Proverbs 20-21

Proverbs 20

¹Wine is a scorner -- strong drink is noisy, And any going astray in it is not wise.

²The fear of a king is a growl as of a young lion, He who is causing him to be wroth is wronging his soul.

³An honour to a man is cessation from strife, And every fool intermeddleth.

⁴Because of winter the slothful plougheth not, He asketh in harvest, and there is nothing.

⁵Counsel in the heart of a man is deep water, And a man of understanding draweth it up.

⁶A multitude of men proclaim each his kindness, And a man of stedfastness who doth find?

⁷The righteous is walking habitually in his integrity, O the happiness of his sons after him!

⁸A king sitting on a throne of judgment, Is scattering with his eyes all evil,

⁹Who saith, ‘I have purified my heart, I have been cleansed from my sin?'

¹⁰A stone and a stone, an ephah and an ephah, Even both of them are an abomination to Jehovah.

¹¹Even by his actions a youth maketh himself known, Whether his work be pure or upright.

¹²A hearing ear, and a seeing eye, Jehovah hath made even both of them.

¹³Love not sleep, lest thou become poor, Open thine eyes -- be satisfied with bread.

¹⁴‘Bad, bad,' saith the buyer, And going his way then he boasteth himself.

¹⁵Substance, gold, and a multitude of rubies, Yea, a precious vessel, are lips of knowledge.

¹⁶Take his garment when a stranger hath been surety, And for strangers pledge it.

¹⁷Sweet to a man is the bread of falsehood, And afterwards is his mouth filled with gravel.

¹⁸Purposes by counsel thou dost establish, And with plans make thou war.

¹⁹A revealer of secret counsels is the busybody, And for a deceiver with his lips make not thyself surety.

²⁰Whoso is vilifying his father and his mother, Extinguished is his lamp in blackness of darkness.

²¹An inheritance gotten wrongly at first, Even its latter end is not blessed.

²²Do not say, ‘I recompense evil,' Wait for Jehovah, and He delivereth thee.

²³An abomination to Jehovah are a stone and a stone, And balances of deceit are not good.

²⁴From Jehovah are the steps of a man, And man -- how understandeth he his way?

²⁵A snare to a man is he hath swallowed a holy thing, And after vows to make inquiry.

²⁶A wise king is scattering the wicked, And turneth back on them the wheel.

²⁷The breath of man is a lamp of Jehovah, Searching all the inner parts of the heart.

²⁸Kindness and truth keep a king, And he hath supported by kindness his throne.

²⁹The beauty of young men is their strength, And the honour of old men is grey hairs.

³⁰The bandages of a wound thou removest with the evil, Also the plagues of the inner parts of the heart!

Proverbs 21

¹Rivulets of waters is the heart of a king in the hand of Jehovah, Wherever He pleaseth He inclineth it.

²Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, And Jehovah is pondering hearts.

³To do righteousness and judgment, Is chosen of Jehovah rather than sacrifice.

⁴Loftiness of eyes, and breadth of heart, Tillage of the wicked is sin.

⁵The purposes of the diligent are only to advantage, And of every hasty one, only to want.

⁶The making of treasures by a lying tongue, Is a vanity driven away of those seeking death.

⁷The spoil of the wicked catcheth them, Because they have refused to do judgment.

⁸Froward is the way of a man who is vile, And the pure -- upright is his work.

⁹Better to sit on a corner of the roof, Than with a woman of contentions and a house of company.

¹⁰The soul of the wicked hath desired evil, Not gracious in his eyes is his neighbour.

¹¹When the scorner is punished, the simple becometh wise, And in giving understanding to the wise He receiveth knowledge.

¹²The Righteous One is acting wisely Towards the house of the wicked, He is overthrowing the wicked for wickedness.

¹³Whoso is shutting his ear from the cry of the poor, He also doth cry, and is not answered.

¹⁴A gift in secret pacifieth anger, And a bribe in the bosom strong fury.

¹⁵To do justice is joy to the righteous, But ruin to workers of iniquity.

¹⁶A man who is wandering from the way of understanding, In an assembly of Rephaim resteth.

¹⁷Whoso is loving mirth is a poor man, Whoso is loving wine and oil maketh no wealth.

¹⁸The wicked is an atonement for the righteous, And for the upright the treacherous dealer.

¹⁹Better to dwell in a wilderness land, Than with a woman of contentions and anger.

²⁰A treasure to be desired, and oil, Is in the habitation of the wise, And a foolish man swalloweth it up.

²¹Whoso is pursuing righteousness and kindness, Findeth life, righteousness, and honour.

²²A city of the mighty hath the wise gone up, And bringeth down the strength of its confidence.

²³Whoso is keeping his mouth and his tongue, Is keeping from adversities his soul.

²⁴Proud, haughty, scorner is his name, Who is working in the wrath of pride.

²⁵The desire of the slothful slayeth him, For his hands have refused to work.

²⁶All the day desiring he hath desired, And the righteous giveth and withholdeth not.

²⁷The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination, Much more when in wickedness he bringeth it.

²⁸A false witness doth perish, And an attentive man for ever speaketh.

²⁹A wicked man hath hardened by his face, And the upright -- he prepareth his way.

³⁰There is no wisdom, nor understanding, Nor counsel, over-against Jehovah.

³¹A horse is prepared for a day of battle, And the deliverance is of Jehovah!