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 is a mocker, () strong drink is raging: () And whosoever is deceived () thereby is not wise. ()
[2] The fear of a king is as the roaring of a lion: Whoso provoketh him to anger () sinneth () against his own soul.
[3] It is an honour for a man to cease from strife: But every fool will be meddling. ()
[4] The sluggard will not plow () by reason of the cold; Therefore shall he 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] Most men will proclaim () every one his own goodness: But a faithful man who can find? ()
[7] The just man walketh () in his integrity: His children are blessed after him.
[8] A king that sitteth in () the throne of judgment Scattereth away () all evil with his eyes.
[9] Who can say, () I have made my heart clean, () I am pure () from my sin?
[10] Divers weights, and divers measures, Both of them are alike abomination to the Lord.
[11] Even a child is known () by his doings, Whether his work be pure, and whether it be right.
[12] The hearing () ear, and the seeing () eye, The Lord hath made () even both of them.
[13] Love () not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; () Open () thine eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied () with bread.
[14] It is naught, it is naught, saith () the buyer: () But when he is gone () his way, then he boasteth. ()
[15] There is gold, and a multitude of rubies: But the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.
[16] Take () his garment that is surety () for a stranger: () And take a pledge () of him for a strange woman.
[17] Bread of deceit is sweet to a man; But afterwards his mouth shall be filled () with gravel.
[18] Every purpose is established () by counsel: And with good advice make () war.
[19] He that goeth about () as a talebearer revealeth () secrets: Therefore meddle () not with him that flattereth () with his lips.
[20] Whoso curseth () his father or his mother, His lamp shall be put out () in obscure () darkness.
[21] An inheritance may be gotten hastily () () () at the beginning; But the end thereof shall not be blessed. ()
[22] Say () not thou, I will recompense () evil; But wait on () the Lord, and he shall save () thee.
[23] Divers weights are an abomination unto the Lord; And a false balance is not good.
[24] Man’s goings are of the Lord; How can a man then understand () his own way?
[25] It is a snare to the man who devoureth () that which is holy, And after vows to make enquiry. ()
[26] A wise king scattereth () the wicked, And bringeth () the wheel over them.
[27] The spirit of man is the candle of the Lord, Searching () all the inward parts of the belly.
[28] Mercy and truth preserve () the king: And his throne is upholden () by mercy.
[29] The glory of young men is their strength: And the beauty of old men is the grey head.
[30] The blueness of a wound cleanseth away evil: So do stripes the inward parts of the belly.

Proverbs 20:4 Or, winter
Proverbs 20:6 Or, bounty
Proverbs 20:10a Heb. A stone and a stone
Proverbs 20:10b Heb. an ephah, and an ephah
Proverbs 20:17 Heb. bread of lying, or falsehood
Proverbs 20:19 Or, enticeth
Proverbs 20:20 Or, candle
Proverbs 20:23 Heb. balance of deceit
Proverbs 20:27 Or, lamp
Proverbs 20:30 Heb. is a purging medicine against evil

Scripture quotations from The Authorized King James Version of the Holy Bible, using the standardized text of 1769. It is in the public domain.

Greek Bible (LXX/BYZ)

Proverbs 20 (BYZ)

