Proverbs 20

1 Wine [is] a mocker, strong drink [is] raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.

Wine is a mocker and strong drink is a brawler; whoever is led astray by drink 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 fear of a king is like the fear of a young lion that is roaring; the one who makes him angry forfeits his life.

3 [It is] an honour for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

7 The just [man] walketh in his integrity: his children [are] blessed after him.

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

8 A king that sitteth in the throne of judgment scattereth away all evil with his eyes.

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.

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

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

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

Differing weights and unequal measures— Yahweh hates them both.

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

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

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

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

13 Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, [and] thou shalt be satisfied with bread.

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

14 [It is] naught, [it is] naught, saith the buyer: but when he is gone his way, then he boasteth.

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

19 He that goeth about [as] a talebearer revealeth secrets: therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips.

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

20 Whoso curseth his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in obscure darkness.

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

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

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

22 Say not thou, I will recompense evil; [but] wait on the LORD, and he shall save thee.

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

23 Divers weights [are] an abomination unto the LORD; and a false balance [is] not good.

Yahweh hates unequal weights and dishonest scales are not good.

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

A person's steps are directed by Yahweh; how then can he understand 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 snare for a person to say rashly, “This thing is holy,” and begin to think about what it means only after making his vow.

26 A wise king scattereth the wicked, and bringeth the wheel over them.

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

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

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

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

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

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 splendor of old people is their gray hair.

30 The blueness of a wound cleanseth away evil: so [do] stripes the inward parts of the belly.

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