Proverbs 20
Study sheet, King James Version, with the original-language words this chapter turns on.
The text
1Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.
2The fear of a king is as the roaring of a lion: whoso provoketh him to anger sinneth against his own soul.
3It is an honour for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling.
4The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing.
5Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water; but a man of understanding will draw it out.
6Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find?
7The just man walketh in his integrity: his children are blessed after him.
8A king that sitteth in the throne of judgment scattereth away all evil with his eyes.
9Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?
10Divers weights, and divers measures, both of them are alike abomination to the LORD.
11Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right.
12The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the LORD hath made even both of them.
13Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied with bread.
14It is naught, it is naught, saith the buyer: but when he is gone his way, then he boasteth.
15There is gold, and a multitude of rubies: but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.
16Take his garment that is surety for a stranger: and take a pledge of him for a strange woman.
17Bread of deceit is sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.
18Every purpose is established by counsel: and with good advice make war.
19He that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets: therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips.
20Whoso curseth his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in obscure darkness.
21An inheritance may be gotten hastily at the beginning; but the end thereof shall not be blessed.
22Say not thou, I will recompense evil; but wait on the LORD, and he shall save thee.
23Divers weights are an abomination unto the LORD; and a false balance is not good.
24Man's goings are of the LORD; how can a man then understand his own way?
25It is a snare to the man who devoureth that which is holy, and after vows to make enquiry.
26A wise king scattereth the wicked, and bringeth the wheel over them.
27The spirit of man is the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of the belly.
28Mercy and truth preserve the king: and his throne is upholden by mercy.
29The glory of young men is their strength: and the beauty of old men is the gray head.
30The blueness of a wound cleanseth away evil: so do stripes the inward parts of the belly.
Words in this chapter
Definitions are Strong's own wording from his Exhaustive Concordance (1890). Counts are how often each word appears in this chapter, from the tagged text.
- יְהֹוָהYᵉhôvâhH30686× in this chapter
Jehovah, Jewish national name of God
- אִישׁʼîyshH3766× in this chapter
a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation)
- לֹאlôʼH38085× in this chapter
not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles
- רַעraʻH74515× in this chapter
bad or (as noun) evil (natural or moral)
- אָדָםʼâdâmH1204× in this chapter
ruddy i.e. a human being (an individual or the species, mankind, etc.)
- כֹּלkôlH36054× in this chapter
properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)
- מֶלֶךְmelekH44284× in this chapter
a king
- אֶבֶןʼebenH684× in this chapter
a stone
- גַּםgamH15713× in this chapter
properly, assemblage; used only adverbially also, even, yea, though; often repeated as correl. both...and
- חֵסֵדchêçêdH26173× in this chapter
kindness; by implication (towards God) piety; rarely (by opposition) reproof, or (subject.) beauty
- אַחַרʼacharH3103× in this chapter
properly, the hind part; generally used as an adverb or conjunction, after (in various senses)
- אָמַרʼâmarH5593× in this chapter
to say (used with great latitude)
- עַיִןʻayinH58693× in this chapter
an eye (literally or figuratively); by analogy, a fountain (as the eye of the landscape)
- הָלַךְhâlakH19802× in this chapter
to walk (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively)
- זָרָהzârâhH22192× in this chapter
to toss about; by implication, to diffuse, winnow
- חֶדֶרchederH23152× in this chapter
an apartment (usually literal)
- כִּסֵּאkiççêʼH36782× in this chapter
properly, covered, i.e. a throne (as canopied)
- אֵיפָהʼêyphâhH3742× in this chapter
an ephah or measure for grain; hence, a measure in general
- לֵבlêbH38202× in this chapter
the heart; also used (figuratively) very widely for the feelings, the will and even the intellect; likewise for the centre of anything
- לֶחֶםlechemH38992× in this chapter
food (for man or beast), especially bread, or grain (for making it)
- אַלʼalH4082× in this chapter
not (the qualified negation, used as a deprecative); once (Job 24:25) as a noun, nothing
- מִיmîyH43102× in this chapter
who? (occasionally, by a peculiar idiom, of things); also (indefinitely) whoever; often used in oblique construction with prefix or suffix
- אִםʼimH5182× in this chapter
used very widely as demonstrative, lo!; interrogative, whether?; or conditional, if, although; also Oh that!, when; hence, as a negative, not
- נִירnîyrH52162× in this chapter
a lamp (i.e. the burner) or light (literally or figuratively)
- עַלʻalH59212× in this chapter
above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications
- עֵצָהʻêtsâhH60982× in this chapter
advice; by implication, plan; also prudence
- עָרַבʻârabH61482× in this chapter
to braid, i.e. intermix; technically, to traffic (as if by barter); also or give to be security (as a kind of exchange)
- עָשָׂהʻâsâhH62132× in this chapter
to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application
- רֹבrôbH72302× in this chapter
abundance (in any respect)
- שְׁנַיִםshᵉnayimH81472× in this chapter
two; also (as ordinal) twofold
- שָׂפָהsâphâhH81932× in this chapter
the lip (as a natural boundary); by implication, language; by analogy, a margin (of a vessel, water, cloth, etc.)
- תּוֹעֵבַהtôwʻêbahH84412× in this chapter
properly, something disgusting (morally), i.e. (as noun) an abhorrence; especially idolatry or (concretely) an idol
- בֶּטֶןbeṭenH9902× in this chapter
the belly, especially the womb; also the bosom or body of anything
- אָבʼâbH11× in this chapter
father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote application
- בֵּןbênH11211× in this chapter
a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)
- בְּעַדbᵉʻadH11571× in this chapter
in up to or over against; generally at, beside, among, behind, for, etc.
- בָּקַרbâqarH12391× in this chapter
properly, to plough, or (generally) break forth, i.e. (figuratively) to inspect, admire, care for, consider
- בָרַךְbârakH12881× in this chapter
to kneel; by implication to bless God (as an act of adoration), and (vice-versa) man (as a benefit); also (by euphemism) to curse (God or the king, as treason)
- גֶּבֶרgeberH13971× in this chapter
properly, a valiant man or warrior; generally, a person simply
- גָּלָהgâlâhH15401× in this chapter
to denude (especially in a disgraceful sense); by implication, to exile (captives being usually stripped); figuratively, to reveal