[1] Ἀκόλαστον οἶνος () καὶ () ὑβριστικὸν μέθη, () πᾶς () δὲ () ὁ () συμμειγνύμενος αὐτῇ () οὐκ () ἔσται () σοφός. ()
[2] Οὐ () διαφέρει () ἀπειλὴ () βασιλέως () θυμοῦ () λέοντος, () ὁ () δὲ () παροξύνων () αὐτὸν () ἁμαρτάνει () εἰς () τὴν () ἑαυτοῦ () ψυχήν. ()
[3] Δόξα () ἀνδρὶ () ἀποστρέφεσθαι () λοιδορίας, () πᾶς () δὲ () ἄφρων () τοιούτοις () συμπλέκεται.
[4] Ὀνειδιζόμενος () ὀκνηρὸς () οὐκ () αἰσχύνεται, ὡσαύτως () καὶ () ὁ () δανιζόμενος () σῖτον () ἐν () ἀμήτῳ.
[5] Ὕδωρ () βαθὺ () βουλὴ () ἐν () καρδίᾳ () ἀνδρός, () ἀνὴρ () δὲ () φρόνιμος () ἐξαντλήσει αὐτήν. ()
[6] Μέγα () ἄνθρωπος () καὶ () τίμιον () ἀνὴρ () ἐλεήμων, () ἄνδρα () δὲ () πιστὸν () ἔργον () εὑρεῖν. ()
[7] Ὃς () ἀναστρέφεται () ἄμωμος () ἐν () δικαιοσύνῃ, () μακαρίους () τοὺς () παῖδας () αὐτοῦ () καταλείψει. ()
[8] Ὅταν () βασιλεὺς () δίκαιος () καθίσῃ () ἐπὶ () θρόνου, () οὐκ () ἐναντιοῦται ἐν () ὀφθαλμοῖς () αὐτοῦ () πᾶν () πονηρόν. ()
[9] Τίς () καυχήσεται () ἁγνὴν () ἔχειν () τὴν () καρδίαν; () Ἢ () τίς () παρρησιάσεται () καθαρὸς () εἶναι () ἀπὸ () ἁμαρτιῶν; ()
[10] Στάθμιον μέγα () καὶ () μικρὸν καὶ () μέτρα () δισσά, ἀκάθαρτα () ἐνώπιον κυρίου () καὶ () ἀμφότερα. ()
[11] Καὶ () ὁ () ποιῶν () αὐτὰ () ἐν () τοῖς () ἐπιτηδεύμασιν αὐτοῦ () συμποδισθήσεται, νεανίσκος () μετὰ () ὁσίου, () καὶ () εὐθεῖα () ἡ () ὁδὸς () αὐτοῦ. ()
[12] Οὖς () ἀκούει () καὶ () ὀφθαλμὸς () ὁρᾷ· () κυρίου () ἔργα () καὶ () ἀμφότερα. ()
[13] Μὴ () ἀγάπα () καταλαλεῖν, () ἵνα () μὴ () ἐξαρθῇς· () διάνοιξον () τοὺς () ὀφθαλμούς () σου () καὶ () ἐμπλήσθητι ἄρτων. () …
[20] κακολογοῦντος () πατέρα () ἢ () μητέρα () σβεσθήσεται () λαμπτήρ, αἱ () δὲ () κόραι τῶν () ὀφθαλμῶν () αὐτοῦ () ὄψονται () σκότος. ()
[21] μερὶς () ἐπισπουδαζομένη ἐν () πρώτοις () ἐν () τοῖς () τελευταίοις οὐκ () εὐλογηθήσεται. ()
[22] μὴ () εἴπῃς Τείσομαι () τὸν () ἐχθρόν· () ἀλλὰ () ὑπόμεινον () τὸν () κύριον, () ἵνα () σοι () βοηθήσῃ. ()
[23] Βδέλυγμα () κυρίῳ () δισσὸν στάθμιον, καὶ () ζυγὸς () δόλιος () οὐ () καλὸν () ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ. ()
[24] Παρὰ () κυρίου () εὐθύνεται () τὰ () διαβήματα ἀνδρί· () θνητὸς () δὲ () πῶς () ἂν () νοήσαι () τὰς () ὁδοὺς () αὐτοῦ; ()
[25] Παγὶς () ἀνδρὶ () ταχύ () τι () τῶν () ἰδίων () ἁγιάσαι· () μετὰ () γὰρ () τὸ () εὔξασθαι () μετανοεῖν () γίνεται. ()
[26] Λικμήτωρ ἀσεβῶν () βασιλεὺς () σοφὸς () καὶ () ἐπιβαλεῖ () αὐτοῖς () τροχόν. ()
[27] Φῶς () κυρίου () πνοὴ () ἀνθρώπων, () ὃς () ἐρευνᾷ () ταμίεια () κοιλίας. ()
[28] Ἐλεημοσύνη () καὶ () ἀλήθεια () φυλακὴ () βασιλεῖ () καὶ () περικυκλώσουσιν () ἐν () δικαιοσύνῃ () τὸν () θρόνον () αὐτοῦ. ()
[29] Κόσμος () νεανίαις () σοφία, () δόξα () δὲ () πρεσβυτέρων () πολιαί.
[30] Ὑπώπια καὶ () συντρίμματα () συναντᾷ () κακοῖς, () πληγαὶ () δὲ () εἰς () ταμίεια () κοιλίας. ()

Proverbs 20:20 Originally verse 20:9a.
Proverbs 20:21 Originally verse 20:9b.
Proverbs 20:22 Originally verse 20:9c.

Old Testament scripture quotations and versification from Septuaginta, edited by Alfred Rahlfs (Stuttgart: Württembergische Bibelanstalt, 1935). New Testament quotations are from the Byzantine Text (Guardian Press, Inc., Robinson-Pierpont Byzantine Textform, 2026). Both are in the public domain.