Proverbs 20 - Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)

20 Wine and beer make people lose control; they get loud and stumble around. And that is foolish.

2 An angry king is like a roaring lion. If you make him angry, you could lose your life.

3 People who refuse to argue deserve respect. Any fool can start an argument.

4 Some people are too lazy to plant seeds. So at harvest time, they look for food and find nothing.

5 Getting information from someone can be like getting water from a deep well. If you are smart, you will draw it out.

6 You might call many people your “friends,” but it is hard to find someone who can really be trusted.

7 When people live good, honest lives, their children are blessed.

8 When the king sits and judges people, he must look carefully to separate the evil from the good.

9 Can anyone say their heart is pure? Who can say, “I am free from sin”?

10 The Lord hates for people to use the wrong weights and measures to cheat others.

11 Even children show what they are like by the things they do. You can see if their actions are pure and right.

12 It was the Lord who gave us eyes for seeing and ears for hearing.

13 If you love to sleep, you will become poor. Use your time working and you will have plenty to eat.

14 When buying something, people always say, “It’s no good. It costs too much.” Then they go away and tell others what a good deal they got.

15 The right knowledge can bring you gold, pearls, and other expensive things.

16 If someone promises to pay the debt of a stranger, get a coat or something from him to keep until the debt is paid.

17 It may seem to be a good thing to get something by cheating, but in the end, it will be worth nothing.

18 Get good advice when you make your plans. Before you start a war, find good advisors.

19 You cannot trust someone who would talk about things told in private. So don’t be friends with someone who talks too much.

20 Those who would curse their father or mother are like a lamp that goes out on the darkest night.

21 If your wealth was easy to get, it will not be worth much to you.[a]

22 Don’t ever say, “I’ll pay them back for what they did to me!” Wait for the Lord. He will make things right.

23 The Lord hates for people to use the wrong weights to cheat others. It is wrong to use scales that are not accurate.

24 The Lord guides our steps, and we never know where he will lead us.[b]

25 Think carefully before you promise to give something to God. Later, you might wish you had not made that promise.

26 Like a farmer who separates wheat from the chaff, a wise king will decide who is wrong and crush them.

27 Your spirit is like a lamp to the Lord. He is able to see into your deepest parts.[c]

28 A king who is loyal and true will keep his power. Loyalty will keep his kingdom strong.

29 We admire a young man for his strength, but we respect an old man for his gray hair.

30 A beating can remove evil and make you completely clean.[d]

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 20:21 Or “An inheritance greedily guarded in the beginning will not be blessed in the end.”
  2. Proverbs 20:24 Or “A man’s steps are from the Lord, and people don’t understand his way.”
  3. Proverbs 20:27 Or “The Lord examines your breath and searches your deepest thoughts.”
  4. Proverbs 20:30 The Hebrew text here is hard to understand.

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Proverbs 20 - Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

20 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 th...
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Proverbs 20 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

20 Wine is a lecherous thing, and drunkenness is full of noise; whoever delighteth in these, shall not be wise. 2 As the roaring of a lion, so and the dread of a king (and so the king’s wrath); he that stirreth him to ire, sinneth against his (own) soul. 3 It is honour to a man that separateth himse...
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Proverbs 20 - World English Bible (WEB)

20 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 no...
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Proverbs 20 - The Voice (VOICE)

20 Too much wine begins to mock you, too much strong drink leads to noisy fights, and whoever is misled by either is not wise.2 A king’s wrath strikes fear like a lion’s roar; those who provoke him to anger sentence themselves to death.3 Honor is due those who refuse to fight at the drop of a hat, b...
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Proverbs 20 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

20 Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler.Whoever is led astray by them is unwise. 2 The terror of a king is like a lion’s growl.Whoever provokes him endangers his life. 3 It is honor for one to resolve a dispute,yet every fool quarrels. 4 A slacker will not plow in season,so at harvest he looks b...
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Proverbs 20 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

20 Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler; and whoever is led astray by it is not wise.2 The dread wrath of a king is like the growling of a lion; he who provokes him to anger forfeits his life.3 It is an honor for a man to keep aloof from strife; but every fool will be quarreling.4 The sluggard d...
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Proverbs 20 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

20 Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler; and whoever is led astray by it is not wise.2 The dread wrath of a king is like the growling of a lion; he who provokes him to anger forfeits his life.3 It is an honor for a man to keep aloof from strife; but every fool will be quarreling.4 The sluggard d...
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Proverbs 20 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

20 Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler, and whoever is led astray by it is not wise.2 The dread anger of a king is like the growling of a lion; anyone who provokes him to anger forfeits life itself.3 It is honourable to refrain from strife, but every fool is quick to quarrel.4 The lazy person d...
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Proverbs 20 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

20 Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler, and whoever is led astray by it is not wise.(A)2 The dread anger of a king is like the growling of a lion; anyone who provokes him to anger forfeits life itself.(B)3 It is honorable to refrain from strife, but every fool is quick to quarrel.(C)4 The lazy ...
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Proverbs 20 - New Living Translation (NLT)

20 Wine produces mockers; alcohol leads to brawls. Those led astray by drink cannot be wise. 2 The king’s fury is like a lion’s roar; to rouse his anger is to risk your life. 3 Avoiding a fight is a mark of honor; only fools insist on quarreling. 4 Those too lazy to plow in the right season will hav...
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Proverbs 20 - New Life Version (NLV)

20 Wine makes people act in a foolish way. Strong drink starts fights. Whoever is fooled by it is not wise. 2 The anger of a king is like the noise of a lion. He who makes him angry gives up his own life. 3 It is an honor for a man to keep away from fighting, but any fool will argue. 4 The lazy man ...
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Proverbs 20 - New King James Version (NKJV)

Wine Is a Mocker20 Wine (A)is a mocker,Strong drink is a brawler,And whoever is led astray by it is not wise. 2 The [a]wrath of a king is like the roaring of a lion;Whoever provokes him to anger sins against his own life. 3 (B)It is honorable for a man to stop striving,Since any fool can start a qua...
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Proverbs 20 - New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

20 Wine is a mocker and beer a brawler; whoever is led astray by them is not wise. 2 A king’s wrath strikes terror like the roar of a lion; those who anger him forfeit their lives. 3 It is to one’s honour to avoid strife, but every fool is quick to quarrel. 4 Sluggards do not plough in season; so at...
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Proverbs 20 - New International Version (NIV)

20 Wine(A) is a mocker(B) and beer a brawler; whoever is led astray(C) by them is not wise.(D) 2 A king’s wrath strikes terror like the roar of a lion;(E) those who anger him forfeit their lives.(F) 3 It is to one’s honor to avoid strife, but every fool(G) is quick to quarrel.(H) 4 Sluggards(I) do n...
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Proverbs 20 - New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

20 Wine causes you to make fun of others, and beer causes you to start fights. Anyone who is led astray by them is not wise. 2 A king’s anger brings terror like a lion’s roar. Anyone who makes him angry may lose their life. 3 Avoiding a fight brings honor to a person. But every foolish person is qui...
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Proverbs 20 - New English Translation (NET)

20 Wine[a] is a mocker[b] and strong drink is a brawler;whoever goes astray by them is not wise.[c]2 The king’s terrifying anger[d] is like the roar of a lion;whoever provokes him[e] sins against himself.[f]3 It is an honor for a person[g] to cease[h] from strife,but every fool quarrels.[i]4 The slu...
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