Pro 20 | ESV | STEP | Wine is a mocker , strong drink a brawler , and whoever is led astray by it is not wise .

‏ Proverbs 20

1 ^aWine is a mocker, ^bstrong drink a brawler,
and whoever ^cis led astray by it is not wise. ^{▼▼Or will not become wise}
2 The terror of a king is like ^ethe growling of a lion;
whoever provokes him to anger ^fforfeits his life.
3 It is an honor for a man to ^gkeep aloof from strife,
but every fool will be quarreling.
4 ^hThe sluggard does not plow in the autumn;
ⁱhe will seek at harvest and have nothing.
5 The purpose in a man’s heart is like ^jdeep water,
but a man of understanding will draw it out.
6 Many a man ^kproclaims his own steadfast love,
but ^la faithful man who can find?
7 The righteous who ^mwalks in his integrity—
ⁿblessed are his children after him!
8 ^oA king who sits on the throne of judgment
^pwinnows all evil with his eyes.
9 ^qWho can say, “I have made my heart pure;
I am clean from my sin”?
10 ^rUnequal ^{▼▼Or Two kinds of; also verse 23} weights and unequal measures
are both alike an abomination to the Lord.
11 Even a child ^tmakes himself known by his acts,
by whether his conduct is pure and upright. ^{▼▼Or Even a child can dissemble in his actions, though his conduct seems pure and upright}
12 ^vThe hearing ear and the seeing eye,
^wthe Lord has made them both.
13 ^xLove not sleep, lest you ^ycome to poverty;
open your eyes, and you will have ^zplenty of bread.
14 “Bad, bad,” says the buyer,
but when he goes away, then he boasts.
15 There is gold and abundance of ^aacostly stones,
^abbut the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.
16 ^acTake a man’s garment when he has put up security for a stranger,
and ^adhold it in pledge when he puts up security for foreigners. ^{▼▼Or for an adulteress (compare 27:13)}
17 ^afBread gained by deceit is sweet to a man,
but afterward his mouth will be full of ^aggravel.
18 ^ahPlans are established by counsel;
by ^aiwise guidance ^ajwage war.
19 Whoever ^akgoes about slandering reveals secrets;
therefore do not associate with ^ala simple babbler. ^{▼▼Hebrew with one who is simple in his lips}
20 ^anIf one curses his father or his mother,
^aohis lamp will be put out in utter darkness.
21 ^apAn inheritance gained hastily in the beginning
will not be blessed in the end.
22 Do not say, ^aq“I will repay evil”;
^arwait for the Lord, and he will deliver you.
23 ^asUnequal weights are an abomination to the Lord,
and ^atfalse scales are not good.
24 A man’s ^austeps 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 ^avafter making vows.
26 A wise king ^awwinnows the wicked
and drives ^axthe wheel over them.
27 ^ayThe spirit ^{▼▼Hebrew breath} of man is the lamp of the Lord,
^basearching all ^bbhis innermost parts.
28 ^bcSteadfast love and faithfulness preserve the king,
and by steadfast love his ^bdthrone is upheld.
29 The glory of young men is their strength,
but ^bethe splendor of old men is their gray hair.
30 ^bfBlows that wound cleanse away evil;
strokes make clean ^bgthe innermost parts.