Proverbs 20

English Standard Version

20 ^(A)Wine is a mocker, ^(B)strong drink a brawler,
    and whoever ^(C)is led astray by it is not wise.^[a]
2 The terror of a king is like ^(D)the growling of a lion;
    whoever provokes him to anger ^(E)forfeits his life.
³ It is an honor for a man to ^(F)keep aloof from strife,
    but every fool will be quarreling.
^4 (G)The sluggard does not plow in the autumn;
    ^(H)he will seek at harvest and have nothing.
⁵ The purpose in a man's heart is like ^(I)deep water,
    but a man of understanding will draw it out.
⁶ Many a man ^(J)proclaims his own steadfast love,
    but ^(K)a faithful man who can find?
⁷ The righteous who ^(L)walks in his integrity—
    ^(M)blessed are his children after him!
^8 (N)A king who sits on the throne of judgment
    ^(O)winnows all evil with his eyes.
^9 (P)Who can say, “I have made my heart pure;
    I am clean from my sin”?
^10 (Q)Unequal^[b] weights and unequal measures
    are both alike an abomination to the Lord.
¹¹ Even a child ^(R)makes himself known by his acts,
    by whether his conduct is pure and upright.^[c]
12 (S)The hearing ear and the seeing eye,
    ^(T)the Lord has made them both.
^13 (U)Love not sleep, lest you ^(V)come to poverty;
    open your eyes, and you will have ^(W)plenty of bread.
¹⁴ “Bad, bad,” says the buyer,
    but when he goes away, then he boasts.
¹⁵ There is gold and abundance of ^(X)costly stones,
    ^(Y)but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.
^16 (Z)Take a man's garment when he has put up security for a stranger,
    and ^(AA)hold it in pledge when he puts up security for foreigners.^[d]
17 (AB)Bread gained by deceit is sweet to a man,
    but afterward his mouth will be full of ^(AC)gravel.
^18 (AD)Plans are established by counsel;
    by ^(AE)wise guidance ^(AF)wage war.
¹⁹ Whoever ^(AG)goes about slandering reveals secrets;
    therefore do not associate with ^(AH)a simple babbler.^[e]
20 (AI)If one curses his father or his mother,
    ^(AJ)his lamp will be put out in utter darkness.
^21 (AK)An inheritance gained hastily in the beginning
    will not be blessed in the end.
²² Do not say, ^(AL)“I will repay evil”;
    ^(AM)wait for the Lord, and he will deliver you.
^23 (AN)Unequal weights are an abomination to the Lord,
    and ^(AO)false scales are not good.
²⁴ A man's ^(AP)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 ^(AQ)after making vows.
²⁶ A wise king ^(AR)winnows the wicked
    and drives ^(AS)the wheel over them.
^27 (AT)The spirit^[f] of man is the lamp of the Lord,
    ^(AU)searching all ^(AV)his innermost parts.
^28 (AW)Steadfast love and faithfulness preserve the king,
    and by steadfast love his ^(AX)throne is upheld.
²⁹ The glory of young men is their strength,
    but ^(AY)the splendor of old men is their gray hair.
^30 (AZ)Blows that wound cleanse away evil;
    strokes make clean ^(BA)the innermost parts.