Proverbs 20 – read and compare multiple versions of the Bible
World English Bible
Proverbs 20 (WEBP)
[1] Wine is a mocker and beer is a brawler. Whoever is led astray by them is not wise.
[2] The terror of a king is like the roaring of a lion. He who provokes him to anger forfeits his own life.
[3] It is an honor for a man to keep aloof from strife, but every fool will be quarreling.
[4] The sluggard will not plow by reason of the winter; therefore he shall beg in harvest, and have nothing.
[5] Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water, but a man of understanding will draw it out.
[6] Many men claim to be men of unfailing love, but who can find a faithful man?
[7] A righteous man walks in integrity. Blessed are his children after him.
[8] A king who sits on the throne of judgment scatters away all evil with his eyes.
[9] Who can say, “I have made my heart pure. I am clean and without sin”?
[10] Differing weights and differing measures, both of them alike are an abomination to Yahweh.
[11] Even a child makes himself known by his doings, whether his work is pure, and whether it is right.
[12] The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, Yahweh has made even both of them.
[13] Don’t love sleep, lest you come to poverty. Open your eyes, and you shall be satisfied with bread.
[14] “It’s no good, it’s no good,” says the buyer; but when he is gone his way, then he boasts.
[15] There is gold and abundance of rubies, but the lips of knowledge are a rare jewel.
[16] Take the garment of one who puts up collateral for a stranger; and hold him in pledge for a wayward woman.
[17] Fraudulent food is sweet to a man, but afterwards his mouth is filled with gravel.
[18] Plans are established by advice; by wise guidance you wage war!
[19] He who goes about as a tale-bearer reveals secrets; therefore don’t keep company with him who opens wide his lips.
[20] Whoever curses his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in blackness of darkness.
[21] An inheritance quickly gained at the beginning won’t be blessed in the end.
[22] Don’t say, “I will pay back evil.” Wait for Yahweh, and he will save you.
[23] Yahweh detests differing weights, and dishonest scales are not pleasing.
[24] A man’s steps are from Yahweh; how then can man understand his way?
[25] It is a snare to a man to make a rash dedication, then later to consider his vows.
[26] A wise king winnows out the wicked, and drives the threshing wheel over them.
[27] The spirit of man is Yahweh’s lamp, searching all his innermost parts.
[28] Love and faithfulness keep the king safe. His throne is sustained by love.
[29] The glory of young men is their strength. The splendor of old men is their gray hair.
[30] Wounding blows cleanse away evil, and beatings purge the innermost parts.
Scripture quotations are taken from The World English Bible™ of eBible.org, 2020 stable text edition. It is in the public domain.
King James w/Strong’s #s
Proverbs 20 (KJVS)
[1] Wine H3196 [is] a mocker, H3887 (8801) strong drink H7941 [is] raging: H1993 (8802) and whosoever is deceived H7686 (8802) thereby is not wise. H2449 (8799)
[2] The fear H367 of a king H4428 [is] as the roaring H5099 of a lion: H3715 [whoso] provoketh him to anger H5674 (8693) sinneth H2398 (8802) [against] his own soul. H5315
[3] [It is] an honour H3519 for a man H376 to cease H7674 from strife: H7379 but every fool H191 will be meddling. H1566 (8691)
[4] The sluggard H6102 will not plow H2790 (8799) by reason of the cold; H2779 [therefore] shall he beg H7592 (8804) (8675) H7592 (8799) in harvest, H7105 and [have] nothing.
[5] Counsel H6098 in the heart H3820 of man H376 [is like] deep H6013 water; H4325 but a man H376 of understanding H8394 will draw it out. H1802 (8799)
[6] Most H7230 men H120 will proclaim H7121 (8799) every one H376 his own goodness: H2617 but a faithful H529 man H376 who can find? H4672 (8799)
[7] The just H6662 [man] walketh H1980 (8693) in his integrity: H8537 his children H1121 [are] blessed H835 after H310 him.
[8] A king H4428 that sitteth in H3427 (8802) the throne H3678 of judgment H1779 scattereth away H2219 (8764) all evil H7451 with his eyes. H5869
[9] Who can say, H559 (8799) I have made my heart H3820 clean, H2135 (8765) I am pure H2891 (8804) from my sin? H2403
[10] Divers weights, H68 H68 [and] divers measures, H374 H374 both H8147 of them [are] alike H1571 abomination H8441 to the Lord. H3068
[11] Even a child H5288 is known H5234 (8691) by his doings, H4611 whether his work H6467 [be] pure, H2134 and whether [it be] right. H3477
[12] The hearing H8085 (8802) ear, H241 and the seeing H7200 (8802) eye, H5869 the Lord H3068 hath made H6213 (8804) even both H8147 of them.
