Proverbs 20:1-30 Advice on Drinking, Laziness & Fairness

Advice on Drinking, Laziness & Fairness

Proverbs 20:1-30                                   Proverbs [in Smaller Chunks]

Wine is a mocker, [a.k.a. deceitful,] & strong drink [causes] raging. [Whoever] is deceived [by them] isn’t wise. [Proverbs 23:31-32 [Don’t] look upon the wine when it is red, when it [sparkles] in the cup, & when it [moves around.] At the [end,] it [bites] like a [snake,] & [stings] like [a cobra.]

The fear of a king is [like] a roaring lion: [whoever provokes] him to anger [sins] against his own soul, [a.k.a. life.] It’s [honorable] for a man to cease from [arguments:] but every fool will be [meddling, a.k.a. get involved.] The [lazy] won’t plow, [because] of the cold: therefore he shall beg in harvest [time,] & have nothing.

In the heart of man, [advice] is like deep water [of a well.] [Psalm 124:4 Then, the waters [would have] overwhelmed us, & the [streams would have] gone, [a.k.a. swept] over our soul.]

But a man of understanding will draw it out [like with a bucket.]  [Psalm 20:7 Some trust in chariots, & some [trust] in horses: but we will remember the Name of the Lord our God.]

Most men will [declare] his own goodness [to] everyone: but who can find a faithful man?The just, [a.k.a. honest,] man [walks, a.k.a. follows,] in his integrity; & his children are blessed [because of] him. [Proverbs 13:22 A good man [leaves] an inheritance to his [grandchildren,] & the wealth of the sinner is [stored away] for the just, [a.k.a. righteous.]

A King, [Who sits on] the throne of judgment, [a.k.a. justice,] [wipes] away all evil [from] His eyes. [Isaiah 11:1-4 *And a Rod shall come forth there, out of the stem of Jesse, & a Branch shall grow out of his roots, [a.k.a. lineage.] *And the [Holy] Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, the spirit of: wisdom, & understanding; the spirit of: counsel, & [strength;] the spirit of: knowledge, & the fear, [a.k.a. respect,] of the Lord, & shall make Him of [immediate] understanding in the fear, [a.k.a. respect,] of the Lord. And He shall not judge, [according] [to what] His eyes [see,] & neither [chastise according] [to what] His ears [hear.] But He shall judge the poor with Righteousness, & will [repay] the meek, [a.k.a. humble,] of the earth with equity. And He shall [strike] the earth with the rod of His mouth, & He shall slay the wicked with the breath of His lips.]

Who can say, I have made My heart clean; & I Am pure from My sin?                [2 Corinthians 5:20-21 Then, we are now ambassadors for Christ, as though God [urged] you [through] us. We pray [for] you in Christ's [place, so] you [are] reconciled to God. For [God has] made [Christ,] Who knew no sin, to be sin for us, [so] that we might be made [through] Him, the righteousness of God.]

[Various:] weights & measures are both of them alike, & [abominations] to the Lord. [Proverbs 16:11 A just, [a.k.a. honest,] weight, & balance, [a.k.a. scale,] are the Lord's.  All the weights [from] the bag are His work.]

Even a child is known by his [actions,] whether his work [is:] pure, & right. [Luke 6:43-44 For a good tree [doesn't produce bad] fruit; & neither [does] a [bad] tree [produce] good fruit. For every tree is known by [its] own fruit. For men don't gather figs [from:] thorns, nor [do they gather grapes [from sticker bushes.]

The Lord [has] even made both of them: the ear [that hears,] & the eye [that sees.] [Psalm 115:4-9 Their idols are silver & gold, the work of men's hands. They have mouths, but they [don't] speak. They have eyes, but they [don't] see. They have ears, but they [don't] hear. They have noses, but they [don't] smell. They have hands, but they [don't touch.] They have feet, but they [can't] walk. Neither can they speak through their throat. [Those who] make them are [similar] to them, & so is everyone [who trusts] in them. O Israel, you, trust in the Lord. He is their help, & their shield.]

