Proverbs, 20

1. Wine [is] a mocker, strong drink [is] raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.

1. Wine leads to vulgarity and strong drink, to bravado; he who strays in it will never be wise.

2. The fear of a king [is] as the roaring of a lion: [whoso] provoketh him to anger sinneth [against] his own soul.

2. The angry king is like a roaring lion; whoever provokes him risks his life.

3. [It is] an honour for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling.

3. It is good for man to avoid quarrels; it is the fool who does not master himself.

4. The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; [therefore] shall he beg in harvest, and [have] nothing.

4. Autumn is over, yet the fool does no work; come the harvest, he searches and finds nothing.

5. Counsel in the heart of man [is like] deep water; but a man of understanding will draw it out.

5. Counsel is like deep water in the heart, the discerning man has only to draw it out.

6. Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find?

6. Many are called good but where can the trustworthy man be found?

7. The just [man] walketh in his integrity: his children [are] blessed after him.

7. The upright man who works honestly will make his sons happy after him.

8. A king that sitteth in the throne of judgment scattereth away all evil with his eyes.

8. The king who sits in judgment discovers evil at a single glance.

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

9. Who can say, "I have purified my heart, I am cleansed from sin?"

10. Divers weights, [and] divers measures, both of them [are] alike abomination to the LORD.

10. The crooked measure and scales - these are the things that Yahweh detests.

11. Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work [be] pure, and whether [it be] right.

11. The child reveals himself in his deeds: whether his actions are honest and upright.

12. The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the LORD hath made even both of them.

12. The ear that hears, the eye that sees, Yahweh has made them both.

13. Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, [and] thou shalt be satisfied with bread.

13. Do not love sleep lest you become poor; keep your eyes open and you will have your fill of bread.

14. [It is] naught, [it is] naught, saith the buyer: but when he is gone his way, then he boasteth.

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

15. There is gold, and a multitude of rubies: but the lips of knowledge [are] a precious jewel.

15. Although you have gold and abundance of pearls, the most valuable adornment is lips which speak wisely.

16. Take his garment that is surety [for] a stranger: and take a pledge of him for a strange woman.

16. Get rid of his clothes because he has stood bail for a stranger; arrest him for the profit of those unknown!

17. Bread of deceit [is] sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.

17. Stolen bread tastes good but later on your mouth is full of sand.

18. [Every] purpose is established by counsel: and with good advice make war.

18. Plans take shape, thanks to advice; do battle, then, with wise strategies.

19. He that goeth about [as] a talebearer revealeth secrets: therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips.

19. The gossiper reveals secrets; have nothing to do with chatterers.

20. Whoso curseth his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in obscure darkness.

20. Whoever curses his father and mother will see his lamp extinguished in the midst of darkness.

21. An inheritance [may be] gotten hastily at the beginning; but the end thereof shall not be blessed.

21. Advantage hastily gained in the beginning will not be blessed in the long run.

22. Say not thou, I will recompense evil; [but] wait on the LORD, and he shall save thee.

22. Never say, "I will take revenge." Trust in Yahweh; he will save you.

23. Divers weights [are] an abomination unto the LORD; and a false balance [is] not good.

23. Yahweh detests false weights; it does no good to have false scales.

24. Man's goings [are] of the LORD; how can a man then understand his own way?

24. Yahweh directs a man's steps, who can know where his way leads?

25. [It is] a snare to the man [who] devoureth [that which is] holy, and after vows to make enquiry.

25. It is dangerous to make hasty promises to Yahweh and only then reflect on them.

26. A wise king scattereth the wicked, and bringeth the wheel over them.

26. A king throws evildoers to the wind and runs the thresher over them.

27. The spirit of man [is] the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of the belly.

27. Man's spirit is Yahweh's lamp which searches the hidden places of the heart.

28. Mercy and truth preserve the king: and his throne is upholden by mercy.

28. Goodness and loyalty keep guard over the king; his throne stands due to goodness.

29. The glory of young men [is] their strength: and the beauty of old men [is] the gray head.

29. Energy is the adornment of youth, white hair the dignity of age.

30. The blueness of a wound cleanseth away evil: so [do] stripes the inward parts of the belly.

30. Bleeding wounds purify evil, blows bring healing to the inner self.