Proverbs, 20

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

4. The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; [therefore] shall he beg in 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. Counsel in the heart of man [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. Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find?

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

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

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

8. A king that sitteth in the throne of judgment scattereth away 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. Divers weights, [and] divers measures, both of them [are] alike 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 is known by his doings, whether his work [be] pure, and whether [it be] right.

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

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

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 thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, [and] thou shalt be satisfied with bread.

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

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

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

15. There is gold, and a multitude of rubies: 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 his garment that is surety [for] a stranger: and take a pledge of him for a strange woman.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

26. A wise king winnows the wicked and makes the wheel pass over them.

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

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

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

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

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

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: and the beauty of old men [is] the gray head.

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

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