Proverbs 20:17-27

17 Stolen bread tastes sweet, but soon your mouth is full of gravel.
18 Form your purpose by asking for counsel, then carry it out using all the help you can get.
19 Gossips can't keep secrets, so never confide in blabbermouths.
20 Anyone who curses father and mother extinguishes light and exists benighted. The Very Steps We Take
21 A bonanza at the beginning is no guarantee of blessing at the end.
22 Don't ever say, "I'll get you for that!" Wait for God; he'll settle the score.
23 God hates cheating in the marketplace; rigged scales are an outrage.
24 The very steps we take come from God; otherwise how would we know where we're going?
25 An impulsive vow is a trap; later you'll wish you could get out of it.
26 After careful scrutiny, a wise leader makes a clean sweep of rebels and dolts.
27 God is in charge of human life, watching and examining us inside and out.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.