16 (A)Take a man's garment when he has put up security for a stranger,
    and (B)hold it in pledge when he puts up security for foreigners.[a]
17 (C)Bread gained by deceit is sweet to a man,
    but afterward his mouth will be full of (D)gravel.
18 (E)Plans are established by counsel;
    by (F)wise guidance (G)wage war.
19 Whoever (H)goes about slandering reveals secrets;
    therefore do not associate with (I)a simple babbler.[b]
20 (J)If one curses his father or his mother,
    (K)his lamp will be put out in utter darkness.
21 (L)An inheritance gained hastily in the beginning
    will not be blessed in the end.
22 Do not say, (M)“I will repay evil”;
    (N)wait for the Lord, and he will deliver you.
23 (O)Unequal weights are an abomination to the Lord,
    and (P)false scales are not good.
24 A man's (Q)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 (R)after making vows.
26 A wise king (S)winnows the wicked
    and drives (T)the wheel over them.
27 (U)The spirit[c] of man is the lamp of the Lord,
    (V)searching all (W)his innermost parts.
28 (X)Steadfast love and faithfulness preserve the king,
    and by steadfast love his (Y)throne is upheld.
29 The glory of young men is their strength,
    but (Z)the splendor of old men is their gray hair.
30 (AA)Blows that wound cleanse away evil;
    strokes make clean (AB)the innermost parts.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 20:16 Or for an adulteress (compare 27:13)
  2. Proverbs 20:19 Hebrew with one who is simple in his lips
  3. Proverbs 20:27 Hebrew breath

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