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Proverbs 20

Amplified Classic Edition (AMPC)

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¹ Wine is a mocker, strong drink a riotous brawler; and whoever errs or reels because of it is not wise. ⓐ

² The terror of a king is as the roaring of a lion; whoever provokes him to anger or angers himself against him sins against his own life.

³ It is an honor for a man to cease from strife and keep aloof from it, but every fool will quarrel.

⁴ The sluggard does not plow when winter sets in; therefore he begs in harvest and has nothing.

⁵ Counsel in the heart of man is like water in a deep well, but a man of understanding draws it out. ⓑ

⁶ Many a man proclaims his own loving-kindness and goodness, but a faithful man who can find?

⁷ The righteous man walks in his integrity; blessed (happy, fortunate, enviable) are his children after him.

⁸ A king who sits on the throne of judgment winnows out all evil [like chaff] with his eyes.

⁹ Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin? ⓒ

¹⁰ Diverse weights [one for buying and another for selling] and diverse measures — both of them are exceedingly offensive and abhorrent to the Lord. ⓓ

¹¹ Even a child is known by his acts, whether [or not] what he does is pure and right.

¹² The hearing ear and the seeing eye — the Lord has made both of them.

¹³ Love not sleep, lest you come to poverty; open your eyes and you will be satisfied with bread.

¹⁴ It is worthless, it is worthless! says the buyer; but when he goes his way, then he boasts [about his bargain].

¹⁵ There is gold, and a multitude of pearls, but the lips of knowledge are a vase of preciousness [the most precious of all]. ⓔ

¹⁶ [The judge tells the creditor] Take the garment of one who is security for a stranger; and hold him in pledge when he is security for foreigners.

¹⁷ Food gained by deceit is sweet to a man, but afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel.

¹⁸ Purposes and plans are established by counsel; and [only] with good advice make or carry on war.

¹⁹ He who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets; therefore associate not with him who talks too freely. ⓕ

²⁰ Whoever curses his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in complete darkness.

²¹ An inheritance hastily gotten [by greedy, unjust means] at the beginning, in the end it will not be blessed. ⓖ

²² Do not say, I will repay evil; wait [expectantly] for the Lord, and He will rescue you. ⓗ

²³ Diverse and deceitful weights are shamefully vile and abhorrent to the Lord, and false scales are not good.

²⁴ Man’s steps are ordered by the Lord. How then can a man understand his way?

²⁵ It is a snare to a man to utter a vow [of consecration] rashly and [not until] afterward inquire [whether he can fulfill it].

²⁶ A wise king winnows out the wicked [from among the good] and brings the threshing wheel over them [to separate the chaff from the grain].

²⁷ The spirit of man [that factor in human personality which proceeds immediately from God] is the lamp of the Lord, searching all his innermost parts. ⓘ

²⁸ Loving-kindness and mercy, truth and faithfulness, preserve the king, and his throne is upheld by [the people’s] loyalty.

²⁹ The glory of young men is their strength, and the beauty of old men is their gray head [suggesting wisdom and experience].

³⁰ Blows that wound cleanse away evil, and strokes [for correction] reach to the innermost parts.

#	AMPC
1	Wine is a mocker, strong drink a riotous brawler; and whoever errs or reels because of it is not wise. ⓐ
2	The terror of a king is as the roaring of a lion; whoever provokes him to anger or angers himself against him sins against his own life.
3	It is an honor for a man to cease from strife and keep aloof from it, but every fool will quarrel.
4	The sluggard does not plow when winter sets in; therefore he begs in harvest and has nothing.
5	Counsel in the heart of man is like water in a deep well, but a man of understanding draws it out. ⓑ
6	Many a man proclaims his own loving-kindness and goodness, but a faithful man who can find?
7	The righteous man walks in his integrity; blessed (happy, fortunate, enviable) are his children after him.
8	A king who sits on the throne of judgment winnows out all evil [like chaff] with his eyes.
9	Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin? ⓒ
10	Diverse weights [one for buying and another for selling] and diverse measures — both of them are exceedingly offensive and abhorrent to the Lord. ⓓ
11	Even a child is known by his acts, whether [or not] what he does is pure and right.
12	The hearing ear and the seeing eye — the Lord has made both of them.
13	Love not sleep, lest you come to poverty; open your eyes and you will be satisfied with bread.
14	It is worthless, it is worthless! says the buyer; but when he goes his way, then he boasts [about his bargain].
15	There is gold, and a multitude of pearls, but the lips of knowledge are a vase of preciousness [the most precious of all]. ⓔ
16	[The judge tells the creditor] Take the garment of one who is security for a stranger; and hold him in pledge when he is security for foreigners.
17	Food gained by deceit is sweet to a man, but afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel.
18	Purposes and plans are established by counsel; and [only] with good advice make or carry on war.
19	He who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets; therefore associate not with him who talks too freely. ⓕ
20	Whoever curses his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in complete darkness.
21	An inheritance hastily gotten [by greedy, unjust means] at the beginning, in the end it will not be blessed. ⓖ
22	Do not say, I will repay evil; wait [expectantly] for the Lord, and He will rescue you. ⓗ
23	Diverse and deceitful weights are shamefully vile and abhorrent to the Lord, and false scales are not good.
24	Man’s steps are ordered by the Lord. How then can a man understand his way?
25	It is a snare to a man to utter a vow [of consecration] rashly and [not until] afterward inquire [whether he can fulfill it].
26	A wise king winnows out the wicked [from among the good] and brings the threshing wheel over them [to separate the chaff from the grain].
27	The spirit of man [that factor in human personality which proceeds immediately from God] is the lamp of the Lord, searching all his innermost parts. ⓘ
28	Loving-kindness and mercy, truth and faithfulness, preserve the king, and his throne is upheld by [the people’s] loyalty.
29	The glory of young men is their strength, and the beauty of old men is their gray head [suggesting wisdom and experience].
30	Blows that wound cleanse away evil, and strokes [for correction] reach to the innermost parts.

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Proverbs 20

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