[13] Love H157 (8799) not sleep, H8142 lest thou come to poverty; H3423 (8735) open H6491 (8798) thine eyes, H5869 [and] thou shalt be satisfied H7646 (8798) with bread. H3899
[14] [It is] naught, H7451 [it is] naught, H7451 saith H559 (8799) the buyer: H7069 (8802) but when he is gone H235 (8801) his way, then he boasteth. H1984 (8691)
[15] There is H3426 gold, H2091 and a multitude H7230 of rubies: H6443 but the lips H8193 of knowledge H1847 [are] a precious H3366 jewel. H3627
[16] Take H3947 (8798) his garment H899 that is surety H6148 (8804) [for] a stranger: H2114 (8801) and take a pledge H2254 (8798) of him for a strange woman. H5237
[17] Bread H3899 of deceit H8267 [is] sweet H6156 to a man; H376 but afterwards H310 his mouth H6310 shall be filled H4390 (8735) with gravel. H2687
[18] [Every] purpose H4284 is established H3559 (8735) by counsel: H6098 and with good advice H8458 make H6213 (8798) war. H4421
[19] He that goeth about H1980 (8802) [as] a talebearer H7400 revealeth H1540 (8802) secrets: H5475 therefore meddle H6148 (8691) not with him that flattereth H6601 (8802) with his lips. H8193
[20] Whoso curseth H7043 (8764) his father H1 or his mother, H517 his lamp H5216 shall be put out H1846 (8799) in obscure H380 (8676) H380 darkness. H2822
[21] An inheritance H5159 [may be] gotten hastily H926 (8794) (8675) H973 (8794) at the beginning; H7223 but the end H319 thereof shall not be blessed. H1288 (8792)
[22] Say H559 (8799) not thou, I will recompense H7999 (8762) evil; H7451 [but] wait on H6960 (8761) the Lord, H3068 and he shall save H3467 (8686) thee.
[23] Divers weights H68 H68 [are] an abomination H8441 unto the Lord; H3068 and a false H4820 balance H3976 [is] not good. H2896
[24] Man’s H1397 goings H4703 [are] of the Lord; H3068 how can a man H120 then understand H995 (8799) his own way? H1870
[25] [It is] a snare H4170 to the man H120 [who] devoureth H3216 (8804) [that which is] holy, H6944 and after H310 vows H5088 to make enquiry. H1239 (8763)
[26] A wise H2450 king H4428 scattereth H2219 (8764) the wicked, H7563 and bringeth H7725 (8686) the wheel H212 over them.
[27] The spirit H5397 of man H120 [is] the candle H5216 of the Lord, H3068 searching H2664 (8802) all the inward parts H2315 of the belly. H990
[28] Mercy H2617 and truth H571 preserve H5341 (8799) the king: H4428 and his throne H3678 is upholden H5582 (8804) by mercy. H2617
[29] The glory H8597 of young men H970 [is] their strength: H3581 and the beauty H1926 of old men H2205 [is] the gray head. H7872
[30] The blueness H2250 of a wound H6482 cleanseth H8562 away evil: H7451 so [do] stripes H4347 the inward parts H2315 of the belly. H990
Young’s Literal Translation
Proverbs 20 (YLT)
[1] Wine is a scorner-strong drink is noisy, And any going astray in it 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.
[3] An honour to a man is cessation from strife, And every fool intermeddleth.
[4] Because of winter the slothful plougheth not, He asketh in harvest, and there is nothing.
[5] Counsel in the heart of a man is deep water, And a man of understanding draweth it up.
[6] A multitude of men proclaim each his kindness, And a man of stedfastness who doth find?
[7] The righteous is walking habitually in his integrity, O the happiness of his sons after him!
[8] A king sitting on a throne of judgment, Is scattering with his eyes all evil,
[9] Who saith, ‘I have purified my heart, I have been cleansed from my sin?’
[10] A stone and a stone, an ephah and an ephah, Even both of them are an abomination to Jehovah.
[11] Even by his actions a youth maketh himself known, Whether his work be pure or upright.
[12] A hearing ear, and a seeing eye, Jehovah hath made even both of them.
[13] Love not sleep, lest thou become poor, Open thine eyes-be satisfied with bread.
[14] ‘Bad, bad,’ saith the buyer, And going his way then he boasteth himself.
[15] Substance, gold, and a multitude of rubies, Yea, a precious vessel, are lips of knowledge.
[16] Take his garment when a stranger hath been surety, And for strangers pledge it.
[17] Sweet to a man is the bread of falsehood, And afterwards is his mouth filled with gravel.
[18] Purposes by counsel thou dost establish, And with plans make thou war.
[19] A revealer of secret counsels is the busybody, And for a deceiver with his lips make not thyself surety.
[20] Whoso is vilifying his father and his mother, Extinguished is his lamp in blackness of darkness.
[21] An inheritance gotten wrongly at first, Even its latter end is not blessed.
[22] Do not say, ‘I recompense evil,’ Wait for Jehovah, and He delivereth thee.
[23] An abomination to Jehovah are a stone and a stone, And balances of deceit are not good.
[24] From Jehovah are the steps of a man, And man-how understandeth he his way?
[25] A snare to a man is he hath swallowed a holy thing, And after vows to make inquiry.
[26] A wise king is scattering the wicked, And turneth back on them the wheel.
[27] The breath of man is a lamp of Jehovah, Searching all the inner parts of the heart.
[28] Kindness and truth keep a king, And he hath supported by kindness his throne.
[29] The beauty of young men is their strength, And the honour of old men is grey hairs.
[30] The bandages of a wound thou removest with the evil, Also the plagues of the inner parts of the heart!