Proverbs 20

¹It is a luxurious thing, wine, and inebriation is tumultuous. Anyone who is delighted by this will not be wise.

²Just like the roaring of a lion, so also is the dread of a king. Whoever provokes him sins in his own soul.

³Honor is for the man who separates himself from contentions. But all the foolish meddle in altercations.

⁴Because of the cold, the lazy one was not willing to plough. Therefore, in the summer, he will beg, and it will not be given to him.

⁵Counsel in the heart of a man is like deep waters. But a wise man will draw it out.

⁶Many men are called merciful. But who will find a faithful man?

⁷The just who walks in his simplicity shall leave behind him blessed sons.

⁸The king who sits on the throne of judgment scatters all evil with his gaze.

⁹Who is able to say: “My heart is clean. I am pure from sin?”

¹⁰Diverse weights, diverse measures: both are abominable with God.

¹¹A child may be understood by his interests: whether his works may be clean and upright.

¹²The hearing ear and the seeing eye: the Lord has made them both.

¹³Do not love sleep, lest deprivation oppress you. Open your eyes and be satisfied with bread.

¹⁴“It is bad, it is bad,” says every buyer; and when he has withdrawn, then he will boast.

¹⁵There is gold, and there are a multitude of jewels. But lips of knowledge are a precious vessel.

¹⁶Take away the vestments of him who stands up to vouch for a stranger, and take a pledge from him instead of from outsiders.

¹⁷The bread of lies is sweet to a man. But afterwards, his mouth will be filled with pebbles.

¹⁸Plans are strengthened by counsels. And wars are to be handled by governments.

¹⁹Do not become involved with him who reveals mysteries, and who walks deceitfully, and who enlarges his lips.

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

²¹When an inheritance is obtained hastily in the beginning, in the end it will be without a blessing.

²²Do not say, “I will repay evil.” Wait for the Lord, and he will free you.

²³Diverse weights are an abomination with the Lord. A deceitful balance is not good.

²⁴The steps of men are directed by the Lord. But who is the man able to understand his own way?

²⁵It is ruin for a man to devour what is holy, or, after making vows, to retract them.

²⁶A wise king scatters the impious and bends an archway over them.

²⁷The spirit of a man is a lamp to the Lord, which investigates all the secrets of the inner self.

²⁸Mercy and truth guard the king, and his throne is strengthened by clemency.

²⁹The joy of youths is their strength. And the dignity of old men is their grey hairs.

³⁰The bruise of a wound, as well as scourges, shall wipe away evils in the more secret places of the inner self.

Proverbs 20

¹Wine is a luxurious thing, and drunkenness riotous: whosoever is delighted therewith, shall not be wise.

²As the roaring of a lion, so also is the dread of a king: he that provoketh him, sinneth against his own soul.

³It is an honour for a man to separate himself from quarrels: but all fools are meddling with reproaches.

⁴Because of the cold the sluggard would not plough: he shall beg therefore in the summer, and it shall not be given him.

⁵Counsel in the heart of a man is like deep water: but a wise man will draw it out.

⁶Many men are called merciful: but who shall find a faithful man?

⁷The just that walketh in his simplicity, shall leave behind him blessed children.

⁸The king, that sitteth on the throne of judgment, scattereth away all evil with his look.

⁹Who can say: My heart is clean, I am pure from sin?

¹⁰Diverse weights and diverse measures, both are abominable before God.

¹¹By his inclinations a child is known, if his works be clean and right.

¹²The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the Lord hath made them both.

¹³Love not sleep, lest poverty oppress thee: open thy eyes, and be filled with bread.

¹⁴It is naught, it is naught, saith every buyer: and when he is gone away, then he will boast.

¹⁵There is gold and a multitude of jewels: but the lips of knowledge are a precious vessel.

¹⁶Take away the garment of him that is surety for a stranger, and take a pledge from him for strangers.

¹⁷The bread of lying is sweet to a man: but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.

¹⁸Designs are strengthened by counsels: and wars are to be managed by governments.

¹⁹Meddle not with him that revealeth secrets, and walketh deceitfully, and openeth wide his lips.

²⁰He that curseth his father, and mother, his lamp shall be put out in the midst of darkness.

²¹The inheritance gotten hastily in the beginning, in the end shall be without a blessing.

²²Say not: I will return evil: wait for the Lord, and he will deliver thee.

²³Diverse weights are an abomination before the Lord: a deceitful balance is not good.

²⁴The steps of men are guided by the Lord: but who is the man that can understand his own way?

²⁵It is ruin to a man to devour holy ones, and after vows to retract.

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

²⁷The spirit of a man is the lamp of the Lord, which searcheth all the hidden things of the bowels.

²⁸Mercy and truth preserve the king, and his throne is strengthened by clemency.

²⁹The joy of young men is their strength: and the dignity of old men, their grey hairs.

³⁰The blueness of a wound shall wipe away evils: and stripes in the more inward parts of the belly.