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Proverbs · Brenton's English Septuagint

Proverbs 20 Brenton's English Septuagint

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About Brenton
  • Individual translator
  • OT: Septuagint (Greek)
  • Septuagint Old Testament (no New Testament)
  • Formal (word for word)
  • 1844
  • Public domain

Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings

Notes on this text (2)

1 Wine is an intemperate thing, and strong drink full of violence: but every fool is entangled with them. 2 The threat of a king differs not from the rage of a lion; and he that provokes him sins against his own soul. 3 [It is] a glory to a man to turn aside from railing; but every fool is entangled with such matters. 4 A sluggard when reproached is not ashamed: so also he who borrows corn in harvest. 5 Counsel in a man's heart is deep water; but a prudent man will draw it out. 6 A man is valuable, and a merciful man precious: but [it is] hard to find a faithful man. 7 He that walks blameless in justice, shall leave his children blessed. 8 Whenever a righteous king sits on the throne, no evil thing can stand before his presence. 9 Who will boast that he has a pure heart? or who will boldly say that he is pure from sins? 9a The lamp of him that reviles father or mother shall be put out, and his eyeballs shall see darkness. 9b A portion hastily gotten at first shall not be blessed in the end. 9c Say not, I will avenge myself on my enemy; but wait on the Lord, that he may help thee. 10 A large and small weight, and divers measures, are even both of them unclean before the Lord; and [so is] he that makes them. 11 A youth [when in company] with a godly man, will be restrained in his devices, and [then] his way will be straight. 12 The ear hears, and the eye sees: even both of them are the Lord's work. 13 Love not to speak ill, lest thou be cut off: open thine eyes, and be filled with bread. 23 A double weight is an abomination to the Lord; and a deceitful balance is not good in his sight. 24 A man's goings are directed of the Lord: how then can a mortal understand his ways? 25 It is a snare to a man hastily to consecrate some of his own property: for [in that case] repentance comes after vowing. 26 A wise king utterly crushes the ungodly, and will bring a wheel upon them. 27 The spirit of man is a light of the Lord, who searches the inmost parts of the belly. 28 Mercy and truth are a guard to a king, and will surround his throne with righteousness. 29 Wisdom is an ornament to young men; and grey [hairs] are the glory of old men. 30 Bruises and contusions befall bad men; and plagues [shall come] into the inward parts of [their] belly.

There are no verses 14–22 in this translation; the other verses keep their usual numbers.

Cross references (24)

Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.

