Proverbs chapter 20

The collection of Solomon’s 375 proverbs continues.

 


 

THE COLLECTION OF SOLOMON’S PROVERBS CONTINUES

 

VERSE 1. Wine is a mocker, and beer is a brawler. Whoever is led astray by them is not wise.

Whoever is led astray by them. Some people become addicted to alcohol or other drugs. Their addiction destroys their own lives, as well as the lives of the people around them.

 

VERSE 2. The terror of a king is like the roaring of a lion. He who provokes him to anger forfeits his own life.

 

VERSE 3. It is an honor for a man to keep aloof from strife; but every fool will be quarreling.

keep aloof from strife. A godly person avoids stirring up unnecessary strife.

every fool will be quarreling. Foolish people are always asserting their own views and quarreling with anyone who disagrees.

 

VERSE 4. The sluggard will not plow by reason of the winter; therefore he shall beg in harvest, and have nothing.

The sluggard. To be called a sluggard is a great biblical insult. Solomon often writes about the sluggardly person. Read more »

beg in harvest, and have nothing. Sluggards are lazy. They do not work when work is available. Therefore they go hungry.

 

VERSE 5. Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water; but a man of understanding will draw it out.

like deep water. Our best ideas are often buried deep within us.

will draw it out. A wise person can help us go deep within and find our best ideas.

 

VERSE 6. Many men claim to be men of unfailing love, but who can find a faithful man?

 

VERSE 7. A righteous man walks in integrity. Blessed are his children after him.

walks in integrity. For many Christians, their moral behavior is no better than that of anybody else.

A truly godly person, however, walks in the path of integrity.

 

VERSE 8. A king who sits on the throne of judgment scatters away all evil with his eyes.

 

VERSE 9. Who can say, “I have made my heart pure. I am clean and without sin?”

I have made my heart pure. None of us can say we achieved our own righteousness. Any righteousness we have was given to us for free, by God’s grace.

without sin. To sin is to violate God’s will for us. It harms our relationship with God. We all have missed the mark and sinned. Here are the verses we’ve found »

 

VERSE 10. Differing weights and differing measures, both of them alike are an abomination to the LORD.

 

VERSE 11. Even a child makes himself known by his doings, whether his work is pure, and whether it is right.

The LORD God calls us to be spiritually fruitful. We are to bear fruit for the kingdom of God. But in our day, the fruitfulness of many Christians has been hijacked. Read more »

 

VERSE 12. The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, The LORD has made even both of them.

 

VERSE 13. Don’t love sleep, lest you come to poverty. Open your eyes, and you shall be satisfied with bread.

Don’t love sleep. That is, don’t sleep all day. Instead, get to work!

 

VERSE 14. “It’s no good, it’s no good,” says the buyer; but when he is gone his way, then he boasts.

 

VERSE 15. There is gold and abundance of rubies; but the lips of knowledge are a rare jewel.

lips of knowledge are a rare jewel. Very few people have the Gift of Knowledge.

 

VERSE 16. Take the garment of one who puts up collateral for a stranger; and hold him in pledge for a wayward woman.

 

VERSE 17. Fraudulent food is sweet to a man, but afterwards his mouth is filled with gravel.

 

VERSE 18. Plans are established by advice; by wise guidance you wage war!

Plans are established by advice. If you are forming a plan, it is best to get some advice from people you esteem.

Proverbs 15:22. Where there is no counsel, plans fail; but in a multitude of counselors they are established.

 

VERSE 19. He who goes about as a tale-bearer reveals secrets; therefore don’t keep company with him who opens wide his lips.

don’t keep company. Avoid blabbermouths. Otherwise they will tell everybody all your secrets.

 

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

 

VERSE 21. An inheritance quickly gained at the beginning, won’t be blessed in the end.

 

VERSE 22. Don’t say, “I will pay back evil.” Wait for the LORD, and he will save you.

Romans 12:19. Don’t seek revenge yourselves, beloved, but give place to God’s wrath. For it is written, “Vengeance belongs to me; I will repay, says the Lord.”

 

VERSE 23. The LORD detests differing weights, and dishonest scales are not pleasing.

 

VERSE 24. A man’s steps are from the LORD; how then can man understand his way?

 

VERSE 25. It is a snare to a man to make a rash dedication, then later to consider his vows.

 

VERSE 26. A wise king winnows out the wicked, and drives the threshing wheel over them.

 

VERSE 27. The spirit of man is the LORD’s lamp, searching all his innermost parts.

the LORD’s lamp. When the Holy Spirit is in your life, you will have FIRE. Are you on fire for the LORD God? If not, how can you get on fire? Read more »

 

VERSE 28. Love and faithfulness keep the king safe. His throne is sustained by love.

 

VERSE 29. The glory of young men is their strength. The splendor of old men is their gray hair.

 

VERSE 30. Wounding blows cleanse away evil, and beatings purge the innermost parts.

This is not an invitation to torture ourselves. Nor is it an invitation to torture other people.

 


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PROVERBS

CHAPTERS: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31

RESOURCES: SummaryOutline, Memorize, Sluggard, Tree of Life, Misogynism

Unless otherwise noted, all Bible quotations on this page are from the World English Bible and the World Messianic Edition. These translations have no copyright restrictions. They are in the Public Domain.