Self-Control, Honesty, Diligence, and the Fear of the Lord.

Proverbs 20 teaches that wisdom is shown in self-control, honesty, diligence, and sober fear before the Lord, while mockery, deceit, laziness, and impulsiveness lead a person into shame and loss. The chapter repeatedly exposes hidden sin in ordinary life: dishonest trade, proud self-justification, reckless speech, and vengeance dressed up as righteousness. It also reminds the reader that human understanding is limited, but the Lord searches the inward parts and weighs every path with perfect justice. Kings, servants, youth, old age, and daily labor are all brought under God’s moral order, showing that no area of life is outside His scrutiny. The chapter’s purpose is to train the reader in humble, truthful, disciplined living that rejects shortcuts and waits on the Lord.

Proverbs 20:1 – 20:30

  1 Wine [is] a mocker, strong drink [is] raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.
  2 The fear of a king [is] as the roaring of a lion: [whoso] provoketh him to anger sinneth [against] his own soul.
  3 [It is] an honour for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling.
  4 The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; [therefore] shall he beg in harvest, and [have] nothing.
  5 Counsel in the heart of man [is like] deep water; but a man of understanding will draw it out.
  6 Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find?
  7 The just [man] walketh in his integrity: his children [are] blessed after him.
  8 A king that sitteth in the throne of judgment scattereth away all evil with his eyes.
  9 Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?
  10 Divers weights, [and] divers measures, both of them [are] alike abomination to the Lord.
  11 Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work [be] pure, and whether [it be] right.
  12 The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the Lord hath made even both of them.
  13 Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, [and] thou shalt be satisfied with bread.
  14 [It is] naught, [it is] naught, saith the buyer: but when he is gone his way, then he boasteth.
  15 There is gold, and a multitude of rubies: but the lips of knowledge [are] a precious jewel.
  16 Take his garment that is surety [for] a stranger: and take a pledge of him for a strange woman.
  17 Bread of deceit [is] sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.
  18 [Every] purpose is established by counsel: and with good advice make war.
  19 He that goeth about [as] a talebearer revealeth secrets: therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips.
  20 Whoso curseth his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in obscure darkness.
  21 An inheritance [may be] gotten hastily at the beginning; but the end thereof shall not be blessed.
  22 Say not thou, I will recompense evil; [but] wait on the Lord, and he shall save thee.
  23 Divers weights [are] an abomination unto the Lord; and a false balance [is] not good.
  24 Man’s goings [are] of the Lord; how can a man then understand his own way?
  25 [It is] a snare to the man [who] devoureth [that which is] holy, and after vows to make enquiry.
  26 A wise king scattereth the wicked, and bringeth the wheel over them.
  27 The spirit of man [is] the candle of the Lord, searching all the inward parts of the belly.
  28 Mercy and truth preserve the king: and his throne is upholden by mercy.
  29 The glory of young men [is] their strength: and the beauty of old men [is] the gray head.
  30 The blueness of a wound cleanseth away evil: so [do] stripes the inward parts of the belly.