| Chapter 20 |
1 |
Wine is a scorner -- strong drink is noisy, And any going astray in it is not wise. |
2 |
The fear of a king is a growl as of a young lion, He who is causing him to be wroth is wronging his soul. |
3 |
An honour to a man is cessation from strife, And every fool intermeddleth. |
4 |
Because of winter the slothful plougheth not, He asketh in harvest, and there is nothing. |
5 |
Counsel in the heart of a man is deep water, And a man of understanding draweth it up. |
6 |
A multitude of men proclaim each his kindness, And a man of stedfastness who doth find? |
7 |
The righteous is walking habitually in his integrity, O the happiness of his sons after him! |
8 |
A king sitting on a throne of judgment, Is scattering with his eyes all evil, |
9 |
Who saith, `I have purified my heart, I have been cleansed from my sin?` |
10 |
A stone and a stone, an ephah and an ephah, Even both of them are an abomination to Yehovah. |
11 |
Even by his actions a youth maketh himself known, Whether his work be pure or upright. |
12 |
A hearing ear, and a seeing eye, Yehovah hath made even both of them. |
13 |
Love not sleep, lest thou become poor, Open thine eyes -- be satisfied with bread. |
14 |
`Bad, bad,` saith the buyer, And going his way then he boasteth himself. |
15 |
Substance, gold, and a multitude of rubies, Yea, a precious vessel, are lips of knowledge. |
16 |
Take his garment when a stranger hath been surety, And for strangers pledge it. |
17 |
Sweet to a man is the bread of falsehood, And afterwards is his mouth filled with gravel. |
18 |
Purposes by counsel thou dost establish, And with plans make thou war. |
19 |
A revealer of secret counsels is the busybody, And for a deceiver with his lips make not thyself surety. |
20 |
Whoso is vilifying his father and his mother, Extinguished is his lamp in blackness of darkness. |
21 |
An inheritance gotten wrongly at first, Even its latter end is not blessed. |
22 |
Do not say, `I recompense evil,` Wait for Yehovah, and He delivereth thee. |
23 |
An abomination to Yehovah are a stone and a stone, And balances of deceit are not good. |
24 |
From Yehovah are the steps of a man, And man -- how understandeth he his way? |
25 |
A snare to a man is he hath swallowed a holy thing, And after vows to make inquiry. |
26 |
A wise king is scattering the wicked, And turneth back on them the wheel. |
27 |
The breath of man is a lamp of Yehovah, Searching all the inner parts of the heart. |
28 |
Kindness and truth keep a king, And he hath supported by kindness his throne. |
29 |
The beauty of young men is their strength, And the honour of old men is grey hairs. |
30 |
The bandages of a wound thou removest with the evil, Also the plagues of the inner parts of the heart! |