Proverbs 20

¹ Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler; And whosoever erreth thereby is not wise.

² The terror of a king is as the roaring of a lion: He that provoketh him to anger sinneth against his own life.

³ It is an honor for a man to keep aloof from strife; But every fool will be quarrelling.

⁴ The sluggard will not plow 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 Most men will proclaim every one his own kindness; But a faithful man who can find?

⁷ A righteous man that walketh in his integrity, Blessed are his children after him.

⁸ A king that sitteth on the throne of judgment Scattereth away all evil with his eyes.

⁹ Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?

¹⁰ Diverse weights, and diverse measures, Both of them alike are an abomination to Jehovah.

¹¹ Even a child maketh himself known by his doings, Whether his work be pure, and whether it be right.

¹² The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, Jehovah hath made even both of them.

¹³ Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; Open thine eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied with bread.

¹⁴ It is bad, it is bad, saith the buyer; But when he is gone his way, then he boasteth.

¹⁵ There is gold, and abundance of rubies; But the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.

¹⁶ Take his garment that is surety for a stranger; And hold him in pledge that is surety for foreigners.

¹⁷ Bread of falsehood is sweet to a man; But afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.

¹⁸ Every purpose is established by counsel; And by wise guidance make thou war.

¹⁹ He that goeth about as a tale-bearer revealeth secrets; Therefore company not with him that openeth wide his lips.

²⁰ Whoso curseth his father or his mother, His lamp shall be put out in blackness of darkness.

²¹ An inheritance may be gotten hastily at the beginning; But the end thereof shall not be blessed.

²² Say not thou, I will recompense evil: Wait for Jehovah, and he will save thee.

²³ Diverse weights are an abomination to Jehovah; And a false balance is not good.

²⁴ A man’s goings are of Jehovah; How then can man understand his way?

²⁵ It is a snare to a man rashly to say, It is holy, And after vows to make inquiry.

²⁶ A wise king winnoweth the wicked, And bringeth the threshing-wheel over them.

²⁷ The spirit of man is the lamp of Jehovah, Searching all his innermost parts.

²⁸ Kindness and truth preserve the king; And his throne is upholden by kindness.

²⁹ The glory of young men is their strength; And the beauty of old men is the hoary head.

³⁰ Stripes that wound cleanse away evil; And strokes reach the innermost parts.