Proverbs 20:1-30 ERV

[1] Wine and beer make people lose control; they get loud and stumble around. And that is foolish. [2] An angry king is like a roaring lion. If you make him angry, you could lose your life. [3] People who refuse to argue deserve respect. Any fool can start an argument. [4] Some people are too lazy to plant seeds. So at harvest time, they look for food and find nothing. [5] Getting information from someone can be like getting water from a deep well. If you are smart, you will draw it out. [6] You might call many people your "friends," but it is hard to find someone who can really be trusted. [7] When people live good, honest lives, their children are blessed. [8] When the king sits and judges people, he must look carefully to separate the evil from the good. [9] Can anyone say their heart is pure? Who can say, "I am free from sin"? [10] The LORD hates for people to use the wrong weights and measures to cheat others. [11] Even children show what they are like by the things they do. You can see if their actions are pure and right. [12] It was the LORD who gave us eyes for seeing and ears for hearing. [13] If you love to sleep, you will become poor. Use your time working and you will have plenty to eat. [14] When buying something, people always say, "It's no good. It costs too much." Then they go away and tell others what a good deal they got. [15] The right knowledge can bring you gold, pearls, and other expensive things. [16] If someone promises to pay the debt of a stranger, get a coat or something from him to keep until the debt is paid. [17] It may seem to be a good thing to get something by cheating, but in the end, it will be worth nothing. [18] Get good advice when you make your plans. Before you start a war, find good advisors. [19] You cannot trust someone who would talk about things told in private. So don't be friends with someone who talks too much. [20] Those who would curse their father or mother are like a lamp that goes out on the darkest night. [21] If your wealth was easy to get, it will not be worth much to you. [22] Don't ever say, "I'll pay them back for what they did to me!" Wait for the LORD. He will make things right. [23] The LORD hates for people to use the wrong weights to cheat others. It is wrong to use scales that are not accurate. [24] The LORD guides our steps, and we never know where he will lead us. [25] Think carefully before you promise to give something to God. Later, you might wish you had not made that promise. [26] Like a farmer who separates wheat from the chaff, a wise king will decide who is wrong and crush them. [27] Your spirit is like a lamp to the LORD. He is able to see into your deepest parts. [28] A king who is loyal and true will keep his power. Loyalty will keep his kingdom strong. [29] We admire a young man for his strength, but we respect an old man for his gray hair. [30] A beating can remove evil and make you completely clean.