Proverbs 20

Wine is a mocker

Wine produces mockers; alcohol leads to brawls. Those led astray by drink cannot be wise.a ²The king’s fury is like a lion’s roar; to rouse his anger is to risk your life. ³Avoiding a fight is a mark of honor; only fools insist on quarreling.b

⁴Those too lazy to plow in the right season will have no food at the harvest.c ⁵Though good advice lies deep within the heart, a person with understanding will draw it out.d ⁶Many will say they are loyal friends, but who can find one who is truly reliable?

⁷The godly walk with integrity; blessed are their children who follow them.e ⁸When a king sits in judgment, he weighs all the evidence, distinguishing the bad from the good. ⁹Who can say, “I have cleansed my heart; I am pure and free from sin”?f

¹⁰False weights and unequal measures— the Lord detests double standards of every kind. ¹¹Even children are known by the way they act, whether their conduct is pure, and whether it is right.g ¹²Ears to hear and eyes to see— both are gifts from the Lord.h

¹³If you love sleep, you will end in poverty. Keep your eyes open, and there will be plenty to eat!i ¹⁴The buyer haggles over the price, saying, “It’s worthless,” then brags about getting a bargain! ¹⁵Wise words are more valuable than much gold and many rubies.

¹⁶Get security from someone who guarantees a stranger’s debt. Get a deposit if he does it for foreigners. ¹⁷Stolen bread tastes sweet, but it turns to gravel in the mouth. ¹⁸Plans succeed through good counsel; don’t go to war without wise advice.

¹⁹A gossip goes around telling secrets, so don’t hang around with chatterers. ²⁰If you insult your father or mother, your light will be snuffed out in total darkness.j ²¹An inheritance obtained too early in life is not a blessing in the end.

²²Don’t say, “I will get even for this wrong.” Wait for the Lord to handle the matter.k ²³The Lord detests double standards; he is not pleased by dishonest scales. ²⁴The Lord directs our steps, so why try to understand everything along the way?l

²⁵Don’t trap yourself by making a rash promise to God and only later counting the cost. ²⁶A wise king scatters the wicked like wheat, then runs his threshing wheel over them. ²⁷The Lord’s light penetrates the human spirit, exposing every hidden motive.m

²⁸Unfailing love and faithfulness protect the king; his throne is made secure through love. ²⁹The glory of the young is their strength; the gray hair of experience is the splendor of the old.n ³⁰Physical punishment cleanses away evil; such discipline purifies the heart.o