## Proverbs Chapter 20

###### Proverbs 20:1
[Proverbs 20:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Proverbs/r/20:1)

לֵ֣ץ הַ֭יַּיִן הֹמֶ֣ה שֵׁכָ֑ר וְכׇל־שֹׁ֥גֶה בּ֝֗וֹ לֹ֣א יֶחְכָּֽם׃

**The Koren Jerusalem Bible:**
Wine is a mocker, strong drink is riotous, and whoever is misled thereby is not wise.

**The Rashi Ketuvim by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein:**
[The drinker of] wine is a scoffer; [one who drinks] strong drink will cry out, and all who err therein [thinking that much wine will produce sound judgment] will not grow wise.


###### Proverbs 20:2
[Proverbs 20:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Proverbs/r/20:2)

נַ֣הַם כַּ֭כְּפִיר אֵ֣ימַת מֶ֑לֶךְ מִ֝תְעַבְּר֗וֹ חוֹטֵ֥א נַפְשֽׁוֹ׃

**The Koren Jerusalem Bible:**
The terror of a king is as the roaring of a lion: he who provokes him to anger forfeits his life.

**The Rashi Ketuvim by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein:**
As the roar of a young lion, so is the fear of the king [to his subject]; one who angers him diminishes [i.e., endangers] his soul.


###### Proverbs 20:3
[Proverbs 20:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Proverbs/r/20:3)

כָּב֣וֹד לָ֭אִישׁ שֶׁ֣בֶת מֵרִ֑יב וְכׇל־אֱ֝וִ֗יל יִתְגַּלָּֽע׃

**The Koren Jerusalem Bible:**
It is an honour for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will burst out.

**The Rashi Ketuvim by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein:**
A man's honor is to abstain from a quarrel, and [the shame of] every man [who does not abstain from it] will be revealed [through it].


###### Proverbs 20:4
[Proverbs 20:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Proverbs/r/20:4)

מֵ֭חֹרֶף עָצֵ֣ל לֹא־יַחֲרֹ֑שׁ (ישאל) [וְשָׁאַ֖ל] בַּקָּצִ֣יר וָאָֽיִן׃

**The Koren Jerusalem Bible:**
The sluggard will not plough by reason of the cold; therefore he shall beg in harvest, and have nothing.

**The Rashi Ketuvim by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein:**
Because of the [cold of] winter the sluggard will not plow [i.e., he will not engage in the study of Torah]. He will desire it at harvest time, but it will not be there.


###### Proverbs 20:5
[Proverbs 20:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Proverbs/r/20:5)

מַ֣יִם עֲ֭מֻקִּים עֵצָ֣ה בְלֶב־אִ֑ישׁ וְאִ֖ישׁ תְּבוּנָ֣ה יִדְלֶֽנָּה׃

**The Koren Jerusalem Bible:**
Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water; but a man of understanding will draw it out.

**The Rashi Ketuvim by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein:**
[Like] deep waters is counsel in the heart of a man [i.e., the halachah is concealed in the heart of the sage], and the man of understanding [(a knowing disciple)] will draw them forth.


###### Proverbs 20:6
[Proverbs 20:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Proverbs/r/20:6)

רׇב־אָדָ֗ם יִ֭קְרָא אִ֣ישׁ חַסְדּ֑וֹ וְאִ֥ישׁ אֱ֝מוּנִ֗ים מִ֣י יִמְצָֽא׃

**The Koren Jerusalem Bible:**
Most men will proclaim everyone his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find?

**The Rashi Ketuvim by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein:**
Many men call upon the man [in whom they trust for] lovingkindness, but who will find a man of trust?


###### Proverbs 20:7
[Proverbs 20:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Proverbs/r/20:7)

מִתְהַלֵּ֣ךְ בְּתֻמּ֣וֹ צַדִּ֑יק אַשְׁרֵ֖י בָנָ֣יו אַחֲרָֽיו׃

**The Koren Jerusalem Bible:**
The just man walks in his integrity: happy are his children after him.

**The Rashi Ketuvim by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein:**
He who walks in his innocence is a righteous man; fortunate are his sons after him.


