Proverbs 20

¹Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler,
And whoever ^[a]is intoxicated by it is not wise.
² The terror of a king is like the growling of a lion;
He who provokes him to anger ^[b]forfeits his own life.
^3 [c]Keeping away from strife is an honor for a man,
But any fool will ^[d]quarrel.
⁴ The sluggard does not plow after the autumn,
So he ^[e]begs during the harvest and has nothing.
⁵ A plan in the heart of a man is like deep water,
But a man of understanding draws it out.
⁶ Many a man proclaims his own loyalty,
But who can find a trustworthy man?
⁷ A righteous man who walks in his integrity—
How blessed are his sons after him.
⁸ A king who sits on the throne of justice
^[f]Disperses all evil with his eyes.
⁹ Who can say, “I have cleansed my heart,
I am pure from my sin”?
^10 [g]Differing weights and differing measures,
Both of them are abominable to the Lord.
¹¹ It is by his deeds that a lad ^[h]distinguishes himself
If his conduct is pure and right.
¹² The hearing ear and the seeing eye,
The Lord has made both of them.
¹³ Do not love sleep, or you will become poor;
Open your eyes, and you will be satisfied with ^[i]food.
¹⁴ “Bad, bad,” says the buyer,
But when he goes his way, then he boasts.
¹⁵ There is gold, and an abundance of ^[j]jewels;
But the lips of knowledge are a more precious thing.
¹⁶ Take his garment when he becomes surety for a stranger;
And for foreigners, hold him in pledge.
¹⁷ Bread obtained by falsehood is sweet to a man,
But afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel.
¹⁸ Prepare plans by consultation,
And make war by wise guidance.
¹⁹ He who goes about as a slanderer reveals secrets,
Therefore do not associate with ^[k]a gossip.
²⁰ He who curses his father or his mother,
His lamp will go out in ^[l]time of darkness.
²¹ An inheritance gained hurriedly at the beginning
Will not be blessed in the end.
²² Do not say, “I will repay evil”;
Wait for the Lord, and He will save you.
^23 [m]Differing weights are an abomination to the Lord,
And a ^[n]false scale is not good.
²⁴ Man’s steps are ordained by the Lord,
How then can man understand his way?
²⁵ It is a trap for a man to say rashly, “It is holy!”
And after the vows to make inquiry.
²⁶ A wise king winnows the wicked,
And ^[o]drives the threshing wheel over them.
²⁷ The ^[p]spirit of man is the lamp of the Lord,
Searching all the ^[q]innermost parts of his being.
^28 [r]Loyalty and truth preserve the king,
And he upholds his throne by ^[s]righteousness.
²⁹ The glory of young men is their strength,
And the ^[t]honor of old men is their gray hair.
³⁰ Stripes that wound scour away evil,
And strokes reach the ^[u]innermost parts.