Proverbs 20 Parallel Bible Translations

Proverbs 20 ▼
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English Standard Version
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1 Wine is a scorner -- strong drink is noisy, And any going astray in it is not 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 fear of a king is a growl as of a young lion, He who is causing him to be wroth is wronging his soul. 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 An honour to a man is cessation from strife, And every fool intermeddleth. 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 Because of winter the slothful plougheth not, He asketh in harvest, and there is nothing. 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 Counsel in the heart of a man is deep water, And a man of understanding draweth it up. 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 A multitude of men proclaim each his kindness, And a man of stedfastness who doth find? 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 righteous is walking habitually in his integrity, O the happiness of his sons after him! 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 A king sitting on a throne of judgment, Is scattering with his eyes all evil, 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 saith, 'I have purified my heart, I have been cleansed from my 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 A stone and a stone, an ephah and an ephah, Even both of them are an abomination to Jehovah. 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 by his actions a youth maketh himself known, Whether his work be pure or upright. 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 A hearing ear, and a seeing eye, Jehovah hath made even both of them. 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 Love not sleep, lest thou become poor, Open thine eyes -- be satisfied with bread. 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 'Bad, bad,' saith the buyer, And going his way then he boasteth himself. “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 Substance, gold, and a multitude of rubies, Yea, a precious vessel, are lips of knowledge. 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 Take his garment when a stranger hath been surety, And for strangers pledge it. 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 Sweet to a man is the bread of falsehood, And afterwards is his mouth filled with gravel. 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 Purposes by counsel thou dost establish, And with plans make thou war. 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 revealer of secret counsels is the busybody, And for a deceiver with his lips make not thyself surety. 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 Whoso is vilifying his father and his mother, Extinguished is his lamp in blackness of 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 gotten wrongly at first, Even its latter end is not blessed. 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 Do not say, 'I recompense evil,' Wait for Jehovah, and He delivereth thee. 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 An abomination to Jehovah are a stone and a stone, And balances of deceit are not good. 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 From Jehovah are the steps of a man, And man -- how understandeth he his 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 A snare to a man is he hath swallowed a holy thing, And after vows to make inquiry. 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 is scattering the wicked, And turneth back on them the wheel. 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 breath of man is a lamp of Jehovah, Searching all the inner parts of the heart. 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 Kindness and truth keep a king, And he hath supported by kindness his throne. 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 beauty of young men is their strength, And the honour of old men is grey hairs. 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 The bandages of a wound thou removest with the evil, Also the plagues of the inner parts of 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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