Proverbs 20

New King James Version

² The^[a]wrath of a kingislike the roaring of a lion;
Whoeverprovokes him to anger sinsagainsthis own life.

^3 (B)It ishonorable for a man to stop striving,
Since any fool can start a quarrel.

^4 (C)The lazymanwill not plow because of winter;
^(D)He will beg during harvest andhavenothing.

⁵ Counsel in the heart of manis likedeep water,
But a man of understanding will draw it out.

⁶ Most men will proclaim each his own^[b]goodness,
But who can find a faithful man?

^7 (E)The righteousmanwalks in his integrity;
^(F)His childrenareblessed after him.

⁸ A king who sits on the throne of judgment
Scatters all evil with his eyes.

^9 (G)Who can say, “I have made my heart clean,
I am pure from my sin”?

^10 (H)Diverse weightsanddiverse measures,
Theyareboth alike, an abomination to theLord.

¹¹ Even a child is^(I)known by his deeds,
Whether what he doesispure and right.

^12 (J)The hearing ear and the seeing eye,
TheLordhas made them both.

^13 (K)Do not love sleep, lest you come to poverty;
Open your eyes,andyou will be satisfied with bread.

¹⁴ “It is^[c]good for nothing,” cries the buyer;
But when he has gone his way, then he boasts.

¹⁵ There is gold and a multitude of rubies,
But^(L)the lips of knowledgearea precious jewel.

^16 (M)Take the garment of one who is suretyfora stranger,
And hold it as a pledgewhen itis for a seductress.

^17 (N)Bread gained by deceitissweet to a man,
But afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel.

^18 (O)Plans are established by counsel;
^(P)By wise counsel wage war.

^19 (Q)He who goes aboutasa talebearer reveals secrets;
Therefore do not associate with one^(R)who flatters with his lips.

^20 (S)Whoever curses his father or his mother,
^(T)His lamp will be put out in deep darkness.

^21 (U)An inheritance gained hastily at the beginning
^(V)Will not be blessed at the end.

^22 (W)Do not say, “I will^[d]recompense evil”;
^(X)Wait for theLord, and He will save you.

²³ Diverse weightsarean abomination to theLord,
And dishonest scalesarenot good.

²⁴ A man’s stepsareof theLord;
How then can a man understand his own way?

²⁵ It isa snare for a man to devote rashlysomething asholy,
And afterward to reconsiderhisvows.

^26 (Y)A wise king sifts out the wicked,
And brings the threshing wheel over them.

^27 (Z)The spirit of a manisthe lamp of theLord,
Searching all the^[e]inner depths of his heart.

^28 (AA)Mercy and truth preserve the king,
And by^[f]lovingkindness he upholds his throne.

²⁹ The glory of young menistheir strength,
And^(AB)the splendor of old menistheir gray head.

³⁰ Blows that hurt cleanse away evil,
Asdostripes the^[g]inner depths of the heart.