Proverbs 20
20
1 # [Gen. 9:21]; See ch. 23:29-32 Wine is a mocker, #ch. 31:4 strong drink a brawler,
and whoever #Isa. 28:7; [Hos. 4:11]is led astray by it is not wise.#20:1 Or will not become wise
2The terror of a king is like #See ch. 19:12 the growling of a lion;
whoever provokes him to anger #Num. 16:38; Hab. 2:10; See ch. 8:36forfeits his life.
3It is an honor for a man to #[ch. 17:14]keep aloof from strife,
but every fool will be quarreling.
4 # [ch. 19:24] The sluggard does not plow in the autumn;
# ch. 19:15; [ch. 6:11] he will seek at harvest and have nothing.
5The purpose in a man’s heart is like #ch. 18:4deep water,
but a man of understanding will draw it out.
6Many a man #[ch. 25:14; Matt. 6:2; Luke 18:11] proclaims his own steadfast love,
but #[Ps. 12:1]a faithful man who can find?
7The righteous who #See ch. 19:1 walks in his integrity—
# [1 Kgs. 15:4; Ps. 37:26; 112:2; Jer. 33:20, 21] blessed are his children after him!
8 # [ch. 16:10] A king who sits on the throne of judgment
# [ver. 26; ch. 25:5; Ps. 101:5] winnows all evil with his eyes.
9 # See 1 Kgs. 8:46 Who can say, “I have made my heart pure;
I am clean from my sin”?
10 # ver. 23; See ch. 11:1 Unequal#20:10 Or Two kinds of; also verse 23 weights and unequal measures
are both alike an abomination to the Lord.
11Even a child #[Matt. 7:16]makes himself known by his acts,
by whether his conduct is pure and upright.#20:11 Or Even a child can dissemble in his actions, though his conduct seems pure and upright
12 # ch. 15:31; 25:12 The hearing ear and the seeing eye,
#
Ex. 4:11; Ps. 94:9 the Lord has made them both.
13 # [ch. 6:4; 19:15; 31:15; Rom. 12:11] Love not sleep, lest you #[ver. 4] come to poverty;
open your eyes, and you will have #ch. 12:11plenty of bread.
14“Bad, bad,” says the buyer,
but when he goes away, then he boasts.
15There is gold and abundance of #Job 28:18 costly stones,
# [ch. 3:14, 15] but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.
16 # ch. 27:13; [ch. 6:1; 22:26] Take a man’s garment when he has put up security for a stranger,
and #See Job 22:6hold it in pledge when he puts up security for foreigners.#20:16 Or for an adulteress (compare 27:13)
17 # [ch. 9:17] Bread gained by deceit is sweet to a man,
but afterward his mouth will be full of #[Lam. 3:16]gravel.
18 # [ch. 11:14; 15:22] Plans are established by counsel;
by #ch. 24:6 wise guidance #Luke 14:31wage war.
19Whoever #ch. 11:13 goes about slandering reveals secrets;
therefore do not associate with #ch. 13:3; [Rom. 16:18]a simple babbler.#20:19 Hebrew with one who is simple in his lips
20 # ch. 30:11, 17; See Ex. 21:17 If one curses his father or his mother,
# See 2 Sam. 21:17; Job 18:5 his lamp will be put out in utter darkness.
21 # See ch. 13:11 An inheritance gained hastily in the beginning
will not be blessed in the end.
22Do not say, #ch. 24:29; [ch. 17:13; Matt. 5:39; Rom. 12:17, 19; 1 Thess. 5:15; 1 Pet. 3:9] “I will repay evil”;
#
Ps. 27:14
wait for the Lord, and he will deliver you.
23 # ver. 10 Unequal weights are an abomination to the Lord,
and #See ch. 11:1false scales are not good.
24A man’s #See ch. 16:9steps are from the Lord;
how then can man understand his way?
25It is a snare to say rashly, “It is holy,”
and to reflect only #[Eccles. 5:4, 5]after making vows.
26A wise king #[Matt. 3:12] winnows the wicked
and drives #Isa. 28:27the wheel over them.
27 # [1 Cor. 2:11] The spirit#20:27 Hebrew breath of man is the lamp of the Lord,
# [Zeph. 1:12] searching all #ch. 18:8his innermost parts.
28 # ch. 3:3 Steadfast love and faithfulness preserve the king,
and by steadfast love his #See ch. 16:12throne is upheld.
29The glory of young men is their strength,
but #ch. 16:31the splendor of old men is their gray hair.
30 # [Isa. 53:5] Blows that wound cleanse away evil;
strokes make clean #[See ver. 27 above]the innermost parts.
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