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Proverbs 20
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1Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler; And whosoever erreth thereby is not wise.
1Wine makes fun of people, and strong drink starts fights; anyone who is led astray by them is not wise.
2The terror of a king is as the roaring of a lion: He that provoketh him to anger sinneth against his own life.
2A king’s anger is like the roar of a lion; anyone who makes him angry risks his own life.
3It is an honor for a man to keep aloof from strife; But every fool will be quarrelling.
3It is an honor to stay out of a fight, but every fool is quick to quarrel.
4The sluggard will not plow by reason of the winter; Therefore he shall beg in harvest, and have nothing.
4A lazy person will not plow in the cold weather; so at harvest time, he looks for food and finds nothing.
5Counsel in the heart of man islikedeep water; But a man of understanding will draw it out.
5The intentions of a person's heart are like deep water, but a person of understanding knows how to draw them out.
6Most men will proclaim every one his own kindness; But a faithful man who can find?
6Many people claim to be loyal, but who can find someone who is truly faithful?
7A righteous man that walketh in his integrity, Blessed are his children after him.
7A righteous person lives with integrity; his children are blessed after he is gone.
8A king that sitteth on the throne of judgment Scattereth away all evil with his eyes.
8When a king sits on his throne to judge, he sifts out all evil just by looking.
9Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?
9Who can truly say, 'I have made my heart clean; I am pure and without sin'?
10Diverse weights, and diverse measures, Both of them alike are an abomination to Jehovah.
10Using dishonest weights and dishonest measures are both disgusting to the LORD.
11Even a child maketh himself known by his doings, Whether his work be pure, and whether it be right.
11Even a child is known by what he does; his actions show if his character is pure and right.
12The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, Jehovah hath made even both of them.
12The ear that hears and the eye that sees—the LORD made both of them.
13Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; Open thine eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied with bread.
13Do not love sleep or you will become poor; stay awake and you will have plenty of food.
14It is bad, it is bad, saith the buyer; But when he is gone his way, then he boasteth.
14'It’s no good, it’s no good!' says the buyer; but then he goes away and brags about his bargain.
15There is gold, and abundance of rubies; But the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.
15Gold and many rubies exist, but speaking with knowledge is a far more precious jewel.
16Take his garment that is surety for a stranger; And hold him in pledge that is surety for foreigners.
16Take the garment of someone who guarantees a stranger's debt; hold it as security if he did it for a foreigner.
17Bread of falsehood is sweet to a man; But afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.
17Food gained by lying tastes sweet at first; but later, the mouth will be filled with gravel.
18Every purpose is established by counsel; And by wise guidance make thou war.
18Plans are made stable by getting advice; so get wise guidance before you go to war.
19He that goeth about as a tale-bearer revealeth secrets; Therefore company not with him that openeth wide his lips.
19A gossip goes around spreading secrets; so do not associate with someone who talks too much.
20Whoso curseth his father or his mother, His lamp shall be put out in blackness of darkness.
20If someone curses his father or mother, his lamp will be snuffed out in total darkness.
21An inheritancemay be gotten hastily at the beginning; But the end thereof shall not be blessed.
21Wealth gathered quickly at the start will not be blessed in the end.
22Say not thou, I will recompense evil: Wait for Jehovah, and he will save thee.
22Do not say, 'I will get even for this wrong.' Wait for the LORD, and he will make things right.
23Diverse weights are an abomination to Jehovah; And a false balance is not good.
23The LORD hates the use of dishonest weights; cheating with scales is not good.
24A man’s goings are of Jehovah; How then can man understand his way?
24The LORD directs a person's steps; how then can anyone understand their own way?
25It is a snare to a man rashly to say, It is holy, And after vows to make inquiry.
25It is a trap for someone to impulsively promise something to God and only think about it after making the vow.
26A wise king winnoweth the wicked, And bringeth the threshing-wheel over them.
26A wise king separates the wicked from the good; he drives the threshing wheel over them.
27The spirit of man is the lamp of Jehovah, Searching all his innermost parts.
27The human spirit is the LORD’s lamp, searching through a person's deepest thoughts.
28Kindness and truth preserve the king; And his throne is upholden by kindness.
28Unfailing love and truth keep a king safe; his throne is made secure by kindness.