The Proverbs - Chapter 20

¹ Wine is reckless, liquor rowdy; unwise is anyone whom it seduces.

² Like the roaring of a lion is the fury of a king; whoever provokes him sins against himself.

³ It is praiseworthy to stop short of a law-suit; only a fool flies into a rage.

⁴ In autumn the idler does not plough, at harvest time he looks -- nothing there!

⁵ The resources of the human heart are like deep waters: an understanding person has only to draw on them.

⁶ Many describe themselves as people of faithful love, but who can find someone really to be trusted?

⁷ The upright whose ways are blameless -- blessed the children who come after!

⁸ A king enthroned on the judgement seat with one look scatters all that is evil.

⁹ Who can say, 'I have cleansed my heart, I am purified of my sin'?

¹⁰ One weight here, another there; here one measure, there another: both alike are abhorrent to Yahweh.

¹¹ A young man's character appears in what he does, if his behaviour is pure and straight.

¹² Ear that hears, eye that sees, Yahweh has made both of these.

¹³ Do not love sleep or you will know poverty; keep your eyes open and have your fill of food.

¹⁴ 'No good, no good!' says the buyer, but he goes off congratulating himself.

¹⁵ There are gold and jewels of every type, but a priceless ornament is speech informed by knowledge.

¹⁶ Take the man's clothes! He has gone surety for a stranger. Take a pledge from him to the profit of persons unknown!

¹⁷ Bread is sweet when it is got by fraud, but later the mouth is full of grit.

¹⁸ Plans are matured by consultation; take wise advice when waging war.

¹⁹ The bearer of gossip lets out secrets; do not mingle with chatterers.

²⁰ Whoever curses father or mother will have his lamp put out in the deepest darkness.

²¹ Property quickly come by at first will not be blessed in the end.

²² Do not say, 'I shall repay evil'; put your hope in Yahweh and he will keep you safe.

²³ One weight here, another there: this is abhorrent to Yahweh, false scales are not good.

²⁴ Yahweh guides the steps of the powerful: but who can comprehend human ways?

²⁵ Anyone is trapped who cries 'Dedicated!' and begins to reflect only after the vow.

²⁶ A wise king winnows the wicked and makes the wheel pass over them.

²⁷ The human spirit is the lamp of Yahweh -- searching the deepest self.

²⁸ Faithful love and loyalty mount guard over the king, his throne is founded on saving justice.

²⁹ The pride of the young is their strength, the ornament of the old, grey hairs.

³⁰ Wounding strokes are good medicine for evil, blows have an effect on the inmost self.

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