Proverbs 20

20Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler,

and any who go astray by it are not wise.

²Roaring like the lion is the dreaded anger of a king;

he who provokes him forfeits his life.^a

³It is honorable for the man to refrain from strife,

but every fool will be quick to quarrel.

⁴The lazy person will not plow in season;

he will expect at the harvest, but there will be nothing.

⁵Deep waters are like purpose in the heart^b of a man,

and a man of understanding will draw it^c out.

⁶Many a person will proclaim his loyalty for himself,

but a man who is trustworthy, who can find?

⁷He who walks in his integrity is righteous;

happy are his children who follow him.

⁸A king who sits on the throne of judgment

winnows all evil with his eyes.

⁹Who will say “I have made my heart^d clean;

I am pure from my sin”?

¹⁰Stone and stone, measure and measure,

both of them^e are an abomination of Yahweh.

¹¹Even by his acts, a young man^f will make himself known,

whether his acts are pure and upright.

¹²The ear that hears and the eye that sees,

Yahweh has made them both.^g

¹³Do not love sleep, lest you become poor;

open your eyes and have plenty bread.

¹⁴“Bad, bad,” the buyer will say,

but when one goes to him, then he will boast.

¹⁵There is gold and many costly stones,

but precious jewels are lips of knowledge.

¹⁶Take his garment, for he has given security to a stranger,

and on behalf of a foreigner—take it as pledge.

¹⁷Bread gained by deceit is sweet for the man,

but afterward, his mouth will be filled with gravel.

¹⁸A plan^h will be established by advice,

and with guidance make war.

¹⁹He reveals a secret, he who walks about with gossip,

and do not associate with a babbler’s lips.

²⁰He who curses his father and his mother,

his lamp will be extinguished in the midst of darkness.ⁱ

²¹An inheritance acquired hastily at the beginning^j

will not be blessed at its end.

²²Do not say “I will repay evil”;

wait for Yahweh and he will deliver you.

²³An abomination of Yahweh is a stone and a weight,^k

and scales of falsehood are not good.

²⁴Away from Yahweh are the steps of a strong man,

and how will humankind understand his ways?

²⁵It is a snare to humankind to say rashly “It is holy,”

and after vows, to scrutinize.

²⁶A wise king winnows the wicked,

and he will drive a wheel over them.

²⁷The lamp of Yahweh is the spirit^l of humankind,

he who searches every innermost part.^m

²⁸Loyalty and faithfulness will preserve a king,

and he is upheld with the righteousness of his throne.

²⁹The glory of young men is their strength,ⁿ

but the beauty of the aged is gray hair.

³⁰The blows of a wound will cleanse evil,

as will^o beatings of the innermost part.^p