Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler,
and whoever is led astray by it is not wise.
2 The terror of a king is like the growling of a lion;
whoever provokes him to anger forfeits his life.
3 It is an honor for a man to keep aloof from strife,
but every fool will be quarreling.
4 The sluggard does not plow in the autumn;
he will seek at harvest and have nothing.
5 The purpose in a man's heart is like deep water,
but a man of understanding will draw it out.
6 Many a man proclaims his own steadfast love,
but a faithful man who can find?
7 The righteous who walks in his integrity—
blessed are his children after him!
8 A king who sits on the throne of judgment
winnows all evil with his eyes.
9 Who can say, “I have made my heart pure;
I am clean from my sin”?
10 Unequal weights and unequal measures
are both alike an abomination to the Lord.
11 Even a child makes himself known by his acts,
by whether his conduct is pure and upright.
12 The hearing ear and the seeing eye,
the Lord has made them both.
13 Love not sleep, lest you come to poverty;
open your eyes, and you will have plenty of bread.
14 “Bad, bad,” says the buyer,
but when he goes away, then he boasts.
15 There is gold and abundance of costly stones,
but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.
16 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.
17 Bread gained by deceit is sweet to a man,
but afterward his mouth will be full of gravel.
18 Plans are established by counsel;
by wise guidance wage war.
19 Whoever goes about slandering reveals secrets;
therefore do not associate with a simple babbler.
20 If one curses his father or his mother,
his lamp will be put out in utter darkness.
21 An inheritance gained hastily in the beginning
will not be blessed in the end.
22 Do not say, “I will repay evil”;
wait for the Lord, and he will deliver you.
23 Unequal weights are an abomination to the Lord,
and false scales are not good.
24 A man's steps are from the Lord;
how then can man understand his way?
25 It is a snare to say rashly, “It is holy,”
and to reflect only after making vows.
26 A wise king winnows the wicked
and drives the wheel over them.
27 The spirit of man is the lamp of the Lord,
searching all his innermost parts.
28 Steadfast love and faithfulness preserve the king,
and by steadfast love his throne is upheld.
29 The glory of young men is their strength,
but the splendor of old men is their gray hair.
30 Blows that wound cleanse away evil;
strokes make clean the innermost parts. Proverbs 20
Proverbs 20
Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler - It is a mocker to the one who abuses it, and it makes them easy to be mocked by others. I remember waking up in beds I never would have entertained sober. I have heard the horror stories from girls who have woken up not knowing who or how many had violated them. I have known the brawler, been the brawler, but can't recall what led to the fight. There was a man where I lived who drank with us often, and he was hit in the head with a pool stick, died later that night, from an aneurysm, walking up his driveway. Another man I knew to be an angry drunk was shot by his best friend when the two were arguing over drinks while out hunting. I have blamed alcohol on plenty of occasions, but if that is what led me to sin then my lack of moderation must also be a sin. I have been fortunate on so many occasions that I did not get a DUI, that the other person walked away from the fight, when I was barely able to stand, much less able to defend myself.
It is an honor for a man to keep aloof from strife - Men have a warped sense of honor, and rarely see it as their ego, but rather portray it as just wrath. Even more rare is the man who looks ahead to it and stops it before it begins.
“To stint it rather than to stir it; to be first in promoting peace and seeking reconciliation, as Abraham did in the controversy with Lot.” (Trapp)
But a faithful man who can find - Everyone claims friend, "I would die for you brother", but words are cheap. Peter denied Christ 3 times after he had pledged his undying devotion to Him.
…33 Peter said to Him, “Even if all fall away on account of You, I never will.” 34“Truly I tell you,” Jesus declared, “this very night before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” 35 Peter replied, “Even if I have to die with You, I will never deny You.” And all the other disciples said the same thing.… Matthew 26: 33-35
Who can say, "I have made my heart pure, I am clean from my sin - The self righteous will utter as much here, but they have not even stood before God cloaked in the whirl wind. All have sinned and fallen short, continue to have iniquity in their heart, and the heart is deceitful above all things, telling a man that he is righteous in himself.
…3 Do You open your eyes to one like this? Will You bring him into judgment before You? 4 Who can bring clean out of unclean? No one! 5 Since his days are determined and the number of his months is with You, and since You have set limits that he cannot exceed,… Job 14: 3-5
“Only vain people can boast that they have pure hearts. But the boast, far from showing their goodness, demonstrates their blindness. Man is so depraved that he cannot understand his own depravity.” (Bridges)
…7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.… 1 John 1: 7-9
Bad, bad, says the buyer - He tells the seller how worthless his product is, picks it apart, and then goes away bragging about what a steal he got it for. The hypocrisy comes in that he would sell it for much more than he paid for it, convincing another buyer that it was precious, an heirloom, desirable.
Bread gained by deceit is sweet to a man -
“Such a bitter-sweet was Adam’s apple, Esau’s mess, the Israelites’ quails, Jonathan’s honey, the Amalekites’ cakes after the sack of Ziklag, [1 Samuel 30:16] Adonijah’s dainties, [1 Kings 1:9] which ended in horror; ever after the meal is ended, comes the reckoning.” (Trapp)
If one curses his father or mother -
1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2“Honor your father and mother” (which is the first commandment with a promise),… Ephesians 6: 1-2
Do not say, "I will repay evil" -
…18 If it is possible on your part, live at peace with everyone. 19 Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but leave room for God’s wrath. For it is written: “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay, says the Lord.” 20 On the contrary, “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink. For in so doing, you will heap burning coals on his head.”… Romans 12: 18-20
It is a snare to say rashly, "it is holy" - We speak to quickly when we speak in the moment of emotional euphoria or stressful anxiety. It is not wise to make vows and then later consider the cost. Words are a small thing to us, but not to God. Keep your promises and keep your tongue.
A wise king winnows the wicked - He looks upon his administration and removes those that would be a blemish or stumbling block to justice. Fools put men in power who operate under the table and abuse position for favors. No just rule can come from them because they are not servants to the people or God, Who has made all men in His image. It makes kingdoms, corporations and all places under the charge of the narcissist, the greedy, the corrupt, a place much less than it could be, and a horror for some.
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