20:1 The yayin is a mocker, strong drink a brawler; and whosoever is seduced to be led astray thereby is not wise.
20:2 The wrath of a melech is as the roaring of a lion; he who provoketh him to anger sinneth against his own nefesh.
20:3 It is kavod for an ish to cease from strife, but any fool can start a quarrel.
20:4 The atzel (sluggard, lazy one) will not plow by reason of choref (winter, cold); therefore shall he beg at katzir (harvest), and have nothing.
20:5 Etzah (purpose; see Yn 2:24-25 ) in the lev ish is like deep mayim, but an ish tevunah will draw it out.
20:6 Rav adam will proclaim every one his own chesed, but an ish emunim (faithful man, loyal man) who can find one?
20:7 The tzaddik walketh in his tohm (integrity, guilelessness); his banim after him are blessed.
20:8 A melech that sitteth in the kisse din (throne of judgment) winnows out all rah with his eynayim.
20:9 Who can say, I have made my lev pure, I am tahor from my chattat?
20:10 Differing weights, and differing measures, both of them are alike to’evah to Hashem.
20:11 Even a na’ar (child) is known by his ways, whether his conduct be pure, and whether it be yashar (right).
20:12 The hearing ozen, and the seeing ayin, Hashem hath made even both of them.
20:13 Love not sheynah (sleep), lest thou come to poverty; open thine eynayim, and thou shalt have enough lechem.
20:14 It is good for nothing, it is naught, saith the koneh (buyer), but when he is gone his way, then he boasteth.
20:15 There is zahav, and a multitude of rubies, but the sfatayim (lips) of da’as are a precious jewel.
20:16 Take his garment that is guaranty for a zar (stranger), and hold it as his pledge for a nokhriyah (foreign woman, strange woman, seductress).
20:17 Lechem from sheker (deceit) is sweet to an ish, but afterwards his peh (mouth) shall be filled with gravel.
20:18 Every plan is established by etzah, and with tachbulot (guidance) wage milchamah.
20:19 He that goeth about as a rakhil (gossip, slanderer, talebearer) revealeth secrets; therefore associate not with the babbler.
20:20 He who curseth aviv or immo, his ner (lamp) shall be put out in deep choshech.
20:21 A nachalah (inheritance) may be gotten hastily at the rishonah (beginning); but the acharit (latter end) thereof shall not have a bracha.
20:22 Say not thou, I will pay back rah; but wait on Hashem, and He shall save thee.
20:23 Differing weights are a to’evah unto Hashem, and scales of mirmah (deceit) are not tov.
20:24 The steps of a gever are from Hashem; how can an adam then understand his own derech (way, life’s course)?
20:25 It is a mokesh adam to devote rashly as kodesh, and after nedarim (vows) to reconsider his consecration.
20:26 A melech chacham winnows out the resha’im and bringeth the ofan (threshing wheel) over them.
20:27 The neshamah of adam is the ner (light) of Hashem, searching all the innermost beten.
20:28 Chesed and emes guard the Melech, and his kisse is upheld by chesed.
20:29 The tiferet (glory) of bochurim is their ko’ach (strength), and the hadar (splendor) of zekenim is the silvery head.
20:30 Blows that wound cleanseth away rah; so do beatings the innermost beten.
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