advice make war.

19 A gossip reveals secrets and so you should not associate with people who talk too much.

He that goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets: therefore meddle not with him that flatters with his lips.

20 If a person curses his father or his mother, his lamp will be snuffed out in the middle of darkness.

Whoever curses his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in obscure darkness.

21 An inheritance gained quickly at the beginning will do less good in the end.

An inheritance may be gotten hastily at the beginning; but the end thereof shall not be blessed.

22 Do not say, “I will pay you back for this wrong!” Wait for Yahweh and he will rescue you.

Say not you, I will recompense evil; but wait on the LORD, and he shall save you.

23 Yahweh hates unequal weights and dishonest scales are not good.

Divers weights are an abomination to the LORD; and a false balance is not good.

24 A person's steps are directed by Yahweh; how then can he understand his way?

Man’s goings are of the LORD; how can a man then understand his own way?

25 It is a snare for a person to say rashly, “This thing is holy,” and begin to think about what it means only after making his vow.

It is a snare to the man who devours that which is holy, and after vows to make enquiry.

26 A wise king winnows the wicked and he turns a threshing wheel over them.

A wise king scatters the wicked, and brings the wheel over them.

27 The spirit of a person is the lamp of Yahweh, searching all his inmost parts.

The spirit of man is the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of the belly.

28 Covenant faithfulness and trustworthiness preserve the king; his throne is made secure by love.

Mercy and truth preserve the king: and his throne is upheld by mercy.

29 The glory of young men is their strength and the splendor of old people is their gray hair.

The glory of young men is their strength: and the beauty of old men is the grey head.

30 Blows that make a wound cleanse away evil and beatings make the innermost parts clean.

The blueness of a wound cleans away evil: so do stripes the inward parts of the belly.