###### Proverbs 20:8
[Proverbs 20:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Proverbs/r/20:8)

מֶ֗לֶךְ יוֹשֵׁ֥ב עַל־כִּסֵּא־דִ֑ין מְזָרֶ֖ה בְעֵינָ֣יו כׇּל־רָֽע׃

**The Koren Jerusalem Bible:**
A king that sits on the throne of judgment scatters away all evil with his eyes.

**The Rashi Ketuvim by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein:**
When the King sits on the seat of judgment, all evil is spread out before His eyes.


###### Proverbs 20:9
[Proverbs 20:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Proverbs/r/20:9)

מִֽי־יֹ֭אמַר זִכִּ֣יתִי לִבִּ֑י טָ֝הַ֗רְתִּי מֵחַטָּאתִֽי׃

**The Koren Jerusalem Bible:**
Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?

**The Rashi Ketuvim by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein:**
Who can say: "My heart is clean"? "I have purified myself from my sin"?


###### Proverbs 20:10
[Proverbs 20:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Proverbs/r/20:10)

אֶ֣בֶן וָ֭אֶבֶן אֵיפָ֣ה וְאֵיפָ֑ה תּוֹעֲבַ֥ת יְ֝הֹוָ֗ה גַּם־שְׁנֵיהֶֽם׃

**The Koren Jerusalem Bible:**
Divers weights, and divers measures, both of them are alike an abomination to the Lord.

**The Rashi Ketuvim by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein:**
A [large] stone and a [small] stone; a [large] measure and a [small] measure — both of them are the abomination of the L-rd.


###### Proverbs 20:11
[Proverbs 20:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Proverbs/r/20:11)

גַּ֣ם בְּ֭מַעֲלָלָיו יִתְנַכֶּר־נָ֑עַר אִם־זַ֖ךְ וְאִם־יָשָׁ֣ר פׇּעֳלֽוֹ׃

**The Koren Jerusalem Bible:**
Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right.

**The Rashi Ketuvim by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein:**
Even the youth in his youthful deeds can cause wonder as to whether his acts be pure and just.


###### Proverbs 20:12
[Proverbs 20:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Proverbs/r/20:12)

אֹ֣זֶן שֹׁ֭מַעַת וְעַ֣יִן רֹאָ֑ה יְ֝הֹוָ֗ה עָשָׂ֥ה גַם־שְׁנֵיהֶֽם׃

**The Koren Jerusalem Bible:**
The hearing ear, and the seeing eye: the Lord has made them both.

**The Rashi Ketuvim by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein:**
The hearing ear and the seeing eye — G-d made both of these [(and He desires an ear that hears mussar and an eye that sees the future)].


###### Proverbs 20:13
[Proverbs 20:13](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Proverbs/r/20:13)

אַל־תֶּאֱהַ֣ב שֵׁ֭נָה פֶּן־תִּוָּרֵ֑שׁ פְּקַ֖ח עֵינֶ֣יךָ שְֽׂבַֽע־לָֽחֶם׃

**The Koren Jerusalem Bible:**
Do not love sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thy eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied with bread.

**The Rashi Ketuvim by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein:**
Do not love sleep lest you grow poor. Open your eyes and be sated with bread.


###### Proverbs 20:14
[Proverbs 20:14](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Proverbs/r/20:14)

רַ֣ע רַ֭ע יֹאמַ֣ר הַקּוֹנֶ֑ה וְאֹזֵ֥ל ל֝֗וֹ אָ֣ז יִתְהַלָּֽל׃

**The Koren Jerusalem Bible:**
It is bad, it is bad, says the buyer: but when he is gone his way, then he boasts.

**The Rashi Ketuvim by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein:**
"Bad, bad," says the [prospective] buyer, but when he walks away [with purchase in hand], he vaunts himself [for his acumen]. [(One who acquires Torah under duress bemoans his hard lot, but when he emerges full of wisdom, his past suffering is a source of gratification to him.)]


###### Proverbs 20:15
[Proverbs 20:15](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Proverbs/r/20:15)

יֵ֣שׁ זָ֭הָב וְרׇב־פְּנִינִ֑ים וּכְלִ֥י יְ֝קָ֗ר שִׂפְתֵי־דָֽעַת׃

**The Koren Jerusalem Bible:**
There is gold, and a multitude of rubies: but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.

**The Rashi Ketuvim by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein:**
There is [much] gold and many pearls, but lips of wisdom are a precious vessel.


