Proverbs 20-24
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.
21 The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord;
he (BB)turns it wherever he will.
2 (BC)Every way of a man is right in his own eyes,
but the Lord (BD)weighs the heart.
3 (BE)To do righteousness and justice
is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.
4 (BF)Haughty eyes and a proud heart,
(BG)the lamp[g] of the wicked, are sin.
5 The plans of (BH)the diligent lead surely to abundance,
but everyone who is (BI)hasty comes (BJ)only to poverty.
6 (BK)The getting of treasures by a lying tongue
is a (BL)fleeting (BM)vapor and a (BN)snare of death.[h]
7 The violence of the wicked will (BO)sweep them away,
because they refuse to do what is just.
8 The way of the guilty (BP)is crooked,
but the conduct of the pure is upright.
9 It is (BQ)better to live in a corner of the housetop
than in a house shared with a quarrelsome wife.
10 The soul of the wicked desires evil;
his neighbor finds no mercy in his eyes.
11 When (BR)a scoffer is punished, the simple becomes wise;
when a wise man is instructed, he gains knowledge.
12 The Righteous One (BS)observes the house of the wicked;
he throws the wicked down to ruin.
13 (BT)Whoever closes his ear to the cry of the poor
will himself call out and not be answered.
14 (BU)A gift in secret averts anger,
and a concealed bribe,[i] strong wrath.
15 When justice is done, it is a joy to the righteous
(BV)but terror to evildoers.
16 One who wanders from the way of good sense
(BW)will rest in the assembly of the dead.
17 Whoever loves pleasure will be a poor man;
he who loves wine and oil will not be rich.
18 (BX)The wicked is a (BY)ransom for the righteous,
and the traitor for the upright.
19 It is (BZ)better to live in a desert land
than with a quarrelsome and fretful woman.
20 (CA)Precious treasure and oil are in a wise man's dwelling,
but a foolish man (CB)devours it.
21 Whoever (CC)pursues righteousness and kindness
will find (CD)life, righteousness, and honor.
22 (CE)A wise man scales the city of the mighty
and brings down the stronghold in which they trust.
23 (CF)Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue
(CG)keeps himself out of (CH)trouble.
24 (CI)“Scoffer” is the name of the arrogant, haughty man
who acts with arrogant pride.
25 The desire of (CJ)the sluggard kills him,
for his hands refuse to labor.
26 All day long he craves and craves,
but the righteous (CK)gives and does not hold back.
27 (CL)The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination;
how much more (CM)when he brings it with evil intent.
28 (CN)A false witness will perish,
but the word of a man who hears will endure.
29 A wicked man puts on a bold face,
but the upright (CO)gives thought to[j] his ways.
30 (CP)No wisdom, no understanding, no counsel
can avail against the Lord.
31 (CQ)The horse is made ready for the day of battle,
but (CR)the victory belongs to the Lord.
22 (CS)A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches,
and favor is better than silver or gold.
2 (CT)The rich and the poor meet together;
the Lord is (CU)the Maker of them all.
3 (CV)The prudent sees danger and hides himself,
but the simple go on and suffer for it.
4 The reward for humility and fear of the Lord
is (CW)riches and honor and life.[k]
5 (CX)Thorns and snares are in the way of the crooked;
whoever (CY)guards his soul will keep far from them.
6 (CZ)Train up a child in the way he should go;
even when he is old he will not depart from it.
7 (DA)The rich rules over the poor,
and the borrower is the slave of the lender.
8 Whoever (DB)sows injustice will reap calamity,
and (DC)the rod of his fury will fail.
9 (DD)Whoever has a bountiful[l] eye will be blessed,
for he (DE)shares his bread with the poor.
10 (DF)Drive out a scoffer, (DG)and strife will go out,
and (DH)quarreling and abuse will cease.
11 He who (DI)loves purity of heart,
and whose (DJ)speech is gracious, (DK)will have the king as his friend.
12 The eyes of the Lord keep watch over knowledge,
but he (DL)overthrows the words of the traitor.
13 (DM)The sluggard says, “There is a lion outside!
I shall be killed in the streets!”
14 The mouth of (DN)forbidden[m] women is (DO)a deep pit;
(DP)he with whom the Lord is angry will fall into it.
15 Folly is bound up in the heart of a child,
but (DQ)the rod of discipline drives it far from him.
16 Whoever oppresses the poor to increase his own wealth,
or gives to the rich, (DR)will only come to poverty.
