Proverbs 20

CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN	NEW JERUSALEM
1 It is a luxurious thing, wine, and inebriation is tumultuous. Anyone who is delighted by this will not be wise.	1 Wine is reckless, liquor rowdy; unwise is anyone whom it seduces.
2 Just like the roaring of a lion, so also is the dread of a king. Whoever provokes him sins in his own soul.	2 Like the roaring of a lion is the fury of a king; whoever provokes him sins against himself.
3 Honor is for the man who separates himself from contentions. But all the foolish meddle in altercations.	3 It is praiseworthy to stop short of a law-suit; only a fool flies into a rage.
4 Because of the cold, the lazy one was not willing to plough. Therefore, in the summer, he will beg, and it will not be given to him.	4 In autumn the idler does not plough, at harvest time he looks -- nothing there!
5 Counsel in the heart of a man is like deep waters. But a wise man will draw it out.	5 The resources of the human heart are like deep waters: an understanding person has only to draw onthem.
6 Many men are called merciful. But who will find a faithful man?	6 Many describe themselves as people of faithful love, but who can find someone real y to be trusted?
7 The just who walks in his simplicity shall leave behind him blessed sons.	7 The upright whose ways are blameless -- blessed the children who come after!
8 The king who sits on the throne of judgment scatters all evil with his gaze.	8 A king enthroned on the judgement seat with one look scatters al that is evil.
9 Who is able to say: “My heart is clean. I am pure from sin?”	9 Who can say, 'I have cleansed my heart, I am purified of my sin'?
10 Diverse weights, diverse measures: both are abominable with God.	10 One weight here, another there; here one measure, there another: both alike are abhorrent toYahweh.
11 A child may be understood by his interests: whether his works may be clean and upright.	11 A young man's character appears in what he does, if his behaviour is pure and straight.
12 The hearing ear and the seeing eye: the Lord has made them both.	12 Ear that hears, eye that sees, Yahweh has made both of these.
13 Do not love sleep, lest deprivation oppress you. Open your eyes and be satisfied with bread.	13 Do not love sleep or you will know poverty; keep your eyes open and have your fil of food.
14 “It is bad, it is bad,” says every buyer; and when he has withdrawn, then he will boast.	14 'No good, no good!' says the buyer, but he goes off congratulating himself.
15 There is gold, and there are a multitude of jewels. But lips of knowledge are a precious vessel.	15 There are gold and jewels of every type, but a priceless ornament is speech informed by knowledge.
16 Take away the vestments of him who stands up to vouch for a stranger, and take a pledge from him instead of from outsiders.	16 Take the man's clothes! He has gone surety for a stranger. Take a pledge from him to the profit ofpersons unknown!
17 The bread of lies is sweet to a man. But afterwards, his mouth will be filled with pebbles.	17 Bread is sweet when it is got by fraud, but later the mouth is ful of grit.
18 Plans are strengthened by counsels. And wars are to be handled by governments.	18 Plans are matured by consultation; take wise advice when waging war.
19 Do not become involved with him who reveals mysteries, and who walks deceitfully, and who enlarges his lips.	19 The bearer of gossip lets out secrets; do not mingle with chatterers.
20 Whoever curses his father and mother, his lamp will be extinguished in the midst of darkness.	20 Whoever curses father or mother wil have his lamp put out in the deepest darkness.
21 When an inheritance is obtained hastily in the beginning, in the end it will be without a blessing.	21 Property quickly come by at first wil not be blessed in the end.
22 Do not say, “I will repay evil.” Wait for the Lord, and he will free you.	22 Do not say, 'I shall repay evil'; put your hope in Yahweh and he wil keep you safe.
23 Diverse weights are an abomination with the Lord. A deceitful balance is not good.	23 One weight here, another there: this is abhorrent to Yahweh, false scales are not good.
24 The steps of men are directed by the Lord. But who is the man able to understand his own way?	24 Yahweh guides the steps of the powerful: but who can comprehend human ways?
25 It is ruin for a man to devour what is holy, or, after making vows, to retract them.	25 Anyone is trapped who cries 'Dedicated!' and begins to reflect only after the vow.
26 A wise king scatters the impious and bends an archway over them.	26 A wise king winnows the wicked and makes the wheel pass over them.
27 The spirit of a man is a lamp to the Lord, which investigates all the secrets of the inner self.	27 The human spirit is the lamp of Yahweh -- searching the deepest self.
28 Mercy and truth guard the king, and his throne is strengthened by clemency.	28 Faithful love and loyalty mount guard over the king, his throne is founded on saving justice.
29 The joy of youths is their strength. And the dignity of old men is their grey hairs.	29 The pride of the young is their strength, the ornament of the old, grey hairs.
30 The bruise of a wound, as well as scourges, shall wipe away evils in the more secret places of the inner self.	30 Wounding strokes are good medicine for evil, blows have an effect on the inmost self.