Proverbs 20:19-29

19 Whoever ¹goes about slandering reveals secrets; therefore do not associate with ²a simple babbler. ^[a]

20 ³If one curses his father or his mother, ⁴his lamp will be put out in utter darkness.

21 ⁵An inheritance gained hastily in the beginning will not be blessed in the end.

22 Do not say, ⁶“I will repay evil”; ⁷wait for the Lord, and he will deliver you.

23 ⁸Unequal weights are an abomination to the Lord, and ⁹false scales are not good.

24 A man’s ¹⁰steps are from the Lord; how then can man understand his way?

25 It is a snare to say rashly, “It is holy, ”and to reflect only ¹¹after making vows.

26 A wise king ¹²winnows the wicked and drives ¹³the wheel over them.

27 ¹⁴The spirit^[b] of man is the lamp of the Lord, ¹⁵searching all ¹⁶his innermost parts.

28 ¹⁷Steadfast love and faithfulness preserve the king, and by steadfast love his ¹⁸throne is upheld.

29 The glory of young men is their strength, but ¹⁹the splendor of old men is their gray hair.

Cross References

• 1. 20:19 ch. 11:13
• 2. 20:19 ch. 13:3; [Rom. 16:18]
• 3. 20:20 ch. 30:11, 17; See Ex. 21:17
• 4. 20:20 See 2 Sam. 21:17; Job 18:5
• 5. 20:21 See ch. 13:11
• 6. 20:22 ch. 24:29; [ch. 17:13; Matt. 5:39; Rom. 12:17, 19; 1 Thess. 5:15; 1 Pet. 3:9]
• 7. 20:22 Ps. 27:14
• 8. 20:23 ver. 10
• 9. 20:23 See ch. 11:1
• 10. 20:24 See ch. 16:9
• 11. 20:25 [Eccles. 5:4, 5]
• 12. 20:26 [Matt. 3:12]
• 13. 20:26 Isa. 28:27
• 14. 20:27 [1 Cor. 2:11]
• 15. 20:27 [Zeph. 1:12]
• 16. 20:27 ch. 18:8
• 17. 20:28 ch. 3:3
• 18. 20:28 See ch. 16:12
• 19. 20:29 ch. 16:31

Footnotes

• [a] 20:19 Hebrew 'with one who is simple in his lips'
• [b] 20:27 Hebrew 'breath'