Proverbs 20:9-19

9 1Who can say, "I have made my heart pure; I am clean from my sin"?
10 2Unequal[a] weights and unequal measures are both alike an abomination to the LORD.
11 Even a child 3makes himself known by his acts, by whether his conduct is pure and upright.[b]
12 4The hearing ear and the seeing eye, 5the LORD has made them both.
13 6Love not sleep, lest you 7come to poverty; open your eyes, and you will have 8plenty of bread.
14 "Bad, bad," says the buyer, but when he goes away, then he boasts.
15 There is gold and abundance of 9costly stones, 10but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.
16 11Take a man's garment when he has put up security for a stranger, and 12hold it in pledge when he puts up security for foreigners.[c]
17 13Bread gained by deceit is sweet to a man, but afterward his mouth will be full of 14gravel.
18 15Plans are established by counsel; by 16wise guidance 17wage war.
19 Whoever 18goes about slandering reveals secrets; therefore do not associate with 19a simple babbler.[d]

Cross References 19

  • 1. See 1 Kings 8:46
  • 2. ver. 23; See Proverbs 11:1
  • 3. [Matthew 7:16]
  • 4. Proverbs 15:31; Proverbs 25:12
  • 5. Exodus 4:11; Psalms 94:9
  • 6. [Proverbs 6:4; Proverbs 19:15; Proverbs 31:15; Romans 12:11]
  • 7. [ver. 4]
  • 8. Proverbs 12:11
  • 9. Job 28:18
  • 10. [Proverbs 3:14, 15]
  • 11. Proverbs 27:13; [Proverbs 6:1; Proverbs 22:26]
  • 12. See Job 22:6
  • 13. [Proverbs 9:17]
  • 14. [Lamentations 3:16]
  • 15. [Proverbs 11:14; Proverbs 15:22]
  • 16. Proverbs 24:6
  • 17. Luke 14:31
  • 18. Proverbs 11:13
  • 19. Proverbs 13:3; [Romans 16:18]

Footnotes 4

  • [a]. Or Two kinds of; also verse 23
  • [b]. Or Even a child can dissemble in his actions, though his conduct seems pure and upright
  • [c]. Or for an adulteress (compare 27:13)
  • [d]. Hebrew with one who is simple in his lips
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.