Proverbs 20

20 <1> Wine and beer make people lose control; they get loud and stumble around. And that is foolish.

<2> An angry king is like a roaring lion. Make him angry and you could lose your life.

<3> People who refuse to argue deserve respect. Any fool can start an argument.

<4> Some people are too lazy to plant seeds. So at harvest time, they look for food and find nothing.

<5> Getting information from someone can be like getting water from a deep well. If you are smart, you will draw it out.

<6> You might call many people your "friends," but it is hard to find someone who can really be trusted.

<7> When people live good, honest lives, their children are blessed.

<8> When the king sits and judges people, he must look carefully to separate the evil from the good.

<9> Can anyone say their heart is pure? Who can say, "I am free from sin"?

<10> The Lord hates for people to use the wrong weights and measures to cheat others.

<11> Even children show what they are like by the things they do. You can see if their actions are pure and right.

<12> It was the Lord who gave us eyes for seeing and ears for hearing.

<13> If you love to sleep, you will become poor. Use your time working and you will have plenty to eat.

<14> When buying something, people always say, "It's no good. It costs too much." Then they go away and tell others what a good deal they got.

<15> The right knowledge can bring you gold, pearls, and other expensive things.

<16> If someone promises to pay the debt of a stranger, get a coat or something from him to keep until the debt is paid.

<17> It may seem to be a good thing to get something by cheating, but in the end, it will be worth nothing.

<18> Get good advice when you make your plans. Before you start a war, find good advisors.

<19> You cannot trust someone who would talk about things told in private. So don't be friends with someone who talks too much.

<20> Those who would curse[47] their father or mother are like a lamp that goes out on the darkest night.

<21> If your wealth was easy to get, it will not be worth much to you.[48]

<22> Don't ever say, "I'll pay them back for what they did to me!" Wait for the Lord. He will make things right.

<23> The Lord hates for people to use the wrong weights to cheat others. It is wrong to use scales that are not accurate.

<24> The Lord guides our steps, and we never know where he will lead us.[49]

<25> Think carefully before you promise to give something to God. Later, you might wish you had not made that promise.

<26> Like a farmer who separates wheat from the chaff, a wise king will decide who is wrong and crush them.

<27> Your spirit is like a lamp to the Lord. He is able to see into your deepest parts.[50]

<28> A king who is loyal and true will keep his power. Loyalty will keep his kingdom strong.

<29> We admire a young man for his strength, but we respect an old man for his gray hair.

<30> A beating can remove evil and make you completely clean.[51]