20:1 Wine 1 is a mocker 2 and strong drink is a brawler;
whoever goes astray by them is not wise. 3
20:2 The king’s terrifying anger 4 is like the roar of a lion;
whoever provokes him 5 sins against himself. 6
20:3 It is an honor for a person 7 to cease 8 from strife,
but every fool quarrels. 9
20:4 The sluggard will not plow 10 during the planting season, 11
so at harvest time he looks 12 for the crop 13 but has nothing.
20:5 Counsel 14 in a person’s heart 15 is like 16 deep water, 17
but an understanding person 18 draws it out.
20:6 Many people profess their loyalty, 19
but a faithful person 20 – who can find? 21
20:7 The righteous person 22 behaves in integrity; 23
blessed are his children after him. 24
20:8 A king sitting on the throne to judge 25
separates out 26 all evil with his eyes. 27
20:9 Who can say, 28 “I have kept my heart clean; 29
I am pure 30 from my sin”?
20:10 Diverse weights and diverse measures 31 –
the Lord abhors 32 both of them.
20:11 Even a young man 33 is known 34 by his actions,
whether his activity is pure and whether it is right. 35
20:12 The ear that hears and the eye that sees 36 –
the Lord has made them both. 37
20:13 Do not love sleep, 38 lest you become impoverished;
open your eyes so that 39 you might be satisfied with food. 40
20:14 “It’s worthless! It’s worthless!” 41 says the buyer, 42
but when he goes on his way, he boasts. 43
20:15 There is gold, and an abundance of rubies,
but 44 words of knowledge 45 are like 46 a precious jewel.
20:16 Take a man’s 47 garment 48 when he has given security for a stranger, 49
and when he gives surety for strangers, 50 hold him 51 in pledge.
20:17 Bread gained by deceit 52 tastes sweet to a person, 53
but afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel. 54
20:18 Plans 55 are established by counsel,
so 56 make war 57 with guidance.
20:19 The one who goes about gossiping 58 reveals secrets;
therefore do not associate 59 with someone who is always opening his mouth. 60
20:20 The one who curses 61 his father and his mother,
his lamp 62 will be extinguished in the blackest 63 darkness.
20:21 An inheritance gained easily 64 in the beginning
will not be blessed 65 in the end. 66
20:22 Do not say, 67 “I will pay back 68 evil!”
Wait 69 for the Lord, so that he may vindicate you. 70
20:23 The Lord abhors 71 differing weights,
and dishonest scales are wicked. 72
20:24 The steps of a person 73 are ordained by 74 the Lord –
so how can anyone 75 understand his own 76 way?
20:25 It is a snare 77 for a person 78 to rashly cry, 79 “Holy!”
and only afterward to consider 80 what he has vowed. 81
20:26 A wise king separates out 82 the wicked;
he turns the threshing wheel over them. 83
20:27 The human spirit 84 is like 85 the lamp 86 of the Lord,
searching all his innermost parts. 87
20:28 Loyal love and truth 88 preserve a king,
and his throne is upheld by loyal love. 89
20:29 The glory 90 of young men is their strength,
and the splendor 91 of old men is gray hair. 92
20:30 Beatings and wounds cleanse away 93 evil,
and floggings cleanse 94 the innermost being. 95