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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1" /><title>Proverbs 20 ESV</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/chapnew2.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="../spec.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/print.css" type="text/css" media="Print" /></head><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="../cmenus/proverbs/20.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" 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href="../proverbs/19.htm" title="Proverbs 19">◄</a> Proverbs 20 <a href="../proverbs/21.htm" title="Proverbs 21">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="vheading"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="99%" valign="top">English Standard Version</td><td width="1%" valign="top"><a href="/p/esv/nas/proverbs/20.shtml" style="color:#001320" title="Parallel Chapters"> Par ▾ </a></tr></table></div></a><div class="chap"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/proverbs/20-1.htm"><b>1</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler,</span><br /><span class="indent">and whoever is led astray by it is not wise.<span class="footnote"><sup><a href="#footnotes" title="Or will not become wise">a</a></sup></span></span><br /> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/proverbs/20-2.htm"><b>2</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">The terror of a king is like the growling of a lion;</span><br /><span class="indent">whoever provokes him to anger forfeits his life.</span><br /> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/proverbs/20-3.htm"><b>3</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">It is an honor for a man to keep aloof from strife,</span><br /><span class="indent">but every fool will be quarreling.</span><br /> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/proverbs/20-4.htm"><b>4</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">The sluggard does not plow in the autumn;</span><br /><span class="indent">he will seek at harvest and have nothing.</span><br /> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/proverbs/20-5.htm"><b>5</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">The purpose in a man’s heart is like deep water,</span><br /><span class="indent">but a man of understanding will draw it out.</span><br /> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/proverbs/20-6.htm"><b>6</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">Many a man proclaims his own steadfast love,</span><br /><span class="indent">but a faithful man who can find?</span><br /> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/proverbs/20-7.htm"><b>7</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">The righteous who walks in his integrity—</span><br /><span class="indent">blessed are his children after him!</span><br /> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/proverbs/20-8.htm"><b>8</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">A king who sits on the throne of judgment</span><br /><span class="indent">winnows all evil with his eyes.</span><br /> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/proverbs/20-9.htm"><b>9</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">Who can say, “I have made my heart pure;</span><br /><span class="indent">I am clean from my sin”?</span><br /> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/proverbs/20-10.htm"><b>10</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">Unequal<span class="footnote"><sup><a href="#footnotes" title="Or Two kinds of; also verse 23">b</a></sup></span> weights and unequal measures</span><br /><span class="indent">are both alike an abomination to the <span class="divine-name">Lord</span>.</span><br /> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/proverbs/20-11.htm"><b>11</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">Even a child makes himself known by his acts,</span><br /><span class="indent">by whether his conduct is pure and upright.<span class="footnote"><sup><a href="#footnotes" title="Or Even a child can dissemble in his actions, though his conduct seems pure and upright">c</a></sup></span></span><br /> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/proverbs/20-12.htm"><b>12</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">The hearing ear and the seeing eye,</span><br /><span class="indent">the <span class="divine-name">Lord</span> has made them both.</span><br /> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/proverbs/20-13.htm"><b>13</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">Love not sleep, lest you come to poverty;</span><br /><span class="indent">open your eyes, and you will have plenty of bread.</span><br /> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/proverbs/20-14.htm"><b>14</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">“Bad, bad,” says the buyer,</span><br /><span class="indent">but when he goes away, then he boasts.</span><br /> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/proverbs/20-15.htm"><b>15</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">There is gold and abundance of costly stones,</span><br /><span class="indent">but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.</span><br /> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/proverbs/20-16.htm"><b>16</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">Take a man’s garment when he has put up security for a stranger,</span><br /><span class="indent">and hold it in pledge when he puts up security for foreigners.<span class="footnote"><sup><a href="#footnotes" title="Or for an adulteress (compare 27:13)">d</a></sup></span></span><br /> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/proverbs/20-17.htm"><b>17</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">Bread gained by deceit is sweet to a man,</span><br /><span class="indent">but afterward his mouth will be full of gravel.</span><br /> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/proverbs/20-18.htm"><b>18</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">Plans are established by counsel;</span><br /><span class="indent">by wise guidance wage war.</span><br /> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/proverbs/20-19.htm"><b>19</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">Whoever goes about slandering reveals secrets;</span><br /><span class="indent">therefore do not associate with a simple babbler.<span class="footnote"><sup><a href="#footnotes" title="Hebrew with one who is simple in his lips">e</a></sup></span></span><br /> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/proverbs/20-20.htm"><b>20</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">If one curses his father or his mother,</span><br /><span class="indent">his lamp will be put out in utter darkness.</span><br /> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/proverbs/20-21.htm"><b>21</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">An inheritance gained hastily in the beginning</span><br /><span class="indent">will not be blessed in the end.</span><br /> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/proverbs/20-22.htm"><b>22</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">Do not say, “I will repay evil”;</span><br /><span class="indent">wait for the <span class="divine-name">Lord</span>, and he will deliver you.</span><br /> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/proverbs/20-23.htm"><b>23</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">Unequal weights are an abomination to the <span class="divine-name">Lord</span>,</span><br /><span class="indent">and false scales are not good.</span><br /> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/proverbs/20-24.htm"><b>24</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">A man’s steps are from the <span class="divine-name">Lord</span>;</span><br /><span class="indent">how then can man understand his way?</span><br /> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/proverbs/20-25.htm"><b>25</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">It is a snare to say rashly, “It is holy,”</span><br /><span class="indent">and to reflect only after making vows.</span><br /> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/proverbs/20-26.htm"><b>26</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">A wise king winnows the wicked</span><br /><span class="indent">and drives the wheel over them.</span><br /> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/proverbs/20-27.htm"><b>27</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">The spirit<span class="footnote"><sup><a href="#footnotes" title="Hebrew breath">f</a></sup></span> of man is the lamp of the <span class="divine-name">Lord</span>,</span><br /><span class="indent">searching all his innermost parts.</span><br /> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/proverbs/20-28.htm"><b>28</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">Steadfast love and faithfulness preserve the king,</span><br /><span class="indent">and by steadfast love his throne is upheld.</span><br /> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/proverbs/20-29.htm"><b>29</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">The glory of young men is their strength,</span><br /><span class="indent">but the splendor of old men is their gray hair.</span><br /> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/proverbs/20-30.htm"><b>30</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">Blows that wound cleanse away evil;</span><br /><span class="indent">strokes make clean the innermost parts.</span><br /><A name="footnotes"></a><hr size="1" color="DDEEFF"><span class="mainfootnotes"><span class="mainfootnoteshdg">Footnotes:</span><br><span class="footnotesbot">a</span> <span class="fnverse">1</span> Or <i>will not become wise</i><br /><span class="footnotesbot">b</span> <span class="fnverse">10</span> Or <i>Two kinds of</i>; also verse 23<br /><span class="footnotesbot">c</span> <span class="fnverse">11</span> Or <i><span class="catch-word">Even a child</span> can dissemble in his actions, though his conduct seems pure and upright</i><br /><span class="footnotesbot">d</span> <span class="fnverse">16</span> Or <i><span class="catch-word">for</span> an adulteress</i> (compare 27:13)<br /><span class="footnotesbot">e</span> <span class="fnverse">19</span> Hebrew <i><span class="catch-word">with</span> one who is simple in his lips</i><br /><span class="footnotesbot">f</span> <span class="fnverse">27</span> Hebrew <i>breath</i><br /></span></div></div><div id="botbox"><div class="padbot"><div align="center">ESV Text Edition® (2016).<br /><br />The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by <a 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