Proverbs 20:5-25

English Standard Version

⁵ The purpose in a man's heart is like ^(A)deep water,
    but a man of understanding will draw it out.
⁶ Many a man ^(B)proclaims his own steadfast love,
    but ^(C)a faithful man who can find?
⁷ The righteous who ^(D)walks in his integrity—
    ^(E)blessed are his children after him!
^8 (F)A king who sits on the throne of judgment
    ^(G)winnows all evil with his eyes.
^9 (H)Who can say, “I have made my heart pure;
    I am clean from my sin”?
^10 (I)Unequal^[a] weights and unequal measures
    are both alike an abomination to the Lord.
¹¹ Even a child ^(J)makes himself known by his acts,
    by whether his conduct is pure and upright.^[b]
12 (K)The hearing ear and the seeing eye,
    ^(L)the Lord has made them both.
^13 (M)Love not sleep, lest you ^(N)come to poverty;
    open your eyes, and you will have ^(O)plenty of bread.
¹⁴ “Bad, bad,” says the buyer,
    but when he goes away, then he boasts.
¹⁵ There is gold and abundance of ^(P)costly stones,
    ^(Q)but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.
^16 (R)Take a man's garment when he has put up security for a stranger,
    and ^(S)hold it in pledge when he puts up security for foreigners.^[c]
17 (T)Bread gained by deceit is sweet to a man,
    but afterward his mouth will be full of ^(U)gravel.
^18 (V)Plans are established by counsel;
    by ^(W)wise guidance ^(X)wage war.
¹⁹ Whoever ^(Y)goes about slandering reveals secrets;
    therefore do not associate with ^(Z)a simple babbler.^[d]
20 (AA)If one curses his father or his mother,
    ^(AB)his lamp will be put out in utter darkness.
^21 (AC)An inheritance gained hastily in the beginning
    will not be blessed in the end.
²² Do not say, ^(AD)“I will repay evil”;
    ^(AE)wait for the Lord, and he will deliver you.
^23 (AF)Unequal weights are an abomination to the Lord,
    and ^(AG)false scales are not good.
²⁴ A man's ^(AH)steps are from the Lord;
    how then can man understand his way?
²⁵ It is a snare to say rashly, “It is holy,”
    and to reflect only ^(AI)after making vows.