Proverbs 20
20
1Wine is a mocker,#Gn 9:21; Pr 23:29–30; Is 28:7; Hs 4:11 beer is a brawler;
whoever goes astray#20:1 Or whoever staggers because of them is not wise.
2A king’s terrible wrath is like the roaring of a lion;
anyone who provokes him endangers himself.#Nm 16:38; Est 4:11; Pr 8:36; 19:12; 28:15; Hab 2:10
3Honor belongs to the person who ends a dispute,#Pr 17:14
but any fool can get himself into a quarrel.#Pr 15:18; 18:6; 22:10
4The slacker does not plow during planting season;#20:4 Lit plow in winter
at harvest time he looks,#20:4 Lit inquires and there is nothing.#Pr 24:27,30–34
5Counsel in a person’s heart is deep water;#Pr 18:4
but a person of understanding draws it out.
6Many a person proclaims his own loyalty,
but who can find a trustworthy person?#Ps 53:2–3; Pr 28:20; Ec 7:28; Lk 18:8
7A righteous person acts with integrity;#Pr 2:7,20–21; 10:9; 13:6
his children who come after him will be happy.#Ps 37:26; 112:2
8A king sitting on a throne to judge
separates out all evil with his eyes.#Pr 20:26; 25:5; Mt 25:32
9Who can say, “I have kept my heart pure;
I am cleansed from my sin”?#1Kg 8:46; Jb 15:15–16; Ps 14:2–3; Ec 7:20; Rm 3:9–12; 1Jn 1:8
10Differing weights and varying measures#20:10 Lit Stone and stone, measure and measure —
both are detestable to the Lord.#Dt 25:14–15; Pr 11:1; 20:23; Mc 6:10–11
11Even a young man is known by his actions —
by whether his behavior is pure and upright.#Pr 21:8; Mt 7:16
12The hearing ear and the seeing eye —
the Lord made them both.#Ex 4:11; Ps 94:9; Pr 22:2; 29:13
13Don’t love sleep, or you will become poor;
open your eyes, and you’ll have enough to eat.#Pr 6:10–11; 19:15; 24:33–34
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.#Pr 3:15; 8:11
16Take his garment,
for he has put up security for a stranger;
get collateral if it is for foreigners.#Dt 24:12–13; Pr 6:1–5; 11:15; 27:13
17Food gained by fraud is sweet to a person,#Pr 9:17
but afterward his mouth is full of gravel.#Lm 3:16
18Finalize plans with counsel,#Pr 11:14; 15:22
and wage war with sound guidance.#Pr 24:6; Lk 14:31
19The one who reveals secrets is a constant gossip;#Lv 19:16; Pr 11:13
avoid someone with a big mouth.#Pr 13:3
20Whoever curses his father or mother#Ex 21:17; Pr 24:20; 30:11 —
his lamp will go out in deep darkness.#Jb 18:5
21An inheritance gained prematurely
will not be blessed ultimately.#Pr 21:5; 23:5; 28:22; Lk 15:11–13
22Don’t say, “I will avenge this evil!” #Pr 24:29; Mt 5:39; Rm 12:17,19; 1Th 5:15; 1Pt 3:9
Wait on the Lord,#Ps 27:14 and he will rescue you.#Ps 37:7–9
23Differing weights#20:23 Lit A stone and a stone are detestable to the Lord,#Pr 20:10; Mc 6:11
and dishonest scales#Pr 11:1 are unfair.
24Even a courageous person’s steps are determined by the Lord,#Pr 16:9,33; 19:21
so how can anyone understand his own way?
25It is a trap for anyone to dedicate something rashly
and later to reconsider his vows.#Nm 30:2; Dt 23:21; Ec 5:4–6
26A wise king separates out the wicked#Pr 20:8
and drives the threshing wheel#Is 28:27 over them.
27The Lord’s lamp sheds light on a person’s life,#20:27 Lit breath
searching the innermost parts.#20:27 Lit the chambers of the belly#Ps 139:23; Pr 20:30; 1Co 2:11
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.#Lv 19:32; Pr 16:31
30Lashes and wounds purge away evil,#Is 53:5
and beatings cleanse the innermost parts.#20:30 Lit beatings the chambers of the belly
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Proverbs 20: CSB
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© 2017 Holman Bible Publishers
Proverbs 20
20
1 # [Gen. 9:21]; See ch. 23:29-32 Wine is a mocker, #ch. 31:4 strong drink a brawler,
and whoever #Isa. 28:7; [Hos. 4:11]is led astray by it is not wise.#20:1 Or will not become wise
2The terror of a king is like #See ch. 19:12 the growling of a lion;
whoever provokes him to anger #Num. 16:38; Hab. 2:10; See ch. 8:36forfeits his life.
