Proverbs 20

¹Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise. ²The fear of a king is as the roaring of a lion: whoso provoketh him to anger sinneth against his own soul. ³It is an honour for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling. ⁴The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing.⁵Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water; but a man of understanding will draw it out. ⁶Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find?⁷The just man walketh in his integrity: his children are blessed after him. ⁸A king that sitteth in the throne of judgment scattereth away all evil with his eyes. ⁹Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin? ¹⁰Divers weights, and divers measures, both of them are alike abomination to the Lord.¹¹Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right. ¹²The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the Lord hath made even both of them. ¹³Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied with bread. ¹⁴It is naught, it is naught, saith the buyer: but when he is gone his way, then he boasteth. ¹⁵There is gold, and a multitude of rubies: but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel. ¹⁶Take his garment that is surety for a stranger: and take a pledge of him for a strange woman. ¹⁷Bread of deceit is sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel. ¹⁸Every purpose is established by counsel: and with good advice make war. ¹⁹He that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets: therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips. ²⁰Whoso curseth his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in obscure darkness. ²¹An inheritance may be gotten hastily at the beginning; but the end thereof shall not be blessed. ²²Say not thou, I will recompense evil; but wait on the Lord, and he shall save thee. ²³Divers weights are an abomination unto the Lord; and a false balance is not good. ²⁴Man’s goings are of the Lord; how can a man then understand his own way? ²⁵It is a snare to the man who devoureth that which is holy, and after vows to make enquiry. ²⁶A wise king scattereth the wicked, and bringeth the wheel over them. ²⁷The spirit of man is the candle of the Lord, searching all the inward parts of the belly. ²⁸Mercy and truth preserve the king: and his throne is upholden by mercy. ²⁹The glory of young men is their strength: and the beauty of old men is the gray head. ³⁰The blueness of a wound cleanseth away evil: so do stripes the inward parts of the belly.