Open Canon

The Proverbs ā€” Chapter 20

Wine is a mocker, and strong drink is ragingā€”Turn to the Lord, and He will save you.

1 aWine is a bmocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.
2 The fear of a king is as the aroaring of a lion: whoso provoketh him to banger sinneth against his own soul.
3 It is an honour for a man to cease from astrife: but every bfool will be cmeddling.
4 The asluggard will not plow by reason of the bcold; therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing.
5 aCounsel in the bheart of man is like deep cwater; but a man of understanding will draw it out.
6 Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find?
7 The just manawalketh in his bintegrity: his cchildren are blessed after him.
8 A king that sitteth in the throne of judgment ascattereth away all evil with his eyes.
9 Who can say, I have made my heart aclean, I am pure from my bsin?
10 Divers weights, and divers measures, both of them are alike abomination to the Lord.
11 Even a child is known by his adoings, whether his bwork be pure, and whether it be right.
12 The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the Lord hath made even both of them.
13 Love not asleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied with bread.
14 It is naught, it is naught, saith the buyer: but when he is gone his way, then he aboasteth.
15 There is gold, and a multitude of rubies: but the lips of knowledge are a precious ajewel.
16 Take his agarment that is surety for a stranger: and take a pledge of him for a strange woman.
17 aBread of bdeceit is sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.
18 Every purpose is established by acounsel: and with good badvice make cwar.
19 He that goeth about as a atalebearer revealeth secrets: therefore meddle not with him that bflattereth with his lips.
20 Whoso curseth his afather or his mother, his blamp shall be put out in obscure cdarkness.
21 An inheritance may be gotten hastily at the beginning; but the end thereof shall not be blessed.
22 Say not thou, I will arecompense evil; butbwait on the Lord, and he shall save thee.
23 Divers weights are an abomination unto the Lord; and aa false balance is not good.
24 Manā€™s agoings are of the Lord; how can a man then understand his own way?
25 It is a snare to the man who devoureth that which is holy, and after vows to make inquiry.
26 A wise aking scattereth the wicked, and bringeth the wheel over them.
27 The spirit of man is the candle of the Lord, searching all the inward parts of the belly.
28 Mercy and truth preserve the king: and his throne is upholden by mercy.
29 The aglory of young men is their strength: and the bbeauty of cold men is the dgray head.
30 The blueness of a wound cleanseth away evil: so doastripes the inward parts of the belly.