Proverbs 20

1Wine makes men foolish, and strong drink makes men come to blows; and whoever comes into error through these is not wise.

1Wine <FI>is<Fi> a scorner--strong drink <FI>is<Fi> noisy, And any going astray in it is not wise.

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

1Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler; And whosoever erreth thereby is not wise.

2The wrath of a king is like the loud cry of a lion: he who makes him angry does wrong against himself.

2The fear of a king <FI>is<Fi> a growl as of a young lion, He who is causing him to be wroth is wronging his soul.

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

2The terror of a king is as the roaring of a lion: He that provoketh him to anger sinneth against his own life.

3It is an honour for a man to keep from fighting, but the foolish are ever at war.

3An honour to a man is cessation from strife, And every fool intermeddleth.

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

3It is an honor for a man to keep aloof from strife; But every fool will be quarrelling.

4The hater of work will not do his ploughing because of the winter; so at the time of grain-cutting he will be requesting food and will get nothing.

4Because of winter the slothful plougheth not, He asketh in harvest, and there is nothing.

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

4The sluggard will not plow by reason of the winter; Therefore he shall beg in harvest, and have nothing.

5The purpose in the heart of a man is like deep water, but a man of good sense will get it out.

5Counsel in the heart of a man <FI>is<Fi> deep water, And a man of understanding draweth it up.

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

5Counsel in the heart of man islikedeep water; But a man of understanding will draw it out.

6Most men make no secret of their kind acts: but where is a man of good faith to be seen?

6A multitude of men proclaim each his kindness, And a man of stedfastness who doth find?

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

6Most men will proclaim every one his own kindness; But a faithful man who can find?

7An upright man goes on in his righteousness: happy are his children after him!

7The righteous is walking habitually in his integrity, O the happiness of his sons after him!

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

7A righteous man that walketh in his integrity, Blessed are his children after him.

8A king on the seat of judging puts to flight all evil with his eyes.

8A king sitting on a throne of judgment, Is scattering with his eyes all evil,

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

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

9Who is able to say, I have made my heart clean, I am free from my sin?

9Who saith, `I have purified my heart, I have been cleansed from my sin?'

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

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

10Unequal weights and unequal measures, they are all disgusting to the Lord.

10A stone and a stone, an ephah and an ephah, Even both of them <FI>are<Fi> an abomination to Jehovah.

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

10Diverse weights, and diverse measures, Both of them alike are an abomination to Jehovah.

11Even a child may be judged by his doings, if his work is free from sin and if it is right.

11Even by his actions a youth maketh himself known, Whether his work be pure or upright.

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

11Even a child maketh himself known by his doings, Whether his work be pure, and whether it be right.

12The hearing ear and the seeing eye are equally the Lord's work.

12A hearing ear, and a seeing eye, Jehovah hath made even both of them.

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

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

13Do not be a lover of sleep, or you will become poor: keep your eyes open, and you will have bread enough.

13Love not sleep, lest thou become poor, Open thine eyes--be satisfied <FI>with<Fi> bread.

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

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

14A poor thing, a poor thing, says he who is giving money for goods: but when he has gone on his way, then he makes clear his pride in what he has got.

14`Bad, bad,' saith the buyer, And going his way then he boasteth himself.

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

14It is bad, it is bad, saith the buyer; But when he is gone his way, then he boasteth.

15There is gold and a store of corals: but the lips of knowledge are a jewel of great price.

15Substance, gold, and a multitude of rubies, Yea, a precious vessel, <FI>are<Fi> lips of knowledge.

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

15There is gold, and abundance of rubies; But the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.

16Take a man's clothing if he makes himself responsible for a strange man, and get an undertaking from him who gives his word for strange men.

16Take his garment when a stranger hath been surety, And for strangers pledge it.

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

16Take his garment that is surety for a stranger; And hold him in pledge that is surety for foreigners.

17Bread of deceit is sweet to a man; but after, his mouth will be full of sand.

17Sweet to a man <FI>is<Fi> the bread of falsehood, And afterwards is his mouth filled <FI>with<Fi> gravel.

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

17Bread of falsehood is sweet to a man; But afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.

18Every purpose is put into effect by wise help: and by wise guiding make war.

18Purposes by counsel thou dost establish, And with plans make thou war.

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

18Every purpose is established by counsel; And by wise guidance make thou war.

19He who goes about talking of the business of others gives away secrets: so have nothing to do with him whose lips are open wide.

19A revealer of secret counsels is the busybody, And for a deceiver <FI>with<Fi> his lips make not thyself surety.

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

19He that goeth about as a tale-bearer revealeth secrets; Therefore company not with him that openeth wide his lips.

20If anyone puts a curse on his father or his mother, his light will be put out in the blackest night.

20Whoso is vilifying his father and his mother, Extinguished is his lamp in blackness of darkness.

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

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

21A heritage may be got quickly at first, but the end of it will not be a blessing.

21An inheritance gotten wrongly at first, Even its latter end is not blessed.

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

21An inheritancemay be gotten hastily at the beginning; But the end thereof shall not be blessed.

22Do not say, I will give punishment for evil: go on waiting for the Lord, and he will be your saviour.

22Do not say, `I recompense evil,' Wait for Jehovah, and He delivereth thee.

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

22Say not thou, I will recompense evil: Wait for Jehovah, and he will save thee.

23Unequal weights are disgusting to the Lord, and false scales are not good.

23An abomination to Jehovah <FI>are<Fi> a stone and a stone, And balances of deceit <FI>are<Fi> not good.

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

23Diverse weights are an abomination to Jehovah; And a false balance is not good.

24A man's steps are of the Lord; how then may a man have knowledge of his way?

24From Jehovah <FI>are<Fi> the steps of a man, And man--how understandeth he his way?

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

24A man’s goings are of Jehovah; How then can man understand his way?

25It is a danger to a man to say without thought, It is holy, and, after taking his oaths, to be questioning if it is necessary to keep them.

25A snare to a man <FI>is<Fi> he hath swallowed a holy thing, And after vows to make inquiry.

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

25It is a snare to a man rashly to say, It is holy, And after vows to make inquiry.

26A wise king puts evil-doers to flight, and makes their evil-doing come back on them.

26A wise king is scattering the wicked, And turneth back on them the wheel.

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

26A wise king winnoweth the wicked, And bringeth the threshing-wheel over them.

27The Lord keeps watch over the spirit of man, searching all the deepest parts of the body.

27The breath of man <FI>is<Fi> a lamp of Jehovah, Searching all the inner parts of the heart.

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

27The spirit of man is the lamp of Jehovah, Searching all his innermost parts.

28Mercy and good faith keep the king safe, and the seat of his power is based on upright acts.

28Kindness and truth keep a king, And he hath supported by kindness his throne.

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

28Kindness and truth preserve the king; And his throne is upholden by kindness.

29The glory of young men is their strength, and the honour of old men is their grey hairs.

29The beauty of young men is their strength, And the honour of old men is grey hairs.

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

29The glory of young men is their strength; And the beauty of old men is the hoary head.

30By the wounds of the rod evil is taken away, and blows make clean the deepest parts of the body.

30The bandages of a wound thou removest with the evil, Also the plagues of the inner parts of the heart!

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

30Stripes that wound cleanse away evil; And strokesreachthe innermost parts.