Proverbs 20 - New American Bible (Revised Edition) (NABRE)

Chapter 20

1 Wine is arrogant, strong drink is riotous;
none who are intoxicated by them are wise.[a](A)
2 The terror of a king is like the roar of a lion;(B)
those who incur his anger forfeit their lives.
3 A person gains honor by avoiding strife,
while every fool starts a quarrel.[b]
4 In seedtime sluggards do not plow;
when they look for the harvest, it is not there.
5 The intention of the human heart is deep water,
but the intelligent draw it forth.[c](C)
6 Many say, “My loyal friend,”
but who can find someone worthy of trust?
7 The just walk in integrity;
happy are their children after them!
8 A king seated on the throne of judgment
dispels all evil with his glance.[d]
9 Who can say, “I have made my heart clean,(D)
I am cleansed of my sin”?[e]
10 Varying weights, varying measures,
are both an abomination to the Lord.(E)
11 In their actions even children can playact
though their deeds be blameless and right.[f]
12 The ear that hears, the eye that sees—
the Lord has made them both.[g]
13 Do not love sleep lest you be reduced to poverty;
keep your eyes open, have your fill of food.
14 “Bad, bad!” says the buyer,
then goes away only to boast.[h]
15 One can put on gold and abundant jewels,
but wise lips are the most precious ornament.[i]
16 Take the garment of the one who became surety for a stranger;(F)
if for foreigners, exact the pledge![j]
17 Bread earned by deceit is sweet,
but afterward the mouth is filled with gravel.
18 Plans made with advice succeed;
with wise direction wage your war.
19 A slanderer reveals secrets;
so have nothing to do with a babbler!
20 Those who curse father or mother—
their lamp will go out[k] in the dead of night.(G)
21 Possessions greedily guarded at the outset
will not be blessed in the end.[l]
22 Do not say, “I will repay evil!”
Wait for the Lord, who will help you.[m](H)
23 Varying weights are an abomination to the Lord,
and false scales are not good.(I)
24 Our steps are from the Lord;(J)
how, then, can mortals understand their way?[n]
25 It is a trap to pledge rashly a sacred gift,
and after a vow, then to reflect.[o]
26 A wise king winnows the wicked,
and threshes them under the cartwheel.[p]
27 A lamp from the Lord is human life-breath;
it searches through the inmost being.[q]
28 His steadfast loyalty safeguards the king,
and he upholds his throne by justice.(K)
29 The glory of the young is their strength,
and the dignity of the old is gray hair.(L)
30 Evil is cleansed away by bloody lashes,
and a scourging to the inmost being.

Footnotes

  1. 20:1 The cause stands for its effect (wine, drunken behavior). In Proverbs wine is a sign of prosperity and a symbol of feasting (3:10; 4:17; 9:2, 5) but also a potential threat to wisdom as in 20:1; 21:17; 23:29–35.
  2. 20:3 The honor that one might seek to gain from fighting comes of itself to the person who refrains from fighting.
  3. 20:5 The heart is where human plans are made and stored; they remain “deep water” until words reveal them to others. The wise know how to draw up those waters, i.e., express them. Cf. 18:4.
  4. 20:8 The royal throne is established in justice and the king is the agent of that justice.
  5. 20:9 A claim to sinlessness can be merely self-deception; see 16:2; cf. also 15:11.
  6. 20:11 The verb in colon A can mean either “to make oneself known” or “to play another person” (as in Gn 42:7 and 1 Kgs 14:5, 6). The second meaning makes a better parallel to colon B. The meaning is that if a child can playact, an adult can do so even more. Actions do not always reveal character.
  7. 20:12 Human judgments are not ultimate; the Lord expects proper use of these faculties.
  8. 20:14 Bartering invites playacting and masking one’s true intent. The truth of words depends on their context.
  9. 20:15 Wisdom is said to be preferable to gold in 3:14; 8:10, 19; 16:16. Colon B suggests that the gold and jewelry here are ornaments for the face (cf. Gn 24:53; Ex 3:22; Is 61:10). Wise lips are the most beautiful adornment, for they display the wisdom of the heart.
  10. 20:16 The text is not clear. See 27:13. Caution in becoming surety is always advised (cf. 6:1–3), and it is especially advisable with strangers.
  11. 20:20 Their lamp will go out: misfortune, even death, awaits them; cf. 13:9; Ex 21:17.
  12. 20:21 By definition, an inheritance is not gained by one’s own efforts but is received as a gift. If, when one first receives the inheritance, one drives everyone away, one treats it as if one acquired it by one’s own efforts. In an agricultural society, an inheritance would often be a field that would require God’s blessing to be fertile.
  13. 20:22 Appointing oneself an agent of divine retribution is dangerous. Better to wait for God to effect justice. Cf. 24:17–18.
  14. 20:24 An indication of the Lord’s inscrutable providence; cf. Jer 10:23; see Prv 21:2; cf. also 14:12.
  15. 20:25 This verse cautions against making vows without proper reflection; cf. Dt 23:22–25; Eccl 5:4–5.
  16. 20:26 The king is responsible for effecting justice. Judgment is portrayed in agricultural imagery—exposing grain to a current of air so that the chaff is blown away, and passing a wheel over the cereal to break the husk. Winnowing as image for judgment is found throughout the Bible.
  17. 20:27 A parallel is drawn between the life-breath that is God’s gift (Jb 32:8; 33:2) coursing through the human body (Is 2:22) and the lamp of God, which can be a symbol of divine scrutiny. In Zep 1:12, God declares, “And in that day I will search through Jerusalem with lamps.”

Cross references

  1. 20:1 : Prv 23:29–35.
  2. 20:2 : Prv 19:12.
  3. 20:5 : Prv 18:4.
  4. 20:9 : 1 Kgs 8:46; 2 Chr 6:36; Eccl 7:20; 1 Jn 1:8.
  5. 20:10 : Prv 11:1; 20:23.
  6. 20:16 : Prv 27:13.
  7. 20:20 : Prv 30:11, 17; Ex 21:17; Lv 20:9; Mt 15:4.
  8. 20:22 : Prv 24:29; Sir 28:1; Mt 5:39; Rom 12:17, 19; 1 Thes 5:15; 1 Pt 3:9.
  9. 20:23 : Prv 11:1; 20:10.
  10. 20:24 : Prv 16:9.
  11. 20:28 : Prv 16:12.
  12. 20:29 : Prv 16:31.

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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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