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20:1  Wine and beer make people loud and uncontrolled. It is not wise to get drunk on them.
20:2  A king’s anger is like the roar of a lion. Making him angry may cost you your life.
20:3  Foolish people are always getting into quarrels. But avoiding quarrels will bring you honor.
20:4  A lazy farmer doesn’t plow when he should. So at harvest time he has no crop.
20:5  Understanding a person’s thoughts is as hard as getting water from a deep well. But someone with understanding can find the wisdom there.
20:6  Many people claim to be loyal. But it is hard to find someone who really can be trusted.
20:7  The good person who lives an honest life is a blessing to his children.
20:8  A king sits on his throne and judges people. He knows evil when he sees it.
20:9  No one can say, “I am innocent. I have never done anything wrong.”
20:10  The Lord hates both these things: dishonest weights and dishonest measures.
20:11  Even a child is known by his behavior. His actions show if he is innocent and good.
20:12  The Lord has made both these things: Ears that can hear and eyes that can see.
20:13  If you love to sleep, you will be poor. If you stay awake, you will have plenty of food.
20:14  The buyer says, “This is bad. It’s no good.” Then he goes away and brags about what he bought.
20:15  There is plenty of gold, and there are many rubies. But there are only a few people who speak with knowledge.
20:16  Take the coat of someone who promises to pay what a stranger owes. Keep it until he pays the stranger’s bills.
20:17  When a person gets food dishonestly, it may taste sweet at first. But later he will feel as if he has a mouth full of gravel.
20:18  Get advice if you want your plans to work. If you go to war, get the advice of others.
20:19  Gossips can’t keep secrets. So avoid people who talk too much.
20:20  Whoever curses his father or mother will die like a light going out in darkness.
20:21  Wealth that is gotten quickly in the beginning will do you no good in the end.
20:22  Don’t say, “I’ll pay you back for the evil you did.” Wait for the Lord. He will make things right.
20:23  The Lord hates dishonest weights. And dishonest scales do not please him.
20:24  The Lord decides what a person does. So no one can understand what his life is all about.
20:25  It’s dangerous to promise something to God too quickly. After you’ve thought about it, it may be too late.
20:26  A wise king finds out who the evil people are. Then he punishes them.
20:27  The Lord looks into a person’s feelings. He searches through a person’s thoughts.
20:28  Loyalty and truth keep a king in power. He continues to rule if he is loyal.
20:29  Young men are admired for their strength. Old men are honored for their experience.
20:30  Hard punishment will get rid of evil. Whippings can change the evil person’s heart.