Proverbs 20

20Drinking too much makes you loud and foolish. It’s stupid to get drunk.

²Fear an angry king as you would a growling lion; making him angry is suicide.

³Any fool can start arguments; the honourable thing is to stay out of them.

⁴A farmer who is too lazy to plough his fields at the right time will have nothing to harvest.

⁵A person’s thoughts are like water in a deep well, but someone with insight can draw them out.

⁶Everyone talks about how loyal and faithful he is, but just try to find someone who really is!

⁷Children are fortunate if they have a father who is honest and does what is right.

⁸The king sits in judgement and knows evil when he sees it.

⁹Can anyone really say that his conscience is clear, that he has got rid of his sin?

¹⁰The Lord hates people who use dishonest weights and measures.

¹¹Even children show what they are by what they do; you can tell if they are honest and good.

¹²The Lord has given us eyes to see with and ears to listen with.

¹³If you spend your time sleeping, you will be poor. Keep busy and you will have plenty to eat.

¹⁴The customer always complains that the price is too high, but then he goes off and brags about the bargain he got.

¹⁵If you know what you are talking about, you have something more valuable than gold or jewels.

¹⁶Anyone stupid enough to promise to be responsible for a stranger’s debts ought to have his own property held to guarantee payment.

¹⁷What you get by dishonesty you may enjoy like the finest food, but sooner or later it will be like a mouthful of sand.

¹⁸Get good advice and you will succeed; don’t go charging into battle without a plan.

¹⁹A gossip can never keep a secret. Stay away from people who talk too much.

²⁰If you curse your parents, your life will end like a lamp that goes out in the dark.

²¹The more easily you get your wealth, the less good it will do you.

²²Don’t take it on yourself to repay a wrong. Trust the Lord and he will make it right.

²³The Lord hates people who use dishonest scales and weights.

²⁴The Lord has determined our path; how then can anyone understand the direction his own life is taking?

²⁵Think carefully before you promise an offering to God. You might regret it later.

²⁶A wise king will find out who is doing wrong, and will punish him without pity.

²⁷The Lord gave us mind and conscience; we cannot hide from ourselves.

²⁸A king will remain in power as long as his rule is honest, just, and fair.

²⁹We admire the strength of youth and respect the grey hair of age.

³⁰Sometimes it takes a painful experience to make us change our ways.