Proverbs 20

DOUAI-RHEIMS	NEW JERUSALEM
1 Wine is a luxurious thing, and drunkenness riotous: whosoever is delighted therewith shell not be wise.	1 Wine is reckless, liquor rowdy; unwise is anyone whom it seduces.
2 As the roaring of a lion, so also is the dread of a king: he that provoketh him, sinneth against his own soul.	2 Like the roaring of a lion is the fury of a king; whoever provokes him sins against himself.
3 It is an honour for a man to separate himself from quarrels: but all fools are meddling with reproaches.	3 It is praiseworthy to stop short of a law-suit; only a fool flies into a rage.
4 Because of the cold the sluggard would not plough: he shall beg therefore in the summer, and it shall not be given 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 water: 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 shall 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 that walketh in his simplicity, shall leave behind him blessed children.	7 The upright whose ways are blameless -- blessed the children who come after!
8 The king, that sitteth on the throne of judgment, scattereth away all evil with his look.	8 A king enthroned on the judgement seat with one look scatters al that is evil.
9 Who can 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 and diverse measures, both are abominable before God.	10 One weight here, another there; here one measure, there another: both alike are abhorrent toYahweh.
11 By his inclinations a child is known, if his works be clean and right.	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 hath made them both.	12 Ear that hears, eye that sees, Yahweh has made both of these.
13 Love not sleep, lest poverty oppress thee: open thy eyes, and be filled 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 nought, it is nought, saith every buyer: and when he is gone away, then he will boast.	14 'No good, no good!' says the buyer, but he goes off congratulating himself.
15 There is gold, and a multitude of jewels: but the 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 garment of him that is surety for a stranger, and take a pledge from him for strangers.	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 lying is sweet to a man: but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.	17 Bread is sweet when it is got by fraud, but later the mouth is ful of grit.
18 Designs are strengthened by counsels: and wars are to be managed by governments.	18 Plans are matured by consultation; take wise advice when waging war.
19 Meddle not with him that revealeth secrets, and walketh deceitfully, and openeth wide his lips.	19 The bearer of gossip lets out secrets; do not mingle with chatterers.
20 He that curseth his father, and mother, his lamp shall be put out in the midst of darkness.	20 Whoever curses father or mother wil have his lamp put out in the deepest darkness.
21 The inheritance gotten hastily in the beginning, in the end shall be without a blessing.	21 Property quickly come by at first wil not be blessed in the end.
22 Say not: I will return evil: wait for the Lord and he will deliver thee.	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 before 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 man are guided by the Lord: but who is the man that can understand his own way?	24 Yahweh guides the steps of the powerful: but who can comprehend human ways?
25 It is ruin to a man to devour holy ones, and after vows to retract.	25 Anyone is trapped who cries 'Dedicated!' and begins to reflect only after the vow.
26 A wise king scattereth the wicked, and bringeth over them the wheel.	26 A wise king winnows the wicked and makes the wheel pass over them.
27 The spirit of a man is the lamp of the Lord, which searcheth all the hidden things of the bowels.	27 The human spirit is the lamp of Yahweh -- searching the deepest self.
28 Mercy and truth preserve 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 young men is their strength: and the dignity of old men, their grey hairs.	29 The pride of the young is their strength, the ornament of the old, grey hairs.
30 The blueness of a wound shall wipe away evils: and stripes in the more inward parts of the belly.	30 Wounding strokes are good medicine for evil, blows have an effect on the inmost self.