Proverbiorum 20
1 Luxuriosa res, vinum, et tumultuosa ebrietas: quicumque his delectatur, non erit sapiens.
Wine [is] a mocker, strong drink [is] raging: and whoever is deceived by it is not wise.
2 Sicut rugitus leonis, ita et terror regis: qui provocat eum, peccat in animam suam.
The fear of a king [is] as the roaring of a lion: [whoever] provoketh him to anger sinneth [against] his own soul.
3 Honor est homini, qui separat se a contentionibus: omnes autem stulti miscentur contumeliis.
[It is] an honor for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling.
4 Propter frigus piger arare noluit: mendicabit ergo aestate, et non dabitur illi.
The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; [therefore] shall he beg in harvest, and [have] nothing.
5 Sicut aqua profunda, sic consilium in corde viri: sed homo sapiens exhauriet illud.
Counsel in the heart of man [is like] deep water; but a man of understanding will draw it out.
6 Multi homines misericordes vocantur: virum autem fidelem quis inveniet?
Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find?
7 Iustus, qui ambulat in simplicitate sua, beatos post se filios derelinquet.
The just [man] walketh in his integrity: his children [are] blessed after him.
8 Rex, qui sedet in solio iudicii, dissipat omne malum intuitu suo.
A king that sitteth on the throne of judgment scattereth away all evil with his eyes.
9 Quis potest dicere: Mundum est cor meum, purus sum a peccato?
Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?
10 Pondus et pondus, mensura et mensura: utrumque abominabile est apud Deum.
Divers weights, [and] divers measures, both of them [are] alike abomination to the LORD.
11 Ex studiis suis intelligitur puer, si munda et recta sint opera eius.
Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work [is] pure, and whether [it is] right.
12 Aurem audientem, et oculum videntem, Dominus fecit utrumque.
The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the LORD hath made even both of them.
13 Noli diligere somnum, ne te egestas opprimat: aperi oculos tuos, et saturare panibus.
Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thy eyes, [and] thou shalt be satisfied with bread.
14 Malum est, malum est, dicit omnis emptor: et cum recesserit, tunc gloriabitur.
[It is] naught, [it is] naught, saith the buyer: but when he is gone, then he boasteth.
15 Est aurum, et multitudo gemmarum: vas autem pretiosum labia scientiae.
There is gold, and a multitude of rubies: but the lips of knowledge [are] a precious jewel.
16 Tolle vestimentum eius, qui fideiussor extitit alieni, et pro extraneis aufer pignus ab eo.
Take his garment that is surety [for] a stranger: and take a pledge of him for a strange woman.
17 Suavis est homini panis mendacii: et postea implebitur os eius calculo.
Bread of deceit [is] sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.
18 Cogitationes consiliis roborantur: et gubernaculis tractanda sunt bella.
[Every] purpose is established by counsel: and with good advice make war.
19 Ei, qui revelat mysteria, et ambulat fraudulenter, et dilatat labia sua, ne commiscearis.
He that goeth about [as] a tale-bearer revealeth secrets; therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips.
20 Qui maledicit patri suo, et matri, extinguetur lucerna eius in mediis tenebris.
Whoever curseth his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in obscure darkness.
21 Hereditas, ad quam festinatur in principio, in novissimo benedictione carebit.
An inheritance [may be] gotten hastily at the beginning; but the end of it shall not be blessed.
22 Ne dicas: Reddam malum: expecta Dominum, et liberabit te.
Say not thou, I will recompense evil; [but] wait on the LORD, and he shall save thee.
23 Abominatio est apud Dominum pondus et pondus: statera dolosa non est bona.
Divers weights [are] an abomination to the LORD; and a false balance [is] not good.
24 A Domino diriguntur gressus viri: quis autem hominum intelligere potest viam suam?
Man's goings [are] of the LORD; how can a man then understand his own way?
25 Ruina est homini devotare sanctos, et post vota retractare.
[It is] a snare to the man [who] devoureth [that which is] holy, and after vows to make inquiry.
26 Dissipat impios rex sapiens, et incurvat super eos fornicem.
A wise king scatterreth the wicked, and bringeth the wheel over them.
27 Lucerna Domini spiraculum hominis, quae investigat omnia secreta ventris.
The spirit of man [is] the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of the belly.
28 Misericordia, et veritas custodiunt regem, et roboratur clementia thronus eius.
Mercy and truth preserve the king: and his throne is upheld by mercy.
29 Exultatio iuvenum, fortitudo eorum: et dignitas senum canities.
The glory of young men [is] their strength: and the beauty of old men [is] the gray head.
30 Livor vulneris absterget mala: et plagae in secretioribus ventris.
The blueness of a wound cleanseth away evil: so [do] stripes the inward parts of the belly.
