Proverbs 20–21

20Wine is a mocker,ⁿ beer is a brawler;

whoever goes astray^A because of them is not wise.

²A king’s terrible wrath is like the roaring of a lion;

anyone who provokes him endangers himself.^o

³Honor belongs to the person who ends a dispute,^p

but any fool can get himself into a quarrel.^q

⁴The slacker does not plow during planting season;^B

at harvest time he looks,^C and there is nothing.^r

⁵Counsel in a person’s heart is deep water;^s

but a person of understanding draws it out.

⁶Many a person proclaims his own loyalty,

but who can find a trustworthy person?^t

⁷A righteous person acts with integrity;^u

his children who come after him will be happy.^v

⁸A king sitting on a throne to judge

separates out all evil with his eyes.^w

⁹Who can say, “I have kept my heart pure;

I am cleansed from my sin”?^x

¹⁰Differing weights and varying measures^D—

both are detestable to the Lord.^y

¹¹Even a young man is known by his actions—

by whether his behavior is pure and upright.^z

¹²The hearing ear and the seeing eye—

the Lord made them both.^a

¹³Don’t love sleep, or you will become poor;

open your eyes, and you’ll have enough to eat.^b

¹⁴“It’s worthless, it’s worthless!” the buyer says,

but after he is on his way, he gloats.

¹⁵There is gold and a multitude of jewels,

but knowledgeable lips are a rare treasure.^c

¹⁶Take his garment,

for he has put up security for a stranger;

get collateral if it is for foreigners.^d

¹⁷Food gained by fraud is sweet to a person,^e

but afterward his mouth is full of gravel.^*

¹⁸Finalize plans with counsel,^f

and wage war with sound guidance.^g

¹⁹The one who reveals secrets is a constant gossip;^h

avoid someone with a big mouth.ⁱ

²⁰Whoever curses his father or mother^j —

his lamp will go out in deep darkness.^k

²¹An inheritance gained prematurely

will not be blessed ultimately.^l

²²Don’t say, “I will avenge this evil!”^m

Wait on the Lord,ⁿ and he will rescue you.^o

²³Differing weights^A are detestable to the Lord,^p

and dishonest scales^q are unfair.

²⁴Even a courageous person’s steps are determined by the Lord,^r

so how can anyone understand his own way?

²⁵It is a trap for anyone to dedicate something rashly

and later to reconsider his vows.^s

²⁶A wise king separates out the wicked^t

and drives the threshing wheel^u over them.

²⁷The Lord’s lamp sheds light on a person’s life,^B

searching the innermost parts.^Cv

²⁸Loyalty and faithfulness guard a king;

through loyalty he maintains his throne.

²⁹The glory of young men is their strength,

and the splendor of old men is gray hair.^w

³⁰Lashes and wounds purge away evil,^x

and beatings cleanse the innermost parts.^D

21A king’s heart is like channeled water in the Lord’s hand:

He directs it wherever he chooses.^y

²All a person’s ways seem right to him,

but the Lord weighs hearts.^z

³Doing what is righteous and just

is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.^aa

⁴The lamp that guides the wicked—

haughty eyes and an arrogant heart^ab —is sin.

⁵The plans of the diligent certainly lead to profit,

but anyone who is reckless certainly becomes poor.^ac

⁶Making a fortune through a lying tongue

is a vanishing mist,^A a pursuit of death.^BCad

⁷The violence of the wicked sweeps them away

because they refuse to act justly.

⁸A guilty one’s conduct is crooked,^a

but the behavior of the innocent is upright.^b

⁹Better to live on the corner of a roof

than to share a house with a nagging wife.^c

¹⁰A wicked person desires evil;

he has no consideration^D for his neighbor.^d

¹¹When a mocker is punished,

the inexperienced become wiser;

when one teaches a wise man,

he acquires knowledge.^e

¹²The Righteous One^E considers the house of the wicked;

he brings the wicked to ruin.

¹³The one who shuts his ears to the cry of the poor

will himself also call out and not be answered.^f

¹⁴A secret gift soothes anger,

and a covert bribe, fierce rage.^g

¹⁵Justice executed is a joy to the righteous

but a terror to evildoers.^h

¹⁶The person who strays from the way of prudence

will come to rest in the assembly of the departed spirits.ⁱ

¹⁷The one who loves pleasure will become poor;

whoever loves wine and oil will not get rich.^j

¹⁸The wicked are a ransom for the righteous,

and the treacherous, for^F the upright.^k

¹⁹Better to live in a wilderness

than with a nagging and hot-tempered wife.^l

²⁰Precious treasure and oil are in the dwelling of a wise person,

but a fool consumes them.^Am

²¹The one who pursues righteousness and faithful love

will find life, righteousness, and honor.ⁿ

²²A wise person went up against a city of warriors

and brought down its secure fortress.^o

²³The one who guards his mouth and tongue

keeps himself out of trouble.^p

²⁴The arrogant and proud person, named “Mocker,”

acts with excessive arrogance.^q

²⁵A slacker’s craving will kill him

because his hands refuse to work.^r

²⁶He is filled with craving^B all day long,

but the righteous give and don’t hold back.^s

²⁷The sacrifice of a wicked person is detestable—

how much more so

when he brings it with ulterior motives!^t

²⁸A lying witness will perish,^u

but the one who listens will speak successfully.

²⁹A wicked person puts on a bold face,^v

but the upright one considers his way.

³⁰No wisdom, no understanding, and no counsel

will prevail against the Lord.^w

³¹A horse is prepared for the day of battle,^x

but victory comes from the Lord.^y