PROVERBS A CHAPTER A DAY

CHAPTER 20

Comments are interleaved with text

20 

Wine is a mocker, strong drink a thug;

anyone led astray by it is unwise.

WELL, YES.

2 

The dread of a king is like when a lion roars;

    Making him angry is a sin against yourself.

THAT’S WHY TELLING TRUTH TO POWER IS RARE

3 

Avoiding quarrels brings a person honour;

    for any fool can explode in anger.

LIKE THE KING ABOVE, FOR EXAMPLE

4

A lazy person won’t plow in winter;

    so at harvest-time, when he looks, there is nothing.

I REMEMBER DISCOVERING THIS TRUTH IN AN EXAM

5 

The heart’s real intentions are like deep water;

    but a person with discernment draws them out.

THIS IS THE BASIS OF THE MAIGRET NOVELS

6 

Most people profess goodwill

    but who can find someone who keeps his word?

YES

7 

The righteous live a life of integrity;

    happy are their children after them.

SOMETIMES

8 

The king seated on his judgment throne

    can winnow out all evil with his glance.

OH YEAH?

9 

Who can say, “I have made my heart pure,

    I am cleansed from my sin”?

A PAINFUL TRUTH

10 

False weights and false measures —

    The Lord detests them both.

CHECK THE PRICE OF FACE MASKS DURING THE PANDEMIC

11 

The character of even a child is known by how he acts,

    by whether his deeds are pure and right.

NO.

12 

The hearing ear and the seeing eye —

    the Lord made them both.

SO USE THEM?

13 

If you love sleep, you will become poor;

    keep your eyes open, and you’ll have plenty of food.

14 

“Really bad stuff!” says the buyer to the seller;

    then he goes off and brags about his bargain.

15 

A person may have gold and a wealth of pearls,

    but lips informed by knowledge are a precious jewel.

YES

16 

Seize his clothes, because he guaranteed a stranger’s loan;

    take them as security for persons unknown!

THIS MOCKS A GENEROUS ACT

17 

Food obtained by fraud may taste good,

    but later the mouth is full of gravel.

18 

After consultation, plans succeed;

    so take wise advice when waging war.

TRUE EVEN WHEN FIGHTING THE GOOD FIGHT

19 

A gossip goes around revealing secrets,

    so don’t get involved with a talkative person.

20 

Whoever curses his father or mother —

    his lamp will go out in total darkness.

SOME PARENTS NEED TO BE CURSED

21 

Possessions acquired quickly at first

    will not be blessed in the end.

22 

Don’t say, “I’ll pay back evil for evil”;

    wait for the Lord who will defend you.

OFTEN THE LORD SEEMS A BIT SLOW

23 

The Lord detests a double standard in weights,

    and false scales are not good.

24 

A man’s steps are ordered by the Lord

    so how can anyone see the way forward?

AT TIMES WE FEEL THIS

It is a snare to dedicate a gift to God rashly

    and reflect on the vows only afterwards.

ONLY IF YOU CAN’T BREAK YOUR VOW….

26 

A wise king winnows out the wicked

    and threshes them under the cartwheel.

CAN HE BE SURE HE’S WINNOWED WELL?

27 

The human spirit is a lamp of the Lord;

    it searches one’s inmost being.

YES, YES

28 

Kindness and truth preserve a king;

    with kindness he upholds his throne.

YES

29 

The pride of the young is their strength;

    the dignity of the old is gray hair.

NO HONOUR FOR BALD HEADS?

30 

Blows that wound purge away evil,

    yes, beatings cleanse one’s inmost being.

IF WE TAKE THIS LITERALLY IT’S LIKE THE VIOLENT SCHOOL I ATTENDED. IF WE APPLY IT TO THE HURT WE BRING ON OURSELVES BY OUR WRONGDOING, YES, IT’S TRUE.