Wine is a scorner, strong drink is raging; and whoso erreth thereby is not wise.
The terror of a king is as the roaring of a lion: he that provoketh him to anger sinneth against his own soul.
It is an honour for a man to cease from strife; but every fool rusheth into it.
The sluggard will not plough by reason of the winter; he shall beg in harvest, and have nothing.
Counsel in the heart of man is deep water, and a man of understanding draweth it out.
Most men will proclaim every one his own kindness; but a faithful man who shall find?
The righteous walketh in his integrity: blessed are his children after him!
A king sitting on the throne of judgment scattereth away all evil with his eyes.
Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?
Divers weights, divers measures, even both of them are abomination to Jehovah.
Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right.
The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, Jehovah hath made even both of them.
Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied with bread.
Bad! bad! saith the buyer; but when he is gone his way, then he boasteth.
There is gold, and a multitude of rubies; but the lips of knowledge are a precious Jewel.
Take his garment that is become surety for another, and hold him in pledge for strangers.
Bread of falsehood is sweet to a man, but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.
Plans are established by counsel; and with good advice make war.
He that goeth about talebearing revealeth secrets; therefore meddle not with him that openeth his lips.
Whoso curseth his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in the blackest darkness.
An inheritance obtained hastily at the beginning will not be blessed in the end.
Say not, I will recompense evil: wait on Jehovah, and he shall save thee.
Divers weights are an abomination unto Jehovah; and a false balance is not good.
The steps of a man are from Jehovah; and how can a man understand his own way?
It is a snare to a man rashly to say, It is hallowed, and after vows to make inquiry.
A wise king scattereth the wicked, and bringeth the wheel over them.
Man's spirit is the lamp of Jehovah, searching all the inner parts of the belly.
Mercy and truth preserve the king; and he upholdeth his throne by mercy.
The glory of young men is their strength; and the beauty of old men is the grey head.
Wounding stripes purge away evil, and strokes purge the inner parts of the belly.
Canonical academic citations for Proverbs 20 (DBT) — copy in your preferred format.
Proverbs 20 (DBT). Prime Bible, accessed July 24, 2026. https://primebible.com/dbt/proverbs/20.
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Wine is a mocker; sluggard won't plow. Even a child known by deeds. LORD’s lamp searches spirit. Diverse weights are abomination.
Practical wisdom for godly living across generations.
Proverbs 20 is presented with the full Hebrew interlinear, Strong's numbers, and verse-by-verse cross-references on Prime Bible — a free, nonprofit Bible study platform.