Words of the Wise
17 (DS)Incline your ear, and hear (DT)the words of the wise,
(DU)and apply your heart to my knowledge,
18 for it will be pleasant if you keep them within you,
if all of them are ready on your lips.
19 That your trust may be in the Lord,
I have made them known to you today, even to you.
20 Have I not written for you (DV)thirty sayings
of counsel and knowledge,
21 to (DW)make you know what is right and true,
that you may give a true answer to those who sent you?
22 (DX)Do not rob the poor, because he is poor,
or (DY)crush the afflicted at (DZ)the gate,
23 for (EA)the Lord will plead their cause
and rob of life those who rob them.
24 Make no friendship with a man given to anger,
nor go with a wrathful man,
25 lest you learn his ways
and entangle yourself in a snare.
26 Be not one of those who (EB)give pledges,
who put up security for debts.
27 If you have nothing with which to pay,
why should (EC)your bed be taken from under you?
28 Do not move the ancient (ED)landmark
that your fathers have set.
29 Do you see a man skillful in his work?
He will (EE)stand before kings;
he will not stand before obscure men.
23 When you sit down to eat with a ruler,
observe carefully what[n] is before you,
2 and put a knife to your throat
if you are given to appetite.
3 (EF)Do not desire his delicacies,
for they are deceptive food.
4 (EG)Do not toil to acquire wealth;
(EH)be discerning enough to desist.
5 When your eyes light on it, it is gone,
(EI)for suddenly it sprouts wings,
flying like an eagle toward heaven.
6 (EJ)Do not eat the bread of a man who is (EK)stingy;[o]
(EL)do not desire his delicacies,
7 for he is like one who is inwardly calculating.[p]
“Eat and drink!” he says to you,
but his (EM)heart is not with you.
8 You will vomit up the morsels that you have eaten,
and waste your pleasant words.
9 Do not speak in the hearing of a fool,
for he will despise the good sense of your words.
10 (EN)Do not move an ancient landmark
or enter the fields of the fatherless,
11 for their (EO)Redeemer is strong;
he will (EP)plead their cause against you.
12 Apply your heart to instruction
and your ear to words of knowledge.
13 Do not withhold (EQ)discipline from a child;
(ER)if you strike him with a rod, he will not die.
14 If you strike him with the rod,
you will (ES)save his soul from Sheol.
15 (ET)My son, if your heart is wise,
my heart too will be glad.
16 My (EU)inmost being[q] will exult
when your lips speak (EV)what is right.
17 Let not your heart (EW)envy sinners,
but continue in (EX)the fear of the Lord all the day.
18 Surely (EY)there is a future,
and your (EZ)hope will not be cut off.
19 Hear, my son, and (FA)be wise,
and (FB)direct your heart in the way.
20 Be not among (FC)drunkards[r]
or among (FD)gluttonous eaters of meat,
21 for the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty,
and (FE)slumber will clothe them with rags.
22 (FF)Listen to your father who gave you life,
(FG)and do not despise your mother when she is old.
23 (FH)Buy truth, and do not sell it;
buy wisdom, instruction, and understanding.
24 (FI)The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice;
he who fathers a wise son will be glad in him.
25 (FJ)Let your father and mother be glad;
let (FK)her who bore you rejoice.
26 My son, give me your heart,
and let your eyes observe[s] my ways.
27 For a prostitute is (FL)a deep pit;
(FM)an adulteress[t] is a narrow (FN)well.
28 (FO)She lies in wait like a robber
and increases the traitors among mankind.
29 (FP)Who has woe? Who has sorrow?
Who has strife? Who has complaining?
Who has (FQ)wounds without cause?
Who has (FR)redness of eyes?
30 Those who (FS)tarry long over wine;
those who go to try (FT)mixed wine.
31 Do not look at wine when it is red,
when it sparkles in the cup
and goes down smoothly.
32 In the end it (FU)bites like a serpent
and stings like an adder.
33 Your eyes will see strange things,
and your heart utter (FV)perverse things.
34 You will be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea,
like one who lies on the top of a mast.[u]
35 “They (FW)struck me,” you will say,[v] “but I was not hurt;
they beat me, but I did not feel it.
When shall I awake?
I (FX)must have another drink.”
24 Be not (FY)envious of evil men,
nor desire to be (FZ)with them,
2 for their hearts (GA)devise violence,
and their lips (GB)talk of trouble.
