Proverbs 20

Chapter 20

On Life and Conduct

^1aWine is a mocker, ^bstrong drink a brawler,

And whoever ¹is intoxicated by it is not wise.

²The terror of a king is like the growling of a lion;

He who provokes him to anger ^1aforfeits his own life.

^31aKeeping away from strife is an honor for a man,

But any fool will ²quarrel.

⁴The ^asluggard does not plow after the autumn,

So he ¹begs during the harvest and has nothing.

⁵A plan in the heart of a man is like deep water,

But a man of understanding draws it out.

⁶Many a man ^aproclaims his own loyalty,

But who can find a ^btrustworthy man?

⁷A righteous man who ^awalks in his integrity—

^bHow blessed are his sons after him.

^8aA king who sits on the throne of justice

¹Disperses all evil with his eyes.

^9aWho can say, “I have cleansed my heart,

I am pure from my sin”?

^101aDiffering weights and differing measures,

Both of them are abominable to the Lord.

¹¹It is by his deeds that a lad ^1adistinguishes himself

If his conduct is pure and right.

¹²The hearing ^aear and the seeing eye,

The Lord has made both of them.

^13aDo not love sleep, or you will become poor;

Open your eyes, and you will be satisfied with ¹food.

¹⁴“Bad, bad,” says the buyer,

But when he goes his way, then he boasts.

¹⁵There is gold, and an abundance of ¹jewels;

But the lips of knowledge are a more precious thing.

¹⁶Take his garment when he becomes surety for a stranger;

And for foreigners, hold him in pledge.

^17aBread obtained by falsehood is sweet to a man,

But afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel.

¹⁸Prepare ^aplans by consultation,

And ^bmake war by wise guidance.

¹⁹He who ^agoes about as a slanderer reveals secrets,

Therefore do not associate with ^1ba gossip.

²⁰He who ^acurses his father or his mother,

His ^blamp will go out in ¹time of darkness.

²¹An inheritance gained hurriedly at the beginning

Will not be blessed in the end.

^22aDo not say, “I will repay evil”;

^bWait for the Lord, and He will save you.

^231aDiffering weights are an abomination to the Lord,

And a ^2bfalse scale is not good.

^24aMan’s steps are ordained by the Lord,

How then can man understand his way?

²⁵It is a trap for a man to say rashly, “It is holy!”

And ^aafter the vows to make inquiry.

²⁶A ^awise king winnows the wicked,

And ¹drives the ^bthreshing wheel over them.

²⁷The ^1aspirit of man is the lamp of the Lord,

Searching all the ²innermost parts of his being.

²⁸¹Loyalty and ^atruth preserve the king,

And he upholds his throne by righteousness.

²⁹The glory of young men is their strength,

And the ^1ahonor of old men is their gray hair.

^30aStripes that wound scour away evil,

And strokes reach the ¹innermost parts.