3It is an honor for a man to #[ch. 17:14]keep aloof from strife,
but every fool will be quarreling.
4 # [ch. 19:24] The sluggard does not plow in the autumn;
# ch. 19:15; [ch. 6:11] he will seek at harvest and have nothing.
5The purpose in a man’s heart is like #ch. 18:4deep water,
but a man of understanding will draw it out.
6Many a man #[ch. 25:14; Matt. 6:2; Luke 18:11] proclaims his own steadfast love,
but #[Ps. 12:1]a faithful man who can find?
7The righteous who #See ch. 19:1 walks in his integrity—
# [1 Kgs. 15:4; Ps. 37:26; 112:2; Jer. 33:20, 21] blessed are his children after him!
8 # [ch. 16:10] A king who sits on the throne of judgment
# [ver. 26; ch. 25:5; Ps. 101:5] winnows all evil with his eyes.
9 # See 1 Kgs. 8:46 Who can say, “I have made my heart pure;
I am clean from my sin”?
10 # ver. 23; See ch. 11:1 Unequal#20:10 Or Two kinds of; also verse 23 weights and unequal measures
are both alike an abomination to the Lord.
11Even a child #[Matt. 7:16]makes himself known by his acts,
by whether his conduct is pure and upright.#20:11 Or Even a child can dissemble in his actions, though his conduct seems pure and upright
12 # ch. 15:31; 25:12 The hearing ear and the seeing eye,
#
Ex. 4:11; Ps. 94:9 the Lord has made them both.
13 # [ch. 6:4; 19:15; 31:15; Rom. 12:11] Love not sleep, lest you #[ver. 4] come to poverty;
open your eyes, and you will have #ch. 12:11plenty of bread.
14“Bad, bad,” says the buyer,
but when he goes away, then he boasts.
15There is gold and abundance of #Job 28:18 costly stones,
# [ch. 3:14, 15] but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.
16 # ch. 27:13; [ch. 6:1; 22:26] Take a man’s garment when he has put up security for a stranger,
and #See Job 22:6hold it in pledge when he puts up security for foreigners.#20:16 Or for an adulteress (compare 27:13)
17 # [ch. 9:17] Bread gained by deceit is sweet to a man,
but afterward his mouth will be full of #[Lam. 3:16]gravel.
18 # [ch. 11:14; 15:22] Plans are established by counsel;
by #ch. 24:6 wise guidance #Luke 14:31wage war.
19Whoever #ch. 11:13 goes about slandering reveals secrets;
therefore do not associate with #ch. 13:3; [Rom. 16:18]a simple babbler.#20:19 Hebrew with one who is simple in his lips
20 # ch. 30:11, 17; See Ex. 21:17 If one curses his father or his mother,
# See 2 Sam. 21:17; Job 18:5 his lamp will be put out in utter darkness.
21 # See ch. 13:11 An inheritance gained hastily in the beginning
will not be blessed in the end.
22Do not say, #ch. 24:29; [ch. 17:13; Matt. 5:39; Rom. 12:17, 19; 1 Thess. 5:15; 1 Pet. 3:9] “I will repay evil”;
#
Ps. 27:14
wait for the Lord, and he will deliver you.
23 # ver. 10 Unequal weights are an abomination to the Lord,
and #See ch. 11:1false scales are not good.
24A man’s #See ch. 16:9steps are from the Lord;
how then can man understand his way?
25It is a snare to say rashly, “It is holy,”
and to reflect only #[Eccles. 5:4, 5]after making vows.
26A wise king #[Matt. 3:12] winnows the wicked
and drives #Isa. 28:27the wheel over them.
27 # [1 Cor. 2:11] The spirit#20:27 Hebrew breath of man is the lamp of the Lord,
# [Zeph. 1:12] searching all #ch. 18:8his innermost parts.
28 # ch. 3:3 Steadfast love and faithfulness preserve the king,
and by steadfast love his #See ch. 16:12throne is upheld.
29The glory of young men is their strength,
but #ch. 16:31the splendor of old men is their gray hair.
30 # [Isa. 53:5] Blows that wound cleanse away evil;
strokes make clean #[See ver. 27 above]the innermost parts.
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