Proverbs 20, side by side

¹Wine is a mocker, strong drink is a brawler, and whoever is led astray by them is not wise.

¹Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.

²The terror of a king is like the roar of a lion; whoever provokes him forfeits his own life.

²The fear of a king is as the roaring of a lion: whoso provoketh him to anger sinneth against his own soul.

³It is honorable for a man to resolve a dispute, but any fool will quarrel.

³It is an honour for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling.

⁴The slacker does not plow in season; at harvest time he looks, but nothing is there.

⁴The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing.

⁵The intentions of a man’s heart are deep waters, but a man of understanding draws them out.

⁵Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water; but a man of understanding will draw it out.

⁶Many a man proclaims his loving devotion, but who can find a trustworthy man?

⁶Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find?

⁷The righteous man walks with integrity; blessed are his children after him.

⁷The just man walketh in his integrity: his children are blessed after him.

⁸A king who sits on a throne to judge sifts out all evil with his eyes.

⁸A king that sitteth in the throne of judgment scattereth away all evil with his eyes.

⁹Who can say, “I have kept my heart pure; I am cleansed from my sin”?

⁹Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?

¹⁰Differing weights and unequal measures— both are detestable to the LORD.

¹⁰Divers weights, and divers measures, both of them are alike abomination to the LORD.

¹¹Even a young man is known by his actions— whether his conduct is pure and upright.

¹¹Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right.

¹²Ears that hear and eyes that see— the LORD has made them both.

¹²The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the LORD hath made even both of them.

¹³Do not love sleep, or you will grow poor; open your eyes, and you will have plenty of food.

¹³Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied with bread.

¹⁴“Worthless, worthless!” says the buyer, but on the way out, he gloats.

¹⁴It is naught, it is naught, saith the buyer: but when he is gone his way, then he boasteth.

¹⁵There is an abundance of gold and rubies, but lips of knowledge are a rare treasure.

¹⁵There is gold, and a multitude of rubies: but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.

¹⁶Take the garment of the one who posts security for a stranger; get collateral if it is for a foreigner.

¹⁶Take his garment that is surety for a stranger: and take a pledge of him for a strange woman.

¹⁷Food gained by fraud is sweet to a man, but later his mouth is full of gravel.

¹⁷Bread of deceit is sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.

¹⁸Set plans by consultation, and wage war under sound guidance.

¹⁸Every purpose is established by counsel: and with good advice make war.

¹⁹He who reveals secrets is a constant gossip; avoid the one who babbles with his lips.

¹⁹He that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets: therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips.

²⁰Whoever curses his father or mother, his lamp will be extinguished in deepest darkness.

²⁰Whoso curseth his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in obscure darkness.

²¹An inheritance gained quickly will not be blessed in the end.

²¹An inheritance may be gotten hastily at the beginning; but the end thereof shall not be blessed.

²²Do not say, “I will avenge this evil!” Wait on the LORD, and He will save you.

²²Say not thou, I will recompense evil; but wait on the LORD, and he shall save thee.

²³Unequal weights are detestable to the LORD, and dishonest scales are no good.

²³Divers weights are an abomination unto the LORD; and a false balance is not good.

²⁴A man’s steps are from the LORD, so how can anyone understand his own way?

²⁴Man’s goings are of the LORD; how can a man then understand his own way?

²⁵It is a trap for a man to dedicate something rashly, only later to reconsider his vows.

²⁵It is a snare to the man who devoureth that which is holy, and after vows to make enquiry.

²⁶A wise king separates out the wicked and drives the threshing wheel over them.

²⁶A wise king scattereth the wicked, and bringeth the wheel over them.

²⁷The spirit of a man is the lamp of the LORD, searching out his inmost being.

²⁷The spirit of man is the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of the belly.

²⁸Loving devotion and faithfulness preserve a king; by these he maintains his throne.

²⁸Mercy and truth preserve the king: and his throne is upholden by mercy.

²⁹The glory of young men is their strength, and gray hair is the splendor of the old.

²⁹The glory of young men is their strength: and the beauty of old men is the grey head.

³⁰Lashes and wounds scour evil, and beatings cleanse the inmost parts.

³⁰The blueness of a wound cleanseth away evil: so do stripes the inward parts of the belly.