Proverbs 20

20 Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.

Wine makes you cheery and playful and a strong drink causes a person to become angry and want to fight; if you do not know this you will be deceived.

2 The fear of a king is as the roaring of a lion: whoso provoketh him to anger sinneth against his own soul. 

A king has the power to take lives.  Anyone who annoys him places his life with the possibility of death.

3 It is an honour for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling.

God honors us when we hold our peace!  But a fool will insist on having his own way.

To move an argument in the direction of peace is an honor to the person who does so. But a person who ignores God's instructions proceeds as a fool.

4 The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing.

 A lazy person who shows no regard to working with integrity makes excuses: later he will have nothing during the time that he should.

5 Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water; but a man of understanding will draw it out. 

Advice in man is floating around, but a man or woman of God knows how to pull out what is hidden in the heart.

6 Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find?

Everybody brags about how good they are; but, can you find a dependable man who will keep his word?

7 The just man walketh in his integrity: his children are blessed after him.

A man that will do right will have children who will show what their father taught them after he is gone.

8 A king that sitteth in the throne of judgment scattereth away all evil with his eyes.

When the king's eyes view your wrong, he will bring correction just by staring at you.

9 Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?

Can anyone say he is clean without God's Word?

10 Divers weights, and divers measures, both of them are alike abomination to the Lord.

Trying to cheat people is hated by God.

Be fair.

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

Children and adults are known by what and how they follow instructions.

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

God made both the ear and the eyes and they are able to do as He designed.

13 Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied with bread.

Work hard and do not sleep so much.  Working hard pays off.

14 It is naught, it is naught, saith the buyer: but when he is gone his way, then he boasteth.

Ooooohhh I got this for almost nothing.. brags the buyer.  We make the merchant feel as if the product he is selling has something wrong with it and he sells it for a cheaper price; then we brag about how we got over on him when we leave the store.  God sees everything we do.

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

It is better to have knowledge than riches.

16 Take his garment that is surety for a stranger: and take a pledge of him for a strange woman.

Collateral in exchange for my goods.

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

Doing wrong is exciting at first: but when it is time to foot the bill it is painful.

18 Every purpose is established by counsel: and with good advice make war.

Good plans produce good outcomes.

19 He that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets: therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips.

Stay away from gossipers.

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

A child who disrespects his parents will live to see a dark consequence.

21 An inheritance may be gotten hastily at the beginning; but the end thereof shall not be blessed.

Gambling or money left to you without hard work is good at first, but wait until the thrill is gone.

22 Say not thou, I will recompense evil; but wait on the Lord, and he shall save thee.

Let God pay evil back.

23 Divers weights are an abomination unto the Lord; and a false balance is not good.

God hates dealing with people who cheat.

24 Man's goings are of the Lord; how can a man then understand his own way?

Since God knows all paths, what can a man do if he does not know God?

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

We must not do things wrong quickly and then seek answers.

26 A wise king scattereth the wicked, and bringeth the wheel over them.

A wise king will put you in time out and if you continue to do wrong,

he will make sure you are buried. 

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

Our spirit is light and God can see through us.  God knows our every motive.

28 Mercy and truth preserve the king: and his throne is upholden by mercy.

A king's position is governed by forgiveness and corrections: and he is allowed to keep his position if he follows the guidelines God gave kings to live by. 

29 The glory of young men is their strength: and the beauty of old men is the grey head.

Young men are known for strength and to see a man live a long time is beautiful when he has followed the right path. 

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

Correction is good for us.