Pro 20 | NASB2020 | STEP | Wine is a mocker , intoxicating drink a brawler , And whoever is intoxicated by it is not wise .

Proverbs 20

On Life and Conduct

1 ^aWine is a mocker, ^bintoxicating drink a brawler,
And whoever ^{▼▼Lit errs}is intoxicated by it is not wise.
2 The terror of a king is like the roaring of a lion;
One who provokes him to anger ^{▼▼Lit sins against
,} ^eforfeits his own life.
3 ^fAvoiding strife is an honor for a person,
But any fool will ^{▼▼Lit burst out}quarrel.
4 The ^{▼▼Lit idle
,} ⁱlazy one does not plow after the autumn,
So he ^{▼▼Lit asks}begs during the harvest and has nothing.
5 A plan in the heart of a person is like deep water,
But a person of understanding draws it out.
6 Many a person ^kproclaims his own loyalty,
But who can find a ^ltrustworthy person?
7 A righteous person who ^mwalks in his integrity--
ⁿHow blessed are his sons after him.
8 ^oA king who sits on the throne of justice
^{▼▼Or Sifts}Disperses all evil with his eyes.
9 ^qWho can say, “I have cleansed my heart,
I am pure from my sin”?
10 ^{▼▼Lit A stone and a stone, an ephah and an ephah
,} ^sDiffering weights and differing measures,
Both of them are abominable to the Lord.
11 It is by his deeds that a boy ^{▼▼Or makes himself known
,} ^udistinguishes himself,
If his conduct is pure and right.
12 The hearing ^vear and the seeing eye,
The Lord has made both of them.
13 ^wDo not love sleep, or you will become poor;
Open your eyes, and you will be satisfied with ^{▼▼Lit bread}food.
14 “Bad, bad,” says the buyer,
But when he goes his way, then he boasts.
15 There is gold, and an abundance of ^{▼▼Or corals}jewels;
But lips of knowledge are a more precious thing.
16 Take his garment when he becomes guarantor for a stranger;
And for foreigners, seize a pledge from him.
17 ^zBread obtained by a lie is sweet to a person,
But afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel.
18 Prepare ^aaplans by consultation,
And ^abmake war by wise guidance.
19 One who ^acgoes about as a slanderer reveals secrets;
Therefore do not associate with ^{▼▼Lit one who opens his lips
,} ^aea gossip.
20 He who ^afcurses his father or his mother,
His ^aglamp will go out in time of darkness.
21 An inheritance gained in a hurry at the beginning
Will not be blessed in the end.
22 ^ahDo not say, “I will repay evil”;
^aiWait for the Lord, and He will save you.
23 ^{▼▼Lit A stone and a stone
,} ^akDiffering weights are an abomination to the Lord,
And a ^{▼▼Lit balance of deceit
,} ^amfalse scale is not good.
24 ^anA man’s steps are ordained by the Lord;
How then can a person understand his way?
25 It is a trap for a person to say carelessly, “It is holy!”
And ^aoafter the vows to make inquiry.
26 A ^apwise king scatters the wicked,
And ^{▼▼Lit turns}drives a ^arthreshing wheel over them.
27 The ^{▼▼Lit breath
,} ^atspirit of a person is the lamp of the Lord,
Searching all the ^{▼▼Lit chambers of the body}innermost parts of his being.
28 ^{▼▼I.e., covenant loyalty}Loyalty and ^awtruth watch over the king,
And he upholds his throne by ^{▼▼I.e., covenant loyalty}loyalty.
29 The glory of young men is their strength,
And the ^{▼▼Or splendor
,} ^azhonor of old men is their gray hair.
30 ^baBruising wounds clean away evil,
And blows cleanse the ^{▼▼Lit chambers of the body}innermost parts.