Proverbs 20

¹ Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler; and whoever is led astray by it is not wise.

² The dread wrath of a king is like the growling of a lion; he who provokes him to anger forfeits his life.

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

⁴ The sluggard does not plow in the autumn; he will seek at harvest and have nothing.

⁵ The purpose in a man's mind is like deep water, but a man of understanding will draw it out.

⁶ Many a man proclaims his own loyalty, but a faithful man who can find?

⁷ A righteous man who walks in his integrity-- blessed are his sons after him!

⁸ A king who sits on the throne of judgment winnows 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 are both alike an abomination to the LORD.

¹¹ Even a child makes himself known by his acts, whether what he does is pure and right.

¹² The hearing ear and the seeing eye, the LORD has made them both.

¹³ Love not sleep, lest you come to poverty; open your eyes, and you will have plenty of bread.

¹⁴ "It is bad, it is bad," says the buyer; but when he goes away, then he boasts.

¹⁵ There is gold, and abundance of costly stones; but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.

¹⁶ Take a man's garment when he has given surety for a stranger, and hold him in pledge when he gives surety for foreigners.

¹⁷ Bread gained by deceit is sweet to a man, but afterward his mouth will be full of gravel.

¹⁸ Plans are established by counsel; by wise guidance wage war.

¹⁹ He who goes about gossiping reveals secrets; therefore do not associate with one who speaks foolishly.

²⁰ If one curses his father or his mother, his lamp will be put out in utter darkness.

²¹ An inheritance gotten hastily in the beginning will in the end not be blessed.

²² Do not say, "I will repay evil"; wait for the LORD, and he will help you.

²³ Diverse weights are an abomination to the LORD, and false scales are not good.

²⁴ A man's steps are ordered by the LORD; how then can man understand his way?

²⁵ It is a snare for a man to say rashly, "It is holy," and to reflect only after making his vows.

²⁶ A wise king winnows the wicked, and drives the wheel over them.

²⁷ The spirit of man is the lamp of the LORD, searching all his innermost parts.

²⁸ Loyalty and faithfulness preserve the king, and his throne is upheld by righteousness.

²⁹ The glory of young men is their strength, but the beauty of old men is their gray hair.

³⁰ Blows that wound cleanse away evil; strokes make clean the innermost parts.