Proverbs 20–21

20 aWine is a bmocker, strong drink is raging:

And whosoever cis deceived thereby is not wise.

2  The fear of a king is das the roaring of a lion:

Whoso provoketh him to anger esinneth against his own soul.

3  It is an honour for a man fto cease from strife:

But every fool fwill be meddling.

4  gThe sluggard will not plow by reason of the ||cold;

Therefore shall he hbeg in harvest, and ihave nothing.

5  Counsel in the heart of man is like ldeep water;

But a man of understanding will mdraw it out.

6  nMost men will proclaim every one his own ||goodness:

But a ofaithful man who can find?

7  The just man pwalketh in his integrity:

qHis children are blessed after him.

8  A rking that sitteth in the throne of judgment

rScattereth away all evil with his eyes.

9  sWho can say, I have made my heart tclean,

I am pure from my sin?

10  u†Divers weights, and †divers measures,

Both of them are alike abomination to the Lord.

11  Even a child is wknown by his doings,

Whether his work be pure, and whether it be right.

12  xThe hearing ear, and the seeing eye,

yThe Lord hath made even both of them.

13  zLove not sleep, lest thou come to poverty;

aOpen thine eyes, and thou shalt be bsatisfied with bread.

14  It is naught, it is naught, saith the buyer:

But when he is gone his way, then he boasteth.

15  cThere is gold, and a multitude of drubies:

But the lips of knowledge are a eprecious jewel.

16  fTake his garment that is surety for a stranger:

fAnd gtake a pledge of him for a hstrange woman.

17  †Bread of deceit is sweet to a man;

But afterwards his mouth shall be filled with igravel.

18  kEvery purpose is established by counsel:

And with lgood advice mmake war.

19  nHe that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets:

Therefore meddle not with ohim that ||flattereth with his lips.

20  pWhoso curseth his father or his mother,

qHis ||lamp shall be rput out in sobscure darkness.

21  tAn inheritance may be gotten hastily at the beginning;

But uthe end thereof shall not be blessed.

22  xSay not thou, I will recompense evil;

But ywait on the Lord, and he shall save thee.

23  zDivers weights are an abomination unto the Lord;

And †a false balance is not good.

24  aMan’s goings are of the Lord;

How can a man then understand his own way?

25  It is a snare to the man who bdevoureth that which is holy,

And cafter vows to make inquiry.

26  A wise king dscattereth the wicked,

And bringeth ethe wheel over them.

27  fThe spirit of man is the ||candle of the Lord,

gSearching all hthe inward parts of the belly.

28  iMercy and truth preserve the king:

And khis throne is upholden by mercy.

29  The glory of young men is their strength:

And lthe beauty of old men is the gray head.

30  mThe blueness of a wound †cleanseth away evil:

nSo do stripes hthe inward parts of the belly.

21 The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, as athe rivers of water:

He bturneth it whithersoever he will.

2  cEvery way of a man is right in his own eyes:

But dthe Lord cpondereth the hearts.

3  eTo do justice and judgment

Is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.

4  f†An high look, and ga proud heart,

And ||the hplowing of the wicked, is sin.

5  The thoughts of ithe diligent tend only to plenteousness;

But of every one that is khasty lonly to want.

6  mThe getting of treasures by a lying tongue

Is na vanity otossed to and fro of them pthat seek death.

7  The robbery of the wicked shall †sdestroy them;

Because they refuse to do judgment.

8  The way of man is froward and strange:

But as for the pure, his work is right.

9  tIt is better to dwell in a ucorner of the housetop,

tThan with †a brawling woman in †a wide house.

10  yThe soul of the wicked desireth evil:

His neighbour †findeth no favour in his eyes.

11  zWhen the scorner is apunished, the simple is made wise:

And when the wise bis instructed, he receiveth knowledge.

12  The righteous man bcwisely considereth the house of the wicked:

But dGod overthroweth the wicked for their wickedness.

13  eWhoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor,

He also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard.

14  fA gift in secret pacifieth anger:

And a reward in gthe bosom strong wrath.

15  It is joy to the just to do judgment:

hBut destruction shall be to ithe workers of iniquity.

16  The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding

jShall remain in the congregation of kthe dead.

17  He that loveth ||pleasure shall be a poor man:

He that loveth wine and loil shall not be rich.

18  mThe wicked shall be a nransom for the righteous,

And the transgressor for the upright.

19  oIt is better to dwell †in the wilderness,

Than with a contentious and an angry woman.

20  pThere is treasure to be desired and lqoil in the dwelling of the wise;

But a foolish man rspendeth it up.

21  sHe that followeth after righteousness and mercy

tFindeth life, righteousness, and honour.

22  uA wise man scaleth the city of the mighty,

And casteth down the strength of the confidence thereof.

23  wWhoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue

xKeepeth his soul yfrom troubles.

24  Proud and zhaughty scorner is his name,

Who dealeth †in proud wrath.

25  aThe desire of the slothful killeth him;

For his hands refuse to labour.

26  He bcoveteth greedily all the day long:

But cthe righteous giveth and spareth not.

27  dThe sacrifice of the wicked is abomination:

How much more, when he bringeth it †with a wicked mind?

28  †A false witness shall perish:

But the man that heareth speaketh econstantly.

29  A wicked man fhardeneth his face:

But as for the upright, he ||gdirecteth his way.

30  hThere is no wisdom nor understanding

Nor counsel against the Lord.

31  iThe horse is prepared against the day of battle:

But ||ksafety is of the Lord.