Proverbs 20
20
1Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler;
and whoever is led astray by it is not wise.
2The dread wrath of a king is like the growling of a lion;
he who provokes him to anger forfeits his life.
3It is an honor for a man to keep aloof from strife;
but every fool will be quarreling.
4The sluggard does not plow in the autumn;
he will seek at harvest and have nothing.
5The purpose in a man's mind is like deep water,
but a man of understanding will draw it out.
6Many a man proclaims his own loyalty,
but a faithful man who can find?
7A righteous man who walks in his integrity—
blessed are his sons after him!
8A king who sits on the throne of judgment
winnows all evil with his eyes.
9Who can say, “I have made my heart clean;
I am pure from my sin”?
10Diverse weights and diverse measures
are both alike an abomination to the Lord.
11Even a child makes himself known by his acts,
whether what he does is pure and right.
12The hearing ear and the seeing eye,
the Lord has made them both.
13Love not sleep, lest you come to poverty;
open your eyes, and you will have plenty of bread.
14“It is bad, it is bad,” says the buyer;
but when he goes away, then he boasts.
15There is gold, and abundance of costly stones;
but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.
16Take a man's garment when he has given surety for a stranger,
and hold him in pledge when he gives surety for foreigners.
17Bread gained by deceit is sweet to a man,
but afterward his mouth will be full of gravel.
18Plans are established by counsel;
by wise guidance wage war.
19He who goes about gossiping reveals secrets;
therefore do not associate with one who speaks foolishly.
20If one curses his father or his mother,
his lamp will be put out in utter darkness.
21An inheritance gotten hastily in the beginning
will in the end not be blessed.
22Do not say, “I will repay evil”;
wait for the Lord, and he will help you.
23Diverse weights are an abomination to the Lord,
and false scales are not good.
24A man's steps are ordered by the Lord;
how then can man understand his way?
25It is a snare for a man to say rashly, “It is holy,”
and to reflect only after making his vows.
26A wise king winnows the wicked,
and drives the wheel over them.
27The spirit of man is the lamp of the Lord,
searching all his innermost parts.
28Loyalty and faithfulness preserve the king,
and his throne is upheld by righteousness.#20.28 Gk: Heb loyalty
29The glory of young men is their strength,
but the beauty of old men is their gray hair.
30Blows that wound cleanse away evil;
strokes make clean the innermost parts.
Currently Selected:
Proverbs 20: RSV-C
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America
Proverbs 20
20
1 WINE IS a mocker, strong drink a riotous brawler; and whoever errs or reels because of it is not wise. [Prov. 23:29, 30; Isa. 28:7; Hos. 4:11.]
2 The terror of a king is as the roaring of a lion; whoever provokes him to anger or angers himself against him sins against his own life.
3 It is an honor for a man to cease from strife and keep aloof from it, but every fool will quarrel.
4 The sluggard does not plow when winter sets in; therefore he begs in harvest and has nothing.
5 Counsel in the heart of man is like water in a deep well, but a man of understanding draws it out. [Prov. 18:4.]
6 Many a man proclaims his own loving-kindness and goodness, but a faithful man who can find?
7 The righteous man walks in his integrity; blessed (happy, fortunate, enviable) are his children after him.
8 A king who sits on the throne of judgment winnows out all evil [like chaff] with his eyes.
9 Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin? [I Kings 8:46; II Chron. 6:36; Job 9:30; 14:4; Ps. 51:5; I John 1:8.]
10 Diverse weights [one for buying and another for selling] and diverse measures–both of them are exceedingly offensive and abhorrent to the Lord. [Deut. 25:13; Mic. 6:10, 11.]
11 Even a child is known by his acts, whether [or not] what he does is pure and right.
12 The hearing ear and the seeing eye–the Lord has made both of them.
13 Love not sleep, lest you come to poverty; open your eyes and you will be satisfied with bread.
14 It is worthless, it is worthless! says the buyer; but when he goes his way, then he boasts [about his bargain].
15 There is gold, and a multitude of pearls, but the lips of knowledge are a vase of preciousness [the most precious of all]. [Job 28:12, 16-19; Prov. 3:15; 8:11.]
16 [The judge tells the creditor] Take the garment of one who is security for a stranger; and hold him in pledge when he is security for foreigners.
17 Food gained by deceit is sweet to a man, but afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel.
18 Purposes and plans are established by counsel; and [only] with good advice make or carry on war.
19 He who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets; therefore associate not with him who talks too freely. [Rom. 16:17, 18.]
20 Whoever curses his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in complete darkness.
21 An inheritance hastily gotten [by greedy, unjust means] at the beginning, in the end it will not be blessed. [Prov. 28:20; Hab. 2:6.]
22 Do not say, I will repay evil; wait [expectantly] for the Lord, and He will rescue you. [II Sam. 16:12; Rom. 12:17-19; I Thess. 5:15; I Pet. 3:9.]
23 Diverse and deceitful weights are shamefully vile and abhorrent to the Lord, and false scales are not good.
24 Man's steps are ordered by the Lord. How then can a man understand his way?
25 It is a snare to a man to utter a vow [of consecration] rashly and [not until] afterward inquire [whether he can fulfill it].
26 A wise king winnows out the wicked [from among the good] and brings the threshing wheel over them [to separate the chaff from the grain].
27 The spirit of man [that factor in human personality which proceeds immediately from God] is the lamp of the Lord, searching all his innermost parts. [I Cor. 2:11.]
28 Loving-kindness and mercy, truth and faithfulness, preserve the king, and his throne is upheld by [the people's] loyalty.
29 The glory of young men is their strength, and the beauty of old men is their gray head [suggesting wisdom and experience].
30 Blows that wound cleanse away evil, and strokes [for correction] reach to the innermost parts.
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation