Proverbs 20:1-11

1 ¹Wine is a mocker, ²strong drink a brawler, and whoever ³is led astray by it is not wise.^[a]

2 The terror of a king is like ⁴the growling of a lion; whoever provokes him to anger ⁵forfeits his life.

3 It is an honor for a man to ⁶keep aloof from strife, but every fool will be quarreling.

4 ⁷The sluggard does not plow in the autumn; ⁸he will seek at harvest and have nothing.

5 The purpose in a man's heart is like ⁹deep water, but a man of understanding will draw it out.

6 Many a man ¹⁰proclaims his own steadfast love, but ¹¹a faithful man who can find?

7 The righteous who ¹²walks in his integrity-- ¹³blessed are his children after him!

8 ¹⁴A king who sits on the throne of judgment ¹⁵winnows all evil with his eyes.

9 ¹⁶Who can say, "I have made my heart pure; I am clean from my sin"?

10 ¹⁷Unequal^[b] weights and unequal measures are both alike an abomination to the LORD.

11 Even a child ¹⁸makes himself known by his acts, by whether his conduct is pure and upright.^[c]

Cross References

• 1. [Genesis 9:21]; See Proverbs 23:29-32
• 2. Proverbs 31:4
• 3. Isaiah 28:7; [Hosea 4:11]
• 4. See Proverbs 19:12
• 5. Numbers 16:38; Habakkuk 2:10; See Proverbs 8:36
• 6. [Proverbs 17:14]
• 7. [Proverbs 19:24]
• 8. Proverbs 19:15; [Proverbs 6:11]
• 9. Proverbs 18:4
• 10. [Proverbs 25:14; Matthew 6:2; Luke 18:11]
• 11. [Psalms 12:1]
• 12. See Proverbs 19:1
• 13. [1 Kings 15:4; Psalms 37:26; Psalms 112:2; Jeremiah 33:20, 21]
• 14. [Proverbs 16:10]
• 15. [ver. 26; Proverbs 25:5; Psalms 101:5]
• 16. See 1 Kings 8:46
• 17. ver. 23; See Proverbs 11:1
• 18. [Matthew 7:16]

Footnotes

• [a]. Or will not become wise
• [b]. Or Two kinds of; also verse 23
• [c]. Or Even a child can dissemble in his actions, though his conduct seems pure and upright