Proverbs 20

Proverbs 20:1

Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging.

Excess of wine beguiles a man of his wits and senses, and exposeth him to the scorn and derision of every beholder; and strong drink inflames the blood, and makes a man apt to fall into raging distempers.

Proverbs 20:10

Divers weights, and divers measures.

A fraudulent diversity of weights and measures, is abominable to the Lord.

Proverbs 20:11

Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right.

It is not hard, by the carriage and disposition of the childhood, to judge, what is to be hoped or feared, of a man’s riper age: either good or evil begins to shew itself betimes.

Proverbs 20:12

The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the LORD hath made even both of them.

There are ears that hear not, and eyes that see not; but if a man have a hearing ear and a seeing eye, he is doubly bound to God, both for his sense and the improvement of it.

Proverbs 20:15

There is gold, and a multitude of rubies: but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.

Men esteem much of gold and precious stones; but the man, that is furnished with learning and knowledge, deserves to be held of far greater price, than all these earthen treasures.

Proverbs 20:17

Bread of deceit is sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.

The bread, which a man hath got by fraud and cozenage, seems sweet and pleasant, at the first taste of it; but by that time he hath chewed it a little, he shall find it to be but harsh gravel, that crasheth between his teeth, galls his jaws, and wounds his tongue, and offends his palate.

Proverbs 20:20

Whoso curseth his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in obscure darkness.

Whoso curseth his parents, his comfort and help shall be sure to be taken from him, when he hath the most need of it; and he shall be left utterly miserable and disconsolate.

Proverbs 20:24

Man’s goings are of the LORD; how can a man then understand his own way?

It is the Lord, that disposeth of all the actions and events of man: he hath ordered them, he overrules and governs them,

Proverbs 20:25

It is a snare to the man who devoureth that which is holy, and after vows to make enquiry.

He entangleth his soul in the snares of death, who resumeth unto a profane use, that which is once consecrated unto God; and who, after he hath vowed ought unto the Lord, argues within himself, how to alter that holy purpose, and to defeat God of his due.

Proverbs 20:27

The spirit of man is the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of the belly.

The reasonable soul is as a bright candle, which God hath set up in man, which gives light unto him for the finding out of the strange secrets of nature.

Proverbs 20:30

The blueness of a wound cleanseth away evil: so do stripes the inward parts of the belly.

Scourgings and woundings are the best cure of the lewd misbehaviour of wicked men: only fear and smart can restrain them; even such stripes, as may pierce to the very inward parts of the body.