Proverbs 20 - Expanded Bible (EXB)

20 Wine and ·beer [T strong drink; C an alcoholic beverage made from grain] make people ·loud [mockers] and ·uncontrolled [carousers; brawlers];
it is not wise to ·get drunk on [L be led astray by] them.

2 An angry king is like a ·roaring [growling] lion.
Making him angry may cost you your life.

3 Foolish people are always fighting,
but ·avoiding quarrels [backing away from an accusation] will bring you ·honor [glory; praise].

4 Lazy farmers don’t plow ·when they should [L in the winter];
they ·expect [look for] a harvest, but there is none.

5 People’s ·thoughts [advice; purpose] can be like a deep ·well [L waters],
but someone with understanding can ·find the wisdom there [draw it out].

6 Many people claim to be loyal,
but it is hard to find a ·trustworthy [reliable] person.

7 The ·good [righteous] people who ·live honest lives [walk about in innocence]
will be a blessing to their children.

8 When a king sits on his throne to judge,
he ·knows evil when he sees it [or scatters evil with his eyes].

9 No one can say, “I am innocent;
I ·have never done anything wrong [am cleansed from my sin].”

10 The Lord hates both these things:
·dishonest weights and dishonest measures [L stone and stone, ephah and ephah].

11 Even children are known by their behavior;
their actions show if they are ·innocent [pure] and ·good [upright].

12 The Lord has made both these things:
ears to hear and eyes to see.

13 ·If you love to sleep, you [L Do not love to sleep, or you] will be poor.
·If you stay awake [L Keep your eyes open, and], you will have plenty of food.

14 Buyers say, “·This is bad. It’s no good [L Bad, bad].”
Then they go away and brag about what they bought.

15 There is gold and plenty of ·rubies [or pearls],
but ·only a few people speak with knowledge [L the most precious jewels are knowledgeable lips].

16 Take the coat of someone who promises to pay a stranger’s debts,
and keep it until he pays what the ·stranger [L foreigner] owes.

17 ·Stolen [Fraudulent; False] food may taste sweet at first,
but later it will feel like a mouth full of gravel.

18 Get advice if you want your plans to ·work [be firm].
If you go to war, get ·the advice of others [guidance].

19 Gossips ·can’t keep [reveal] secrets,
so avoid people who ·talk too much [L are foolish with their lips].

20 Those who curse their father or mother
will be like a light going out in darkness [Job 18:6; 21:17].

21 Wealth inherited quickly in the beginning
will ·do you no good [not bless you] in the end.

22 Don’t say, “I’ll pay you back for the wrong you did.”
Wait for the Lord, and he will ·make things right [save you; Rom. 12:17–20].

23 The Lord ·hates [detests] ·dishonest weights [L stone and stone],
and ·dishonest [fraudulent] scales ·do not please him [L are not good].

24 The Lord decides ·what a person will do [L the steps of a person];
·no one understands what his life is all about [L how can people understand their path?].

25 It’s ·dangerous [L a trap] to ·promise something to God too quickly [speak rashly about holy things].
·After you’ve thought about it, it may be too late [L And to think about it after you made a vow; Lev. 7:16–17; 22:18–23; Judg. 11:29–40; Eccl. 5:1–7].

26 A wise king ·sorts out [winnows; scatters] the evil people,
and he ·punishes them as they deserve [L rolls a threshing sledge over them].

27 The lamp of the Lord looks deep inside people
and searches through ·their thoughts [L all their inner parts].

28 Loyalty and ·truth [faithfulness] ·keep a king in power [protect a king];
he ·continues to rule [supports his throne] if he is loyal.

29 The young glory in their strength,
and the old are honored for their gray hair.

30 ·Hard punishment [L Blows and bruises] ·will get rid of [cleanses away] evil,
and ·whippings [beatings] ·can change an evil heart [L the inner parts].

You Might Also Like:

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...
Read More

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...
Read More

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...
Read More

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...
Read More

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...
Read More

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...
Read More

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...
Read More

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...
Read More

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 ...
Read More

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...
Read More

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 ...
Read More

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...
Read More

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...
Read More

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...
Read More

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...
Read More

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...
Read More