Book of Proverbs, Chapter 20
Proverbs 20 ASV - American Standard VersionChapter 20 of Proverbs—American Standard Version (ASV)
- ¶ Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler;
¶ And whosoever [a]erreth thereby is not wise. - ¶ The terror of a king is as the roaring of a lion:
¶ He that [b]provoketh him to anger sinneth against his own [c]life. - ¶ It is an honor for a man to [d]keep aloof from strife;
¶ But every fool will be quarrelling. - ¶ The sluggard will not plow by reason of the winter;
¶ [e]Therefore he shall beg in harvest, and have nothing. - ¶ Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water;
¶ But a man of understanding will draw it out. - ¶ [f]Most men will proclaim every one his own kindness;
¶ But a faithful man who can find? - ¶ A righteous man that walketh in his integrity,
¶ Blessed are his children after him. - ¶ A king that sitteth on the throne of judgment
¶ [g]Scattereth away all evil with his eyes. - ¶ Who can say, I have made my heart clean,
¶ I am pure from my sin? - ¶ [h]Diverse weights, and diverse measures,
¶ Both of them alike are an abomination to Jehovah. - ¶ Even a child maketh himself known by his doings,
¶ Whether his work be pure, and whether it be right. - ¶ The hearing ear, and the seeing eye,
¶ Jehovah hath made even both of them. - ¶ Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty;
¶ Open thine eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied with bread. - ¶ It is bad, it is bad, saith the buyer;
¶ But when he is gone his way, then he boasteth. - ¶ There is gold, and abundance of rubies;
¶ But the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel. - ¶ Take his garment that is surety for a stranger;
¶ And [i]hold him in pledge that is surety for [j]foreigners. - ¶ Bread of falsehood is sweet to a man;
¶ But afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel. - ¶ Every purpose is established by counsel;
¶ And by wise guidance make thou war. - ¶ He that goeth about as a tale-bearer revealeth secrets;
¶ Therefore company not with him that openeth wide his lips. - ¶ Whoso curseth his father or his mother,
¶ His lamp shall be put out in blackness of darkness. - ¶ An inheritance may be gotten hastily at the beginning;
¶ But the end thereof shall not be blessed. - ¶ Say not thou, I will recompense evil:
¶ Wait for Jehovah, and he will save thee. - ¶ Diverse weights are an abomination to Jehovah;
¶ And [k]a false balance is not good. - ¶ A man’s goings are of Jehovah;
¶ How then can man understand his way? - ¶ It is a snare to a man [l]rashly to say, It is holy,
¶ And after vows to make inquiry. - ¶ A wise king winnoweth the wicked,
¶ And bringeth the threshing-wheel over them. - ¶ The spirit of man is the lamp of Jehovah,
¶ Searching all his innermost parts. - ¶ Kindness and truth preserve the king;
¶ And [m]his throne is upholden by kindness. - ¶ The glory of young men is their strength;
¶ And the beauty of old men is the hoary head. - ¶ Stripes that wound cleanse away evil;
¶ And strokes reach the innermost parts.
FOOTNOTES
- ^ Or, reeleth
- ^ Or, angereth himself against him
- ^ Hebrew soul.
- ^ Or, cease
- ^ Or, Therefore when he seeketh in harvest, there shall be nothing
- ^ Or, Many a man will meet one that is kind to him
- ^ Or, Winnoweth
- ^ Hebrew A stone and a stone, an ephah and an ephah.
- ^ Or, take a pledge of him
- ^ Another reading is, a foreign woman.
- ^ Hebrew a balance of deceit.
- ^ Or, rashly to utter holy words. Or, to devour that which is holy
- ^ Or, he upholdeth his throne
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