3 By (GC)wisdom a house is built,
and by understanding it is established;
4 by knowledge the rooms are filled
with all (GD)precious and pleasant riches.
5 (GE)A wise man is full of strength,
and a man of knowledge enhances his might,
6 for by (GF)wise guidance you can wage your war,
and in (GG)abundance of counselors there is victory.
7 Wisdom is (GH)too high for a fool;
in (GI)the gate he does not open his mouth.
8 Whoever (GJ)plans to do evil
will be called a schemer.
9 (GK)The devising[w] of folly is sin,
and (GL)the scoffer is an abomination to mankind.
10 If you (GM)faint in the day of adversity,
your strength is small.
11 (GN)Rescue those who are being taken away to death;
hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter.
12 If you say, “Behold, we did not know this,”
(GO)does not he who (GP)weighs the heart perceive it?
Does not he who (GQ)keeps watch over your soul know it,
and will he not repay man (GR)according to his work?
13 My son, (GS)eat honey, for it is good,
and (GT)the drippings of the honeycomb are sweet to your taste.
14 Know that wisdom is such to your soul;
if you find it, there will be (GU)a future,
and your hope will not be cut off.
15 (GV)Lie not in wait as a wicked man against the dwelling of the righteous;
do no violence to his home;
16 (GW)for the righteous falls (GX)seven times and rises again,
but (GY)the wicked stumble in times of calamity.
17 (GZ)Do not rejoice when your enemy falls,
and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles,
18 lest the Lord see it and be displeased,
and turn away his anger from him.
19 (HA)Fret not yourself because of evildoers,
and be not (HB)envious of the wicked,
20 for the evil man has no (HC)future;
(HD)the lamp of the wicked will be put out.
21 My son, (HE)fear the Lord and the king,
and do not join with those who do otherwise,
22 for disaster will arise suddenly from them,
and who knows the ruin that will come from them both?
More Sayings of the Wise
23 These also are sayings of (HF)the wise.
(HG)Partiality in judging is not good.
24 Whoever (HH)says to the wicked, “You are in the right,”
(HI)will be cursed by peoples, abhorred by nations,
25 but those who rebuke the wicked will have delight,
and a good blessing will come upon them.
26 Whoever gives an honest answer
kisses the lips.
27 (HJ)Prepare your work outside;
get everything ready for yourself in the field,
and after that build your house.
28 (HK)Be not a witness against your neighbor without cause,
and do not deceive with your lips.
29 Do not say, (HL)“I will do to him as he has done to me;
I will pay the man back for what he has done.”
30 (HM)I passed by the field of a sluggard,
by the vineyard of a man (HN)lacking sense,
31 and behold, it was all overgrown with thorns;
the ground was covered with nettles,
and its stone (HO)wall was broken down.
32 Then I saw and (HP)considered it;
I looked and received instruction.
33 (HQ)A little sleep, a little slumber,
a little folding of the hands to rest,
34 and poverty will come upon you like a robber,
and want like an armed man.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 20:1 Or will not become wise
- Proverbs 20:10 Or Two kinds of; also verse 23
- Proverbs 20:11 Or Even a child can dissemble in his actions, though his conduct seems pure and upright
- Proverbs 20:16 Or for an adulteress (compare 27:13)
- Proverbs 20:19 Hebrew with one who is simple in his lips
- Proverbs 20:27 Hebrew breath
- Proverbs 21:4 Or the plowing
- Proverbs 21:6 Some Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint, Latin; most Hebrew manuscripts vapor for those who seek death
- Proverbs 21:14 Hebrew a bribe in the bosom
- Proverbs 21:29 Or establishes
- Proverbs 22:4 Or The reward for humility is the fear of the Lord, riches and honor and life
- Proverbs 22:9 Hebrew good
- Proverbs 22:14 Hebrew strange
- Proverbs 23:1 Or who
- Proverbs 23:6 Hebrew whose eye is evil
- Proverbs 23:7 Or for as he calculates in his soul, so is he
- Proverbs 23:16 Hebrew My kidneys
- Proverbs 23:20 Hebrew those who drink too much wine
- Proverbs 23:26 Or delight in
- Proverbs 23:27 Hebrew a foreign woman
- Proverbs 23:34 Or of the rigging
- Proverbs 23:35 Hebrew lacks you will say
- Proverbs 24:9 Or scheming
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
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