###### Proverbs 20:16
[Proverbs 20:16](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Proverbs/r/20:16)

לְֽקַח־בִּ֭גְדוֹ כִּי־עָ֣רַב זָ֑ר וּבְעַ֖ד (נכרים) [נׇכְרִיָּ֣ה] חַבְלֵֽהוּ׃

**The Koren Jerusalem Bible:**
Take his garment when he has become surety for a stranger: and take his pledge on behalf of an alien woman.

**The Rashi Ketuvim by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein:**
Take [(without compunction)] the garment of him who goes security for a stranger, and take his security for an alien woman.


###### Proverbs 20:17
[Proverbs 20:17](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Proverbs/r/20:17)

עָרֵ֣ב לָ֭אִישׁ לֶ֣חֶם שָׁ֑קֶר וְ֝אַחַ֗ר יִמָּֽלֵא־פִ֥יהוּ חָצָֽץ׃

**The Koren Jerusalem Bible:**
Bread of deceit is sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.

**The Rashi Ketuvim by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein:**
The "bread of falsehood" [i.e., adultery] is sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth will be filled with gravel.


###### Proverbs 20:18
[Proverbs 20:18](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Proverbs/r/20:18)

מַ֭חֲשָׁבוֹת בְּעֵצָ֣ה תִכּ֑וֹן וּ֝בְתַחְבֻּל֗וֹת עֲשֵׂ֣ה מִלְחָמָֽה׃

**The Koren Jerusalem Bible:**
Every purpose is established by counsel: and with good advice conduct war.

**The Rashi Ketuvim by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein:**
Thoughts [conceived] in counsel will endure, and wage war [against Satan] with stratagems [(of penitence, prayer, and fasting)].


###### Proverbs 20:19
[Proverbs 20:19](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Proverbs/r/20:19)

גּֽוֹלֶה־סּ֭וֹד הוֹלֵ֣ךְ רָכִ֑יל וּלְפֹתֶ֥ה שְׂ֝פָתָ֗יו לֹ֣א תִתְעָרָֽב׃

**The Koren Jerusalem Bible:**
He that goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets: therefore meddle not with him who prates with his lips.

**The Rashi Ketuvim by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein:**
The revealer of secrets, the bearer of tales, and the "smooth talker" — do not befriend them.


###### Proverbs 20:20
[Proverbs 20:20](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Proverbs/r/20:20)

מְ֭קַלֵּל אָבִ֣יו וְאִמּ֑וֹ יִֽדְעַ֥ךְ נֵ֝ר֗וֹ (באישון) [בֶּאֱשׁ֥וּן] חֹֽשֶׁךְ׃

**The Koren Jerusalem Bible:**
He who curses his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in utter darkness.

**The Rashi Ketuvim by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein:**
He who curses his father and his mother, his light [i.e., his soul] will flicker out in the pith of darkness [i.e., when evil befalls him].


###### Proverbs 20:21
[Proverbs 20:21](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Proverbs/r/20:21)

נַ֭חֲלָה (מבחלת) [מְבֹהֶ֣לֶת] בָּרִאשׁוֹנָ֑ה וְ֝אַחֲרִיתָ֗הּ לֹ֣א תְבֹרָֽךְ׃

**The Koren Jerusalem Bible:**
An estate may be gotten hastily at the beginning; but its end shall not be blessed.

**The Rashi Ketuvim by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein:**
An inheritance pursued in haste in the beginning [e.g., that of the sons of Gad and the sons of Reuven (viz. Numbers 32:16)] will not be blessed in the end. [(They were exiled several years before the other tribes.)]


###### Proverbs 20:22
[Proverbs 20:22](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Proverbs/r/20:22)

אַל־תֹּאמַ֥ר אֲשַׁלְּמָה־רָ֑ע קַוֵּ֥ה לַ֝יהֹוָ֗ה וְיֹ֣שַֽׁע לָֽךְ׃

**The Koren Jerusalem Bible:**
Do not say, I will repay evil; but wait on the Lord, and he will save thee.

**The Rashi Ketuvim by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein:**
Do not say: "I will repay evil [after its kind]." Hope in the L-rd and He will help you.


