Proverbs 20 Parallel Bible Translations

Proverbs 20 ▼
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1 Wine produces mockers; alcohol leads to brawls. Those led astray by drink cannot be wise. Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler, and whoever is led astray by it is not wise. Wine is a mocker and beer a brawler; whoever is led astray by them is not wise.
2 The king’s fury is like a lion’s roar; to rouse his anger is to risk your life. The terror of a king is like the growling of a lion; whoever provokes him to anger forfeits his life. A king’s wrath strikes terror like the roar of a lion; those who anger him forfeit their lives.
3 Avoiding a fight is a mark of honor; only fools insist on quarreling. It is an honor for a man to keep aloof from strife, but every fool will be quarreling. It is to one’s honor to avoid strife, but every fool is quick to quarrel.
4 Those too lazy to plow in the right season will have no food at the harvest. The sluggard does not plow in the autumn; he will seek at harvest and have nothing. Sluggards do not plow in season; so at harvest time they look but find nothing.
5 Though good advice lies deep within the heart, a person with understanding will draw it out. The purpose in a man’s heart is like deep water, but a man of understanding will draw it out. The purposes of a person’s heart are deep waters, but one who has insight draws them out.
6 Many will say they are loyal friends, but who can find one who is truly reliable? Many a man proclaims his own steadfast love, but a faithful man who can find? Many claim to have unfailing love, but a faithful person who can find?
7 The godly walk with integrity; blessed are their children who follow them. The righteous who walks in his integrity— blessed are his children after him! The righteous lead blameless lives; blessed are their children after them.
8 When a king sits in judgment, he weighs all the evidence, distinguishing the bad from the good. A king who sits on the throne of judgment winnows all evil with his eyes. When a king sits on his throne to judge, he winnows out all evil with his eyes.
9 Who can say, “I have cleansed my heart; I am pure and free from sin”? Who can say, “I have made my heart pure; I am clean from my sin”? Who can say, “I have kept my heart pure; I am clean and without sin|?
10 False weights and unequal measures— the LORD detests double standards of every kind. Unequal weights and unequal measures are both alike an abomination to the LORD. Differing weights and differing measures— the LORD detests them both.
11 Even children are known by the way they act, whether their conduct is pure, and whether it is right. Even a child makes himself known by his acts, by whether his conduct is pure and upright. Even small children are known by their actions, so is their conduct really pure and upright?
12 Ears to hear and eyes to see— both are gifts from the LORD. The hearing ear and the seeing eye, the LORD has made them both. Ears that hear and eyes that see— the LORD has made them both.
13 If you love sleep, you will end in poverty. Keep your eyes open, and there will be plenty to eat! Love not sleep, lest you come to poverty; open your eyes, and you will have plenty of bread. Do not love sleep or you will grow poor; stay awake and you will have food to spare.
14 The buyer haggles over the price, saying, “It’s worthless,” then brags about getting a bargain! “Bad, bad,” says the buyer, but when he goes away, then he boasts. “It’s no good, it’s no good!” says the buyer— then goes off and boasts about the purchase.
15 Wise words are more valuable than much gold and many rubies. There is gold and abundance of costly stones, but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel. Gold there is, and rubies in abundance, but lips that speak knowledge are a rare jewel.
16 Get security from someone who guarantees a stranger’s debt. Get a deposit if he does it for foreigners. Take a man’s garment when he has put up security for a stranger, and hold it in pledge when he puts up security for foreigners. Take the garment of one who puts up security for a stranger; hold it in pledge if it is done for an outsider.
17 Stolen bread tastes sweet, but it turns to gravel in the mouth. Bread gained by deceit is sweet to a man, but afterward his mouth will be full of gravel. Food gained by fraud tastes sweet, but one ends up with a mouth full of gravel.
18 Plans succeed through good counsel; don’t go to war without wise advice. Plans are established by counsel; by wise guidance wage war. Plans are established by seeking advice; so if you wage war, obtain guidance.
19 A gossip goes around telling secrets, so don’t hang around with chatterers. Whoever goes about slandering reveals secrets; therefore do not associate with a simple babbler. A gossip betrays a confidence; so avoid anyone who talks too much.
20 If you insult your father or mother, your light will be snuffed out in total darkness. If one curses his father or his mother, his lamp will be put out in utter darkness. If someone curses their father or mother, their lamp will be snuffed out in pitch darkness.
21 An inheritance obtained too early in life is not a blessing in the end. An inheritance gained hastily in the beginning will not be blessed in the end. An inheritance claimed too soon will not be blessed at the end.
22 Don’t say, “I will get even for this wrong.” Wait for the LORD to handle the matter. Do not say, “I will repay evil”; wait for the LORD, and he will deliver you. Do not say, “I’ll pay you back for this wrong!” Wait for the LORD, and he will avenge you.
23 The LORD detests double standards; he is not pleased by dishonest scales. Unequal weights are an abomination to the LORD, and false scales are not good. The LORD detests differing weights, and dishonest scales do not please him.
24 The LORD directs our steps, so why try to understand everything along the way? A man’s steps are from the LORD; how then can man understand his way? A person’s steps are directed by the LORD. How then can anyone understand their own way?
25 Don’t trap yourself by making a rash promise to God and only later counting the cost. It is a snare to say rashly, “It is holy,” and to reflect only after making vows. It is a trap to dedicate something rashly and only later to consider one’s vows.
26 A wise king scatters the wicked like wheat, then runs his threshing wheel over them. A wise king winnows the wicked and drives the wheel over them. A wise king winnows out the wicked; he drives the threshing wheel over them.
27 The LORD’s light penetrates the human spirit, exposing every hidden motive. The spirit of man is the lamp of the LORD, searching all his innermost parts. The human spirit is the lamp of the LORD that sheds light on one’s inmost being.
28 Unfailing love and faithfulness protect the king; his throne is made secure through love. Steadfast love and faithfulness preserve the king, and by steadfast love his throne is upheld. Love and faithfulness keep a king safe; through love his throne is made secure.
29 The glory of the young is their strength; the gray hair of experience is the splendor of the old. The glory of young men is their strength, but the splendor of old men is their gray hair. The glory of young men is their strength, gray hair the splendor of the old.
30 Physical punishment cleanses away evil; such discipline purifies the heart. Blows that wound cleanse away evil; strokes make clean the innermost parts. Blows and wounds scrub away evil, and beatings purge the inmost being.
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