  1. 1 Ephesians 5:18; Hosea 4:11; Isaiah 28:7; 1 Corinthians 6:10; Proverbs 31:4
  2. 2 Proverbs 19:12; Ecclesiastes 10:4; 1 Kings 2:23; Proverbs 8:36; Hosea 11:10
  3. 3 Proverbs 16:32; Proverbs 17:14; Proverbs 19:11; Ephesians 4:32–5:1; Proverbs 14:29
  4. 4 Proverbs 10:4; Proverbs 19:15; Proverbs 13:4; Matthew 25:24–28; Matthew 25:3–10
  5. 5 Proverbs 18:4; 1 Corinthians 2:11; Psalm 64:6
  6. 6 Psalm 12:1; Matthew 6:2; Luke 18:8; Luke 22:33; Proverbs 27:2
  7. 7 Psalm 112:2; Psalm 37:26; Jeremiah 32:39; 2 Corinthians 1:12; Acts 2:39
  8. 8 Proverbs 25:5; Proverbs 20:26; Proverbs 29:14; Psalm 99:4; Psalm 92:9
  9. 9 Ecclesiastes 7:20; 1 John 1:8–10; 1 Kings 8:46; Job 14:4; Job 15:14
  10. 10 Proverbs 20:23; Proverbs 11:1; Proverbs 16:11; Leviticus 19:35; Deuteronomy 25:13–15
  11. 11 Matthew 7:16; Luke 6:43–44; Proverbs 21:8; Luke 2:46–47; Psalm 51:5
  12. 12 Matthew 13:13–16; Psalm 94:9; Psalm 119:18; Exodus 4:11; Ephesians 1:17–18
  13. 13 Romans 12:11; Proverbs 19:15; Romans 13:11; Proverbs 12:11; Proverbs 10:4
  14. 23 Proverbs 20:10; Hosea 12:7; Ezekiel 45:10; Proverbs 11:1; Amos 8:5
  15. 24 Proverbs 16:9; Jeremiah 10:23; Psalm 25:12; Psalm 37:23; Psalm 25:4
  16. 25 Ecclesiastes 5:4–6; Matthew 5:33; Numbers 30:2–16; Leviticus 27:9–10; Malachi 3:8–10
  17. 26 Proverbs 20:8; 2 Samuel 12:31; Psalm 101:5–8; 2 Samuel 4:9–12; Isaiah 28:27–28
  18. 27 1 Corinthians 2:11; Hebrews 4:12–13; Job 32:8; 1 John 3:19–21; Genesis 2:7
  19. 28 Proverbs 16:12; Psalm 26:1; Proverbs 29:14; Psalm 101:1; Isaiah 16:5
  20. 29 1 John 2:14; Proverbs 16:31; Leviticus 19:32; Jeremiah 9:23–24
  21. 30 Hebrews 12:10; Proverbs 22:15; Proverbs 19:25; Isaiah 53:5; Isaiah 27:9
  22. 9a Ecclesiastes 7:20; 1 John 1:8–10; 1 Kings 8:46; Job 14:4; Job 15:14
  23. 9b Ecclesiastes 7:20; 1 John 1:8–10; 1 Kings 8:46; Job 14:4; Job 15:14
  24. 9c Ecclesiastes 7:20; 1 John 1:8–10; 1 Kings 8:46; Job 14:4; Job 15:14

Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences

Articles and answers on this site that cite Proverbs 20.

What the Fathers said

Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).

How these were chosen

“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).

  1. Quotes verse 20:27 Clement of Rome, First Epistle to the Corinthians (Chapters XIX–XXV)

    For [the Scripture] saith in a certain place, "The Spirit of the Lord is a candle searching the secret parts of the belly." Let us reflect how near He is, and that none of the thoughts or reasonings in which we engage are hid from Him.

    Read in context · Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1 (1885)

  2. Quotes verse 20:8 Augustine of Hippo, Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament (Sermon XLIII)

    Because, "When the righteous King sitteth on the throne, who will glory that his heart is pure?" It may be thou dost not discover anything in thine own conscience; but He who seeth better, whose Divine glance penetrateth into deeper things, discovereth it may be something, He seeth it may be something, He discovereth something.

    Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 6 (1888)

  3. Quotes verse 20:6 Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lectures (Lecture V)

    Here then it is further required, that each of you be found faithful in his conscience: for a faithful man it is hard to find: not that thou shouldest shew thy conscience to me, for thou art not to be judged of man's judgment; but that thou shew the sincerity of thy faith to God, who trieth the reins …

    Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)

  4. Quotes verse 20:26 Augustine of Hippo, Expositions on the Psalms (Psalm XII)

    So too it is said by Solomon, "For the wise king is the winnower of the ungodly, and he bringeth on them the wheel of the wicked.--After Thine height Thou hast multiplied the sons of men." For there is in temporal things too a multiplication, which turns away from the unity of God.

    Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 8 (1888)

  5. Quotes verse 20:9 Augustine of Hippo, Expositions on the Psalms (Psalm CXLIX)

    For there be many that please themselves, and think themselves righteous; and there is another passage which goeth against them, which saith, "Who shall boast that he hath a clean heart, and that he is pure from sin?" There is then, so to speak, a limit to glorying in our conscience, namely, to know that thy faith is sincere, thy …

    Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 8 (1888)