Chapter Overview
Summary
Proverbs 20 continues the Solomonic-proverbs. Verse 1's 'wine is a mocker' is proverbial on drunkenness; v. 27's 'the spirit of man is the lamp of the LORD' is foundational biblical-anthropology for conscience-as-divine-light-within.
Notable Variants
20:1 'wine is a mocker, strong drink is a brawler' anti-drunkenness; 20:9 'who can say: I have made my heart pure, I am clean from my sin' rhetorical-universality-of-sin; 20:27 'the spirit of man is the lamp of the LORD, searching all his innermost parts.'
Structural Notes
MT Prov 20 = LXX Prov 20. 30 verses.
Wine is a scoffer and strong drink a brawler; whoever is led astray by them is not wise.
'Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler, and whoever is led astray by it is not wise' tracks MT. WINE-IS-A-MOCKER anti-drunkenness. Ephesians 5:18 ('do not get drunk with wine … but be filled with the Spirit') extends.
The terror of a king is like the roar of a lion; whoever provokes him forfeits his own life.
'The terror of a king is like the growling of a lion; whoever provokes him to anger forfeits his life' tracks MT.
It is honorable for a person to avoid a quarrel, but every fool jumps into one.
'It is an honor for a man to keep aloof from strife, but every fool will be quarreling' tracks MT.
The lazy person does not plow in autumn; he looks for a harvest but there is nothing.
'The sluggard does not plow in the autumn; he will seek at harvest and have nothing' tracks MT.
The intentions in a person's heart are deep water, but a person of understanding draws them out.
'The purpose in a man's heart is like deep water, but a man of understanding will draw it out' tracks MT. DRAW-OUT-DEEP-HEART-WATER wisdom. Psychology-of-the-hidden-heart.
Many a person claims to be loyal, but a truly faithful person — who can find one?
'Many a man proclaims his own steadfast love, but a faithful man who can find?' tracks MT. FAITHFUL-MAN-WHO-CAN-FIND — rarity of true-fidelity.
A righteous person walks in his integrity — how fortunate are his children after him.
'The righteous who walks in his integrity — blessed are his children after him!' tracks MT. INTEGRITY-BLESSES-CHILDREN.
A king who sits on the judgment seat scatters all evil with his gaze.
'A king who sits on the throne of judgment winnows all evil with his eyes' tracks MT.
Who is able to say, 'I have made my heart clean; I am pure from my sin'?
'Who can say: I have made my heart pure; I am clean from my sin?' tracks MT. UNIVERSAL-SIN rhetorical-question. 1 John 1:8 ('if we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves') extends.
A double standard — one weight and another weight, one measure and another measure — both are detestable to the LORD.
'Unequal weights and unequal measures are both alike an abomination to the LORD' tracks MT. // Prov 11:1, 16:11. Business-ethics consistency.
Even a child is known by his actions — whether his conduct is pure and upright.
'Even a child makes himself known by his acts, by whether his conduct is pure and upright' tracks MT. CHILD-KNOWN-BY-DEEDS.
The ear that hears and the eye that sees — the LORD made them both.
'The hearing ear and the seeing eye, the LORD has made them both' tracks MT. THE-LORD-MADE-EAR-AND-EYE. Ps 94:9's argument-from-design ('he who planted the ear, does he not hear?') extends.
Do not love sleep, or you will become poor; open your eyes and you will have plenty of bread.
'Love not sleep, lest you come to poverty; open your eyes, and you will have plenty of bread' tracks MT.
'Bad! Bad!' says the buyer, but after walking away, he boasts.
'Bad, bad, says the buyer, but when he goes away, then he boasts' tracks MT. BUYER-HAGGLING proverb.
There is gold and an abundance of jewels, but lips of knowledge are a rare treasure.
'There is gold and abundance of costly stones, but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel' tracks MT.
Take his garment — he has put up security for a stranger; hold it as collateral for outsiders.
'Take a man's garment when he has put up security for a stranger, and hold it in pledge when he puts up security for foreigners' tracks MT.
Bread gained by deceit tastes sweet to a person, but afterward his mouth is full of gravel.
'Bread gained by deceit is sweet to a man, but afterward his mouth will be full of gravel' tracks MT. BREAD-OF-DECEIT-TURNS-TO-GRAVEL — consequence-imagery for dishonest-gain.
Plans are established through counsel, and with wise guidance wage war.
'Plans are established by counsel; by wise guidance wage war' tracks MT. WISE-GUIDANCE-WAR — // Prov 11:14, 15:22, 24:6.
A gossip reveals secrets, so do not associate with someone who talks too freely.
'Whoever goes about slandering reveals secrets; therefore do not associate with a simple babbler' tracks MT.
Whoever curses his father or mother — his lamp will be snuffed out in the deepest darkness.
'If one curses his father or his mother, his lamp will be put out in utter darkness' tracks MT.
An inheritance seized too quickly at the start will not be blessed in the end.
'An inheritance gained hastily in the beginning will not be blessed in the end' tracks MT.
Do not say, 'I will repay evil.' Wait for the LORD, and He will deliver you.
'Do not say: I will repay evil; wait for the LORD, and he will deliver you' tracks MT. DO-NOT-REPAY-EVIL. Romans 12:17, 19 ('repay no one evil for evil … leave it to the wrath of God') directly extends.
Differing weights are detestable to the LORD, and dishonest scales are not right.
'Unequal weights are an abomination to the LORD, and false scales are not good' tracks MT.
A person's steps are directed by the LORD — so how can anyone understand his own path?
'A man's steps are from the LORD; how then can man understand his way?' tracks MT. MAN'S-STEPS-FROM-LORD. // Prov 16:9. Jeremiah 10:23 ('the way of man is not in himself; it is not in man who walks to direct his steps') extends.
It is a trap to rashly declare something holy and only after making vows to reflect.
'It is a snare to say rashly: It is holy, and to reflect only after making vows' tracks MT. Hasty-vows warning (Eccl 5:4–5 extends).
A wise king winnows the wicked and drives the threshing wheel over them.
'A wise king winnows the wicked and drives the wheel over them' tracks MT. WINNOWING imagery — Matthew 3:12's winnowing-fork with Messianic-judgment parallel.
The human spirit is the LORD's lamp, searching all the innermost chambers.
'The spirit of man is the lamp of the LORD, searching all his innermost parts' tracks MT. SPIRIT-OF-MAN-LAMP-OF-LORD. Foundational biblical-anthropology on conscience-as-divine-light-within. 1 Corinthians 2:11 ('no one comprehends the thoughts of a person except the spirit of that person, which is in him') extends.
Faithful love and truth guard a king, and he sustains his throne through faithful love.
'Steadfast love and faithfulness preserve the king, and by steadfast love his throne is upheld' tracks MT.
The glory of the young is their strength, and the splendor of the old is gray hair.
'The glory of young men is their strength, but the splendor of old men is their gray hair' tracks MT.
Blows that wound cleanse away evil, and beatings reach the innermost parts.
'Blows that wound cleanse away evil; strokes make clean the innermost parts' tracks MT.