Proverbs 20
20
1Wine ⌞makes people⌟ mock,
liquor ⌞makes them⌟ noisy,
and everyone under their influence is unwise.
2The rage of a king is like the roar of a lion.
Whoever makes him angry forfeits his life.
3Avoiding a quarrel is honorable.
After all, any stubborn fool can start a fight.
4A lazy person does not plow in the fall.#20:4 Fall was the start of the planting season in Palestine.
He looks for something in the harvest but finds nothing.
5A motive in the human heart is like deep water,
and a person who has understanding draws it out.
6Many people declare themselves loyal,
but who can find someone who is ⌞really⌟ trustworthy?
7A righteous person lives on the basis of his integrity.
Blessed are his children after he is gone.
8A king who sits on his throne to judge sifts out every evil with his eyes.
9Who can say,
“I’ve made my heart pure.
I’m cleansed from my sin”?
10A double standard of weights and measures—
both are disgusting to the Lord.
11Even a child makes himself known by his actions,
whether his deeds are pure or right.
12The ear that hears,
the eye that sees—
the Lord made them both.
13Do not love sleep or you will end up poor.
Keep your eyes open, and you will have plenty to eat.
14“Bad! Bad!” says the buyer.
Then, as he goes away, he brags ⌞about his bargain⌟.
15There are gold and plenty of jewels,
but the lips of knowledge are precious gems.
16Hold on to the garment of one who guarantees a stranger’s loan,
and hold responsible the person who makes a loan on behalf of a foreigner.
17Food gained dishonestly tastes sweet to a person,
but afterwards his mouth will be filled with gravel.
18Plans are confirmed by getting advice,
and with guidance one wages war.
19Whoever goes around as a gossip tells secrets.
Do not associate with a person whose mouth is always open.
20The lamp of the person who curses his father and mother
will be snuffed out in total darkness.#20:20 Or “snuffed out as darkness approaches.”
21An inheritance quickly obtained in the beginning
will never be blessed in the end.
22Do not say, “I’ll get even with you!”
Wait for the Lord, and he will save you.
23A double standard of weights is disgusting to the Lord,
and dishonest scales are no good.
24The Lord is the one who directs a person’s steps.
How then can anyone understand his own way?
25It is a trap for a person to say impulsively, “This is a holy offering!”
and later to have second thoughts about those vows.
26A wise king scatters the wicked
and then runs them over.
27A person’s soul is the Lord’s lamp.
It searches his entire innermost being.
28Mercy and truth protect a king,
and with mercy he maintains his throne.
29While the glory of young men is their strength,
the splendor of older people is their silver hair.
30Brutal beatings cleanse away wickedness.
Such beatings cleanse the innermost being.
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Proverbs 20: GW
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GOD'S WORD® Translation ©1995, 2003, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020 by God's Word to the Nations Mission Society. All rights reserved.
Proverbs 20
20
1 Wine is a mocker and beer is a brawler.
Whoever is led astray by them is not wise.
2 The terror of a king is like the roaring of a lion.
He who provokes him to anger forfeits his own life.
3 It is an honour for a man to keep aloof from strife,
but every fool will be quarrelling.
4 The sluggard will not plough by reason of the winter;
therefore he shall beg in harvest, and have nothing.
5 Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water,
but a man of understanding will draw it out.
6 Many men claim to be men of unfailing love,
but who can find a faithful man?
7 A righteous man walks in integrity.
Blessed are his children after him.
8 A king who sits on the throne of judgement
scatters away all evil with his eyes.
9 Who can say, “I have made my heart pure.
I am clean and without sin”?
10Differing weights and differing measures,
both of them alike are an abomination to the LORD.
11 Even a child makes himself known by his doings,
whether his work is pure, and whether it is right.
12 The hearing ear, and the seeing eye,
the LORD has made even both of them.
13Don’t love sleep, lest you come to poverty.
Open your eyes, and you shall be satisfied with bread.
14“It’s no good, it’s no good,” says the buyer;
but when he is gone his way, then he boasts.
15 There is gold and abundance of rubies,
but the lips of knowledge are a rare jewel.
16 Take the garment of one who puts up collateral for a stranger;
and hold him in pledge for a wayward woman.
17Fraudulent food is sweet to a man,
but afterwards his mouth is filled with gravel.
18 Plans are established by advice;
by wise guidance you wage war!
19 He who goes about as a tale-bearer reveals secrets;
therefore don’t keep company with him who opens wide his lips.
20Whoever curses his father or his mother,
his lamp shall be put out in blackness of darkness.
21 An inheritance quickly gained at the beginning
won’t be blessed in the end.
22Don’t say, “I will pay back evil.”
Wait for the LORD, and he will save you.
23 The LORD detests differing weights,
and dishonest scales are not pleasing.
24 A man’s steps are from the LORD;
how then can man understand his way?
25It is a snare to a man to make a rash dedication,
then later to consider his vows.
26 A wise king winnows out the wicked,
and drives the threshing wheel over them.
27 The spirit of man is the LORD’s lamp,
searching all his innermost parts.
28 Love and faithfulness keep the king safe.
His throne is sustained by love.
29 The glory of young men is their strength.
The splendour of old men is their grey hair.
30 Wounding blows cleanse away evil,
and beatings purge the innermost parts.
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