Chapter 20

1 Wine ^R740 is a mocker, strong ^R741 drink a brawler, And whoever is ^F270 intoxicated by it is not wise.

2 The terror of a king is like the growling of a lion; He who provokes him to anger forfeits ^{R742 F271} his own life.

3 Keeping ^{R743 F272} away from strife is an honor for a man, But any fool will quarrel. ^F273

4 The sluggard ^R744 does not plow after the autumn, So he begs ^F274 during the harvest and has nothing.

5 A plan in the heart of a man is like deep water, But a man of understanding draws it out.

6 Many a man proclaims ^R745 his own loyalty, But who can find a trustworthy ^R746 man?

7 A righteous man who walks ^R747 in his integrity-- How ^R748 blessed are his sons after him.

8 A ^R749 king who sits on the throne of justice Disperses ^F275 all evil with his eyes.

9 Who ^R750 can say, "I have cleansed my heart, I am pure from my sin"?

10 Differing ^{R751 F276} weights and differing measures, Both of them are abominable to the LORD.

11 It is by his deeds that a lad distinguishes ^{R752 F277} himself If his conduct is pure and right.

12 The hearing ear ^R753 and the seeing eye, The LORD has made both of them.

13 Do ^R754 not love sleep, or you will become poor; Open your eyes, and you will be satisfied with food. ^F278

14 "Bad, bad," says the buyer, But when he goes his way, then he boasts.

15 There is gold, and an abundance of jewels; ^F279 But the lips of knowledge are a more precious thing.

16 Take his garment when he becomes surety for a stranger; And for foreigners, hold him in pledge.

17 Bread ^R755 obtained by falsehood is sweet to a man, But afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel.

18 Prepare plans ^R756 by consultation, And make ^R757 war by wise guidance.

19 He who goes ^R758 about as a slanderer reveals secrets, Therefore do not associate with a ^{R759 F280} gossip.

20 He who curses ^R760 his father or his mother, His lamp ^R761 will go out in time ^F281 of darkness.

21 An inheritance gained hurriedly at the beginning Will not be blessed in the end.

22 Do ^R762 not say, "I will repay evil"; Wait ^R763 for the LORD, and He will save you.

23 Differing ^{R764 F282} weights are an abomination to the LORD, And a false ^{R765 F283} scale is not good.

24 Man's ^R766 steps are ordained by the LORD, How then can man understand his way?

25 It is a trap for a man to say rashly, "It is holy!" And after ^R767 the vows to make inquiry.

26 A wise ^R768 king winnows the wicked, And drives ^F284 the threshing ^R769 wheel over them.

27 The spirit ^{R770 F285} of man is the lamp of the LORD, Searching all the innermost ^F286 parts of his being.

28 Loyalty ^F287 and truth ^R771 preserve the king, And he upholds his throne by righteousness. ^F287

29 The glory of young men is their strength, And the honor ^{R772 F288} of old men is their gray hair.

30 Stripes ^R773 that wound scour away evil, And strokes reach the innermost ^F289 parts.

Chapter 21

1 The king's heart is like channels of water in the hand of the LORD; He turns ^R774 it wherever He wishes.

2 Every ^R775 man's way is right in his own eyes, But the LORD weighs ^R776 the hearts.

3 To do righteousness ^R777 and justice Is desired by the LORD more than sacrifice.

4 Haughty eyes and a proud heart, The lamp ^R778 of the wicked, is sin.

5 The plans of the diligent ^R779 lead surely to advantage, But everyone who ^R780 is hasty comes surely to poverty.

6 The acquisition ^R781 of treasures by a lying tongue Is a fleeting vapor, the pursuit ^F290 of death. ^R782

7 The violence of the wicked will drag them away, Because they refuse ^R783 to act with justice.

8 The way of a guilty man is crooked, ^R784 But as for the pure, his conduct is upright.

9 It is better to live in a corner of a roof Than in ^F291 a house shared with a contentious woman.

10 The soul of the wicked desires evil; His neighbor ^R785 finds no favor in his eyes.

11 When the scoffer ^R786 is punished, the naive ^F292 becomes wise; But when the wise is instructed, he receives knowledge.

