Proverbs, 20

1. Wine is reckless, liquor rowdy; unwise is anyone whom it seduces.

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

2. Like the roaring of a lion is the fury of a king; whoever provokes him sins against himself.

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 praiseworthy to stop short of a law-suit; only a fool flies into a rage.

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

4. In autumn the idler does not plough, at harvest time he looks -- nothing there!

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

5. The resources of the human heart are like deep waters: an understanding person has only to draw on them.

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

6. Many describe themselves as people of faithful love, but who can find someone really to be trusted?

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

7. The upright whose ways are blameless -- blessed the children who come after!

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

8. A king enthroned on the judgement seat with one look scatters all that is evil.

8. A king who sits on the throne of judgment winnows all evil with his eyes.

9. Who can say, 'I have cleansed my heart, I am purified of my sin'?

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

10. One weight here, another there; here one measure, there another: both alike are abhorrent to Yahweh.

10. Diverse weights and diverse measures are both alike an abomination to the LORD.

11. A young man's character appears in what he does, if his behaviour is pure and straight.

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

12. Ear that hears, eye that sees, Yahweh has made both of these.

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

13. Do not love sleep or you will know poverty; keep your eyes open and have your fill of food.

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

14. 'No good, no good!' says the buyer, but he goes off congratulating himself.

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

15. There are gold and jewels of every type, but a priceless ornament is speech informed by knowledge.

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

16. Take the man's clothes! He has gone surety for a stranger. Take a pledge from him to the profit of persons unknown!

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 is sweet when it is got by fraud, but later the mouth is full of grit.

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

18. Plans are matured by consultation; take wise advice when waging war.

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

19. The bearer of gossip lets out secrets; do not mingle with chatterers.

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

20. Whoever curses father or mother will have his lamp put out in the deepest darkness.

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

21. Property quickly come by at first will not be blessed in the end.

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

22. Do not say, 'I shall repay evil'; put your hope in Yahweh and he will keep you safe.

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

23. One weight here, another there: this is abhorrent to Yahweh, false scales are not good.

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

24. Yahweh guides the steps of the powerful: but who can comprehend human ways?

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

25. Anyone is trapped who cries 'Dedicated!' and begins to reflect only after the vow.

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 makes the wheel pass over them.

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

27. The human spirit is the lamp of Yahweh -- searching the deepest self.

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

28. Faithful love and loyalty mount guard over the king, his throne is founded on saving justice.

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

29. The pride of the young is their strength, the ornament of the old, grey hairs.

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

30. Wounding strokes are good medicine for evil, blows have an effect on the inmost self.

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