###### Proverbs 20:23
[Proverbs 20:23](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Proverbs/r/20:23)

תּוֹעֲבַ֣ת יְ֭הֹוָה אֶ֣בֶן וָאָ֑בֶן וּמֹאזְנֵ֖י מִרְמָ֣ה לֹא־טֽוֹב׃

**The Koren Jerusalem Bible:**
Divers weights are an abomination to the Lord; and a false balance is not good.

**The Rashi Ketuvim by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein:**
The abomination of the L-rd is a [large] stone and a [small] stone, and scales of deceit are not good [in His eyes].


###### Proverbs 20:24
[Proverbs 20:24](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Proverbs/r/20:24)

מֵיְהֹוָ֥ה מִצְעֲדֵי־גָ֑בֶר וְ֝אָדָ֗ם מַה־יָּבִ֥ין דַּרְכּֽוֹ׃

**The Koren Jerusalem Bible:**
Man’s goings are of the Lord; how can a man then understand his own way?

**The Rashi Ketuvim by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein:**
A man's steps are from the L-rd, but what does a man know of his way?


###### Proverbs 20:25
[Proverbs 20:25](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Proverbs/r/20:25)

מוֹקֵ֣שׁ אָ֭דָם יָ֣לַע קֹ֑דֶשׁ וְאַחַ֖ר נְדָרִ֣ים לְבַקֵּֽר׃

**The Koren Jerusalem Bible:**
It is a snare to a man rashly to declare, It is holy; and afterwards to probe his vows.

**The Rashi Ketuvim by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein:**
When a man stumbles [in sin], he undermines [his] holiness, and he must seek out vows [i.e., offerings through which to find atonement].


###### Proverbs 20:26
[Proverbs 20:26](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Proverbs/r/20:26)

מְזָרֶ֣ה רְ֭שָׁעִים מֶ֣לֶךְ חָכָ֑ם וַיָּ֖שֶׁב עֲלֵיהֶ֣ם אוֹפָֽן׃

**The Koren Jerusalem Bible:**
A wise king scatters the wicked, and drives the wheel over them.

**The Rashi Ketuvim by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein:**
The wise King scatters the wicked [(Pharaoh and his hosts)], and he turns the wheel [back] upon them [(recompensing them measure for measure)].


###### Proverbs 20:27
[Proverbs 20:27](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Proverbs/r/20:27)

נֵ֣ר יְ֭הֹוָה נִשְׁמַ֣ת אָדָ֑ם חֹ֝פֵ֗שׂ כׇּל־חַדְרֵי־בָֽטֶן׃

**The Koren Jerusalem Bible:**
The spirit of man is the candle of the Lord, searching all the inward parts of the belly.

**The Rashi Ketuvim by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein:**
The lamp of the L-rd is a man's soul [(it testifies concerning him in judgment)]; it seeks out all [his] hidden recesses.


###### Proverbs 20:28
[Proverbs 20:28](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Proverbs/r/20:28)

חֶ֣סֶד וֶ֭אֱמֶת יִצְּרוּ־מֶ֑לֶךְ וְסָעַ֖ד בַּחֶ֣סֶד כִּסְאֽוֹ׃

**The Koren Jerusalem Bible:**
Love and truth preserve the king: and his throne is upheld by loyalty.

**The Rashi Ketuvim by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein:**
Lovingkindness and truth guard a king, and he sustains his throne in lovingkindness.


###### Proverbs 20:29
[Proverbs 20:29](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Proverbs/r/20:29)

תִּפְאֶ֣רֶת בַּחוּרִ֣ים כֹּחָ֑ם וַהֲדַ֖ר זְקֵנִ֣ים שֵׂיבָֽה׃

**The Koren Jerusalem Bible:**
The glory of young men is their strength: and the beauty of old men is the grey head.

**The Rashi Ketuvim by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein:**
The beauty of youths is their strength, and the glory of the old is [their] hoariness.


###### Proverbs 20:30
[Proverbs 20:30](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Proverbs/r/20:30)

חַבֻּר֣וֹת פֶּ֭צַע (תמריק) [תַּמְר֣וּק] בְּרָ֑ע וּ֝מַכּ֗וֹת חַדְרֵי־בָֽטֶן׃

**The Koren Jerusalem Bible:**
Bruises and wounds purge away evil: so do stripes which reach the inward parts.

**The Rashi Ketuvim by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein:**
Bruises [and] wounds [come upon] one who consecrates himself to evil, and "blows [in his] innards" [i.e., dropsy.]