12 The righteous one considers the house of the wicked, Turning the wicked ^R787 to ruin.

13 He who shuts ^R788 his ear to the cry of the poor Will also cry himself and not be answered. ^R789

14 A gift ^R790 in secret subdues anger, And a bribe in the bosom, strong wrath.

15 The exercise of justice is joy for the righteous, But is terror ^R791 to the workers of iniquity.

16 A man who wanders from the way of understanding Will rest ^R792 in the assembly of the dead. ^F293

17 He who loves ^R793 pleasure will become a poor man; He who loves wine and oil will not become rich.

18 The wicked is a ransom ^R794 for the righteous, And the treacherous ^R795 is in the place of the upright.

19 It ^R796 is better to live in a desert land Than with a contentious and vexing woman.

20 There is precious treasure ^R797 and oil in the dwelling of the wise, But a foolish man swallows ^R798 it up.

21 He who pursues ^R799 righteousness and loyalty Finds life, righteousness and honor.

22 A wise ^R800 man scales the city of the mighty And brings down the stronghold ^F294 in which they trust.

23 He who guards ^R801 his mouth and his tongue, Guards his soul from troubles.

24 "Proud," "Haughty," "Scoffer," ^R802 are his names, Who acts with insolent ^R803 pride.

25 The desire ^R804 of the sluggard puts him to death, For his hands refuse to work; 26 All day long he is ^F295 craving, While the righteous gives ^R805 and does not hold back.

27 The sacrifice ^R806 of the wicked is an abomination, How much more when he brings it with evil intent!

28 A false ^R807 witness will perish, But the man who listens to the truth will speak forever.

29 A wicked man displays ^{R808 F296} a bold face, But as for the upright, ^R809 he makes his way sure.

30 There is no ^R810 wisdom and no understanding And no counsel against the LORD. 31 The horse ^R811 is prepared for the day of battle, But victory ^R812 belongs to the LORD.

Chapter 22

1 A good ^R813 name is to be more desired than great wealth, Favor is better than silver and gold.

2 The rich and the poor have ^F297 a common bond, The LORD is the maker ^R814 of them all.

3 The prudent ^R815 sees the evil and hides himself, But the naive ^F298 go on, and are punished for it.

4 The reward of humility and the fear ^F299 of the LORD Are riches, honor and life.

5 Thorns ^R816 and snares are in the way of the perverse; He who guards himself will be far from them.

6 Train ^R817 up a child in ^F300 the way he should go, Even when he is old he will not depart from it.

7 The rich ^R818 rules over the poor, And the borrower becomes the lender's slave.

8 He who sows ^R819 iniquity will reap vanity, And the rod ^R820 of his fury will perish.

9 He who is ^F301 generous ^R821 will be blessed, For he gives ^R822 some of his food to the poor.

10 Drive ^R823 out the scoffer, and contention will go out, Even strife and dishonor will cease.

11 He who loves purity ^R824 of heart And whose ^F302 speech is gracious, ^R825 the king is his friend.

12 The eyes of the LORD preserve knowledge, But He overthrows the words of the treacherous man.

13 The sluggard ^R826 says, "There is a lion outside; I will be killed in the streets!"

14 The mouth of an ^{R827 F303} adulteress is a deep pit; He who is cursed ^R828 of the LORD will fall into ^F304 it.

15 Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; The rod ^R829 of discipline will remove it far from him.

16 He who ^R830 oppresses the poor to make more ^F305 for himself Or who gives to the rich, will ^R831 only come to poverty.

17 Incline ^R832 your ear and hear the words of the wise, And apply your mind to my knowledge; 18 For it will be pleasant ^R833 if you keep them within you, That ^F306 they may be ready on your lips. 19 So that your trust ^R834 may be in the LORD, I have taught ^F307 you today, even you. 20 Have I not written to you excellent ^{R835 F308} things Of counsels and knowledge, 21 To make you know ^R836 the certainty ^F309 of the words of truth That you may correctly ^{R837 F310} answer him who sent you?

22 Do ^R838 not rob the poor because he is poor, Or crush ^R839 the afflicted at the gate; 23 For the LORD will plead ^R840 their case And take ^F311 the life of those who rob them.

24 Do not associate with a man given to anger; Or go with a hot-tempered ^R841 man, 25 Or you will learn ^R842 his ways And find ^F312 a snare for yourself.

26 Do not be among those who give ^R843 pledges, ^F313 Among those who become guarantors for debts. 27 If you have nothing with which to pay, Why should he take ^R844 your bed from under you?

28 Do ^R845 not move the ancient boundary Which your fathers have set.

29 Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will stand ^R846 before kings; He will not stand before obscure men.