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20Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler,
   and whoever is led astray by it is not wise.
² The dread anger of a king is like the growling of a lion;
   anyone who provokes him to anger forfeits life itself.
³ It is honourable to refrain from strife,
   but every fool is quick to quarrel.
⁴ The lazy person does not plough in season;
   harvest comes, and there is nothing to be found.
⁵ The purposes in the human mind are like deep water,
   but the intelligent will draw them out.
⁶ Many proclaim themselves loyal,
   but who can find one worthy of trust?
⁷ The righteous walk in integrity—
   happy are the children who follow them!
⁸ A king who sits on the throne of judgement
   winnows all evil with his eyes.
⁹ Who can say, ‘I have made my heart clean;
   I am pure from my sin’?
¹⁰ Diverse weights and diverse measures
   are both alike an abomination to the Lord.
¹¹ Even children make themselves known by their acts,
   by whether what they do is pure and right.
¹² The hearing ear and the seeing eye—
   the Lord has made them both.
¹³ Do not love sleep, or else you will come to poverty;
   open your eyes, and you will have plenty of bread.
¹⁴ ‘Bad, bad’, says the buyer,
   then goes away and boasts.
¹⁵ There is gold, and abundance of costly stones;
   but the lips informed by knowledge are a precious jewel.
¹⁶ Take the garment of one who has given surety for a stranger;
   seize the pledge given as surety for foreigners.
¹⁷ Bread gained by deceit is sweet,
   but afterwards the mouth will be full of gravel.
¹⁸ Plans are established by taking advice;
   wage war by following wise guidance.
¹⁹ A gossip reveals secrets;
   therefore do not associate with a babbler.
²⁰ If you curse father or mother,
   your lamp will go out in utter darkness.
²¹ An estate quickly acquired in the beginning
   will not be blessed in the end.
²² Do not say, ‘I will repay evil’;
   wait for the Lord, and he will help you.
²³ Differing weights are an abomination to the Lord,
   and false scales are not good.
²⁴ All our steps are ordered by the Lord;
   how then can we understand our own ways?
²⁵ It is a snare for one to say rashly, ‘It is holy’,
   and begin to reflect only after making a vow.
²⁶ A wise king winnows the wicked,
   and drives the wheel over them.
²⁷ The human spirit is the lamp of the Lord,
   searching every inmost part.
²⁸ Loyalty and faithfulness preserve the king,
   and his throne is upheld by righteousness.^*
29 The glory of youths is their strength,
   but the beauty of the aged is their grey hair.
³⁰ Blows that wound cleanse away evil;
   beatings make clean the innermost parts.