[Don’t] love sleep, lest you come to poverty: open your eyes [& work,] & you shall be satisfied with bread. [Proverbs 6:6-9 Go to the ant, you [lazy one,] & consider her ways, & be wise. [That have] no [leader, supervisor,] or ruler, & [provides] her meat in the summer, & [gathers] her food in the harvest. O sluggard, how long [will] you sleep? When [will] you arise out of your sleep?]

The buyer [says,] It's [worthless,] it's [worthless,] but [boasts] [about the great deal] when he [has] gone [on] his way. There is gold, & a multitude of rubies: but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.

Take his [clothing] [from him] [who] is [a guarantor] for a [stranger’s] [debt] & take [collateral from] him for a strange woman, [a.k.a. Seductress.] [Proverbs 11:15 He who is surety, [a.k.a. guarantees a deal,] for a stranger, shall [regret] it, & he, who [hates] suretyship, [a.k.a. being a guarantor,] is [secure.]

To a man, bread of deceit is sweet ;but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel. Every purpose is established by counsel; & with good advice, [you can decide to] make war. [Proverbs 24:6 For by wise counsel, [a.k.a. advice,] you [shall] make your war; and there is safety in the multitude of [counselors.]

He [who goes around like] a [gossip reveals] secrets: therefore, [don’t] meddle, [a.k.a. get involved,] with him, [who flatters] with his lips. [Proverbs 11:13 A talebearer, [a.k.a. gossip, reveals] secrets; but he [who has] a faithful spirit [conceals] the matter.]

[Whoever curses] his father or his mother, shall [have] his lamp put out in [hazy] darkness. [Matthew 15:4 For God commanded, saying, Honor your father & mother: & He [who] curses [his] father or mother, let him die the death.]

At the beginning, an inheritance may be gotten hastily: but the end [of it] shall not be blessed. [Proverbs 28:20 A faithful man shall abound with blessings; but he [who makes] haste to be rich, shall not be innocent.]

[Don’t] say, I will [repay] evil; but wait on the Lord, & He shall save you.             [1 Thessalonians 5:15 See that [no one repays] evil for evil [done to them,] to any man: but [always] follow [what] is good, both among yourselves, & to all men.]

[Various] weights are an abomination to the Lord; & a false balance, [a.k.a. scale,] isn’t good. [Proverbs 16:11 A just, [a.k.a. honest,] weight & balance are the Lord's; & all the weights [from] the bag are His work.]

Man’s [steps] are [from] the Lord; how can man then understand his own [path?] [Psalm 16:11 You [will declare to] me the path of [Eternal] Life. In Your presence is [overflowing] joy; & at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.]

It is a [trap] to the man, [who devours what] is holy, & [afterward] vows to [ask about it.] [Ezekiel 14:3 Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart, & put the stumbling-block of their [sinfulness in front of] their face. Should I at all be [inquired] of by them?

A wise king [scatters, a.k.a. distributes,] the wicked [around,] & [brings] the wheel [for threshing] over them. [Psalm 101:8 I will destroy all the wicked of the land early; [so] that I may cut off all [those who] [do wickedly] from the city of the Lord.]

[Man’s] spirit is the candle, [a.k.a. lamp,] of the Lord, searching all the [inner] parts of [his being.] [Hebrews 4:12 For the Word of God is quick, powerful, & sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing, & even dividing [in pieces the:] soul & spirit, joints, & marrow. And [the Lord God] [discerns, a.k.a. distinguishes between,] the thoughts & [motives] of the heart.]

Mercy & truth preserve the king; & his throne is [upheld] by mercy. The glory of young men is their strength ;& the beauty of old men is [their] [gray] head. [Proverbs 16:31 The [silvery] head is a crown of glory, if it [is] found in the [path] of righteousness.]

The blueness of a wound [cleanses] away evil: so do stripes [from a whip, cleanse] the [inner] parts of the [person’s] [being.] [Proverbs 19:29  Judgments are prepared for scorners, [a.k.a. those who think they are better than others,] & stripes, [a.k.a. whip marks,] [are] for the backs of fools.]