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Proverbs · Geneva Bible (1599)

Proverbs 20 Geneva Bible (1599)

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About GNV
  • Protestant
  • OT: Masoretic Hebrew
  • NT: Textus Receptus
  • Protestant (66 books)
  • Formal (word for word)
  • 1599
  • Public domain

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

Notes on this text (1)
GNV Geneva Bible (1599)
WEB World English Bible (Classic, with Deuterocanon)
1 Wine is a mocker and strong drinke is raging: and whosoeuer is deceiued thereby, is not wise.
1 Wine is a mocker and beer is a brawler. Whoever is led astray by them is not wise.
2 The feare of the King is like the roaring of a lyon: hee that prouoketh him vnto anger, sinneth against his owne soule.
2 The terror of a king is like the roaring of a lion. He who provokes him to anger forfeits his own life.
3 It is a mans honour to cease from strife: but euery foole will be medling.
3 It is an honor for a man to keep aloof from strife, but every fool will be quarreling.
4 The slouthfull will not plowe, because of winter: therefore shall he beg in sommer, but haue nothing.
4 The sluggard will not plow by reason of the winter; therefore he shall beg in harvest, and have nothing.
5 The counsell in the heart of man is like deepe waters: but a man that hath vnderstanding, will drawe it out.
5 Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water, but a man of understanding will draw it out.
6 Many men wil boast, euery one of his owne goodnes: but who can finde a faithfull man?
6 Many men claim to be men of unfailing love, but who can find a faithful man?
7 He that walketh in his integritie, is iust: and blessed shall his children be after him.
7 A righteous man walks in integrity. Blessed are his children after him.
8 A King that sitteth in the throne of iudgement, chaseth away all euill with his eyes.
8 A king who sits on the throne of judgment scatters away all evil with his eyes.
9 Who can say, I haue made mine heart cleane, I am cleane from my sinne?
9 Who can say, “I have made my heart pure. I am clean and without sin”?
10 Diuers weightes, and diuers measures, both these are euen abomination vnto the Lord.
10 Differing weights and differing measures, both of them alike are an abomination to Yahweh.
11 A childe also is knowen by his doings, whether his worke be pure and right.
11 Even a child makes himself known by his doings, whether his work is pure, and whether it is right.
12 The Lord hath made both these, euen the eare to heare, and the eye to see.
12 The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, Yahweh has made even both of them.
13 Loue not sleepe least thou come vnto pouertie: open thine eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied with bread.
13 Don’t love sleep, lest you come to poverty. Open your eyes, and you shall be satisfied with bread.
14 It is naught, it is naught, sayth the buyer: but when he is gone apart, he boasteth.
14 “It’s no good, it’s no good,” says the buyer; but when he is gone his way, then he boasts.
15 There is golde, and a multitude of precious stones: but the lips of knowledge are a precious iewel.
15 There is gold and abundance of rubies, but the lips of knowledge are a rare jewel.
16 Take his garment, that is suretie for a stranger, and a pledge of him for the stranger.
16 Take the garment of one who puts up collateral for a stranger; and hold him in pledge for a wayward woman.
17 The bread of deceit is sweete to a man: but afterward his mouth shalbe filled with grauel.
17 Fraudulent food is sweet to a man, but afterwards his mouth is filled with gravel.
18 Establish the thoughtes by counsell: and by counsell make warre.
18 Plans are established by advice; by wise guidance you wage war!
19 He that goeth about as a slanderer, discouereth secrets: therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips.
19 He who goes about as a tale-bearer reveals secrets; therefore don’t keep company with him who opens wide his lips.
20 He that curseth his father or his mother, his light shalbe put out in obscure darkenes.
20 Whoever curses his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in blackness of darkness.
21 An heritage is hastely gotten at the beginning, but the end thereof shall not be blessed.
21 An inheritance quickly gained at the beginning won’t be blessed in the end.
22 Say not thou, I wil recompense euill: but waite vpon the Lord, and he shall saue thee.
22 Don’t say, “I will pay back evil.” Wait for Yahweh, and he will save you.
23 Diuers weightes are an abomination vnto the Lord, and deceitful balances are not good.
23 Yahweh detests differing weights, and dishonest scales are not pleasing.
24 The steps of man are ruled by the Lord: how can a man then vnderstand his owne way?
24 A man’s steps are from Yahweh; how then can man understand his way?
25 It is a destruction for a man to deuoure that which is sanctified, and after the vowes to inquire.
25 It is a snare to a man to make a rash dedication, then later to consider his vows.
26 A wise King scattereth the wicked, and causeth the wheele to turne ouer them.
26 A wise king winnows out the wicked, and drives the threshing wheel over them.
27 The light of the Lord is the breath of man, and searcheth all the bowels of the belly.
27 The spirit of man is Yahweh’s lamp, searching all his innermost parts.
28 Mercie and trueth preserue the King: for his throne shall be established with mercie.
28 Love and faithfulness keep the king safe. His throne is sustained by love.
29 The beautie of yong men is their strength, and the glory of the aged is the gray head.
29 The glory of young men is their strength. The splendor of old men is their gray hair.
30 The blewnes of the wound serueth to purge the euill, and the stripes within the bowels of the belly.
30 Wounding blows cleanse away evil, and beatings purge the innermost parts.
Cross references (30)

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. 14 1 Thessalonians 4:6
  15. 15 Proverbs 8:11; Proverbs 25:12; Proverbs 16:24; Proverbs 16:16; Romans 10:14–15
  16. 16 Proverbs 27:13; Exodus 22:26–27; Proverbs 22:26–27; Proverbs 11:15; Proverbs 7:5
  17. 17 Ecclesiastes 11:9; Proverbs 9:17–18; Job 20:12–20; Lamentations 3:15–16; Hebrews 11:25
  18. 18 Luke 14:31; Proverbs 24:6; Proverbs 15:22; Judges 1:1–2; Proverbs 11:14
  19. 19 Proverbs 11:13; Proverbs 13:3; Romans 16:18; Proverbs 18:8; Leviticus 19:16
  20. 20 Exodus 21:17; Proverbs 30:11; Proverbs 30:17; Matthew 15:4; Jude 13
  21. 21 1 Timothy 6:9; Proverbs 13:22; Proverbs 28:8; Proverbs 23:4; Proverbs 28:22
  22. 22 Romans 12:17–19; 1 Thessalonians 5:15; Proverbs 24:29; Proverbs 17:13; 1 Peter 3:9
  23. 23 Proverbs 20:10; Hosea 12:7; Ezekiel 45:10; Proverbs 11:1; Amos 8:5
  24. 24 Proverbs 16:9; Jeremiah 10:23; Psalm 25:12; Psalm 37:23; Psalm 25:4
  25. 25 Ecclesiastes 5:4–6; Matthew 5:33; Numbers 30:2–16; Leviticus 27:9–10; Malachi 3:8–10
  26. 26 Proverbs 20:8; 2 Samuel 12:31; Psalm 101:5–8; 2 Samuel 4:9–12; Isaiah 28:27–28
  27. 27 1 Corinthians 2:11; Hebrews 4:12–13; Job 32:8; 1 John 3:19–21; Genesis 2:7
  28. 28 Proverbs 16:12; Psalm 26:1; Proverbs 29:14; Psalm 101:1; Isaiah 16:5
  29. 29 1 John 2:14; Proverbs 16:31; Leviticus 19:32; Jeremiah 9:23–24
  30. 30 Hebrews 12:10; Proverbs 22:15; Proverbs 19:25; Isaiah 53:5; Isaiah 27:9

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)