Proverbs 20
American Standard Version
20 Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler;
And whosoever [a]erreth thereby is not wise.
2 The terror of a king is as the roaring of a lion:
He that [b]provoketh him to anger sinneth against his own [c]life.
3 It is an honor for a man to [d]keep aloof from strife;
But every fool will be quarrelling.
4 The sluggard will not plow by reason of the winter;
[e]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 [f]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
[g]Scattereth away all evil with his eyes.
9 Who can say, I have made my heart clean,
I am pure from my sin?
10 [h]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 [i]hold him in pledge that is surety for [j]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 [k]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 [l]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 [m]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.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 20:1 Or, reeleth
- Proverbs 20:2 Or, angereth himself against him
- Proverbs 20:2 Hebrew soul.
- Proverbs 20:3 Or, cease
- Proverbs 20:4 Or, Therefore when he seeketh in harvest, there shall be nothing
- Proverbs 20:6 Or, Many a man will meet one that is kind to him
- Proverbs 20:8 Or, Winnoweth
- Proverbs 20:10 Hebrew A stone and a stone, an ephah and an ephah.
- Proverbs 20:16 Or, take a pledge of him
- Proverbs 20:16 Another reading is, a foreign woman.
- Proverbs 20:23 Hebrew a balance of deceit.
- Proverbs 20:25 Or, rashly to utter holy words. Or, to devour that which is holy
- Proverbs 20:28 Or, he upholdeth his throne
Proverbs 20
New International Version
2 A king’s wrath strikes terror like the roar of a lion;(E)
those who anger him forfeit their lives.(F)
5 The purposes of a person’s heart are deep waters,(K)
but one who has insight draws them out.
6 Many claim to have unfailing love,
but a faithful person who can find?(L)
10 Differing weights and differing measures—
the Lord detests them both.(S)
11 Even small children are known by their actions,
so is their conduct really pure(T) and upright?
12 Ears that hear and eyes that see—
the Lord has made them both.(U)
13 Do not love sleep or you will grow poor;(V)
stay awake and you will have food to spare.
14 “It’s no good, it’s no good!” says the buyer—
then goes off and boasts about the purchase.
15 Gold there is, and rubies in abundance,
but lips that speak knowledge are a rare jewel.
16 Take the garment of one who puts up security for a stranger;
hold it in pledge(W) if it is done for an outsider.(X)
18 Plans are established by seeking advice;
so if you wage war, obtain guidance.(AA)
19 A gossip betrays a confidence;(AB)
so avoid anyone who talks too much.
20 If someone curses their father or mother,(AC)
their lamp will be snuffed out in pitch darkness.(AD)
21 An inheritance claimed too soon
will not be blessed at the end.
22 Do not say, “I’ll pay you back for this wrong!”(AE)
Wait for the Lord, and he will avenge you.(AF)
23 The Lord detests differing weights,
and dishonest scales do not please him.(AG)
24 A person’s steps are directed(AH) by the Lord.(AI)
How then can anyone understand their own way?(AJ)
25 It is a trap to dedicate something rashly
and only later to consider one’s vows.(AK)
26 A wise king winnows out the wicked;
he drives the threshing wheel over them.(AL)
29 The glory of young men is their strength,
gray hair the splendor of the old.(AQ)
Footnotes
- Proverbs 20:27 Or A person’s words are
Public Domain (Why are modern Bible translations copyrighted?)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.