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Proverbs 20:21

Proverbs 20:22-1953 kjv — Say not thou, I will recompense evil; but wait on the Lord, and he shall save thee. Divers weights are an abomination u…

King James Version

22

Say not thou, I will recompense evil; but wait on the Lord, and he shall save thee.

23

Divers weights are an abomination unto the Lord; and a false balance is not good.

24

Man’s goings are of the Lord; how can a man then understand his own way?

25

It is a snare to the man who devoureth that which is holy, and after vows to make enquiry.

26

A wise king scattereth the wicked, and bringeth the wheel over them.

27

The spirit of man is the candle of the Lord, searching all the inward parts of the belly.

28

Mercy and truth preserve the king: and his throne is upholden by mercy.

29

The glory of young men is their strength: and the beauty of old men is the gray head.

30

The blueness of a wound cleanseth away evil: so do stripes the inward parts of the belly.

— Proverbs 20:22-1953, King James Version

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Proverbs 20:22-1953 in Other Translations

6 versions All translations
  • ASV

    “Say not thou, I will recompense evil: Wait for Jehovah, and he will save thee. Diverse weights are an abomination to Jehovah; And a false balance is not good. A man’s goings are of Jehovah; How then can man understand his way? It is a snare to a man rashly to say, It is holy, And after vows to make inquiry. A wise king winnoweth the wicked, And bringeth the threshing-wheel over them. The spirit of man is the lamp of Jehovah, Searching all his innermost parts. Kindness and truth preserve the king; And his throne is upholden by kindness. The glory of young men is their strength; And the beauty of old men is the hoary head. Stripes that wound cleanse away evil; And strokesreachthe innermost parts. ”

  • WEB

    “Don't say, "I will pay back evil." Wait for Yahweh, and he will save you. Yahweh detests differing weights, and dishonest scales are not pleasing. A man's steps are from Yahweh; how then can man understand his way? It is a snare to a man to make a rash dedication, then later to consider his vows. A wise king winnows out the wicked, and drives the threshing wheel over them. The spirit of man is Yahweh's lamp, searching all his innermost parts. Love and faithfulness keep the king safe. His throne is sustained by love. The glory of young men is their strength. The splendor of old men is their gray hair. Wounding blows cleanse away evil, and beatings purge the innermost parts.”

  • NET

    “Do not say,“I will pay back evil!” Wait for the LORD, so that he may vindicate you. The LORD abhors differing weights, and dishonest scales are wicked. The steps of a person are ordained by the LORD– so how can anyone understand his own way? It is a snare for a person to rashly cry,“Holy!” and only afterward to consider what he has vowed. A wise king separates out the wicked; he turns the threshing wheel over them. The human spirit is like the lamp of the LORD, searching all his innermost parts. Loyal love and truth preserve a king, and his throne is upheld by loyal love. The glory of young men is their strength, and the splendor of old men is gray hair. Beatings and wounds cleanse away evil, and floggings cleanse the innermost being.”

  • DRB

    “Say not: I will return evil: wait for the Lord, and he will deliver thee. Diverse weights are an abomination before the Lord: a deceitful balance is not good. The steps of men are guided by the Lord: but who is the man that can understand his own way? It is ruin to a man to devour holy ones, and after vows to retract. A wise king scattereth the wicked, and bringeth over them the wheel. The spirit of a man is the lamp of the Lord, which searcheth all the hidden things of the bowels. Mercy and truth preserve the king, and his throne is strengthened by clemency. The joy of young men is their strength: and the dignity of old men, their grey hairs. The blueness of a wound shall wipe away evils: and stripes in the more inward parts of the belly. ”

  • BBE

    “Do not say, I will give punishment for evil: go on waiting for the Lord, and he will be your saviour. Unequal weights are disgusting to the Lord, and false scales are not good. A man's steps are of the Lord; how then may a man have knowledge of his way? It is a danger to a man to say without thought, It is holy, and, after taking his oaths, to be questioning if it is necessary to keep them. A wise king puts evil-doers to flight, and makes their evil-doing come back on them. The Lord keeps watch over the spirit of man, searching all the deepest parts of the body. Mercy and good faith keep the king safe, and the seat of his power is based on upright acts. The glory of young men is their strength, and the honour of old men is their grey hairs. By the wounds of the rod evil is taken away, and blows make clean the deepest parts of the body.”

  • KJVA

    “Say not thou, I will recompense evil; but wait on the Lord, and he shall save thee. Divers weights are an abomination unto the Lord; and a false balance is not good. Man’s goings are of the Lord; how can a man then understand his own way? It is a snare to the man who devoureth that which is holy, and after vows to make enquiry. A wise king scattereth the wicked, and bringeth the wheel over them. The spirit of man is the candle of the Lord, searching all the inward parts of the belly. Mercy and truth preserve the king: and his throne is upholden by mercy. The glory of young men is their strength: and the beauty of old men is the gray head. The blueness of a wound cleanseth away evil: so do stripes the inward parts of the belly. ”

Proverbs 20 — Context

19

He that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets: therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips.

20

Whoso curseth his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in obscure darkness.

21

An inheritance may be gotten hastily at the beginning; but the end thereof shall not be blessed.

22

Say not thou, I will recompense evil; but wait on the Lord, and he shall save thee.

23

Divers weights are an abomination unto the Lord; and a false balance is not good.

24

Man’s goings are of the Lord; how can a man then understand his own way?

25

It is a snare to the man who devoureth that which is holy, and after vows to make enquiry.

26

A wise king scattereth the wicked, and bringeth the wheel over them.

27

The spirit of man is the candle of the Lord, searching all the inward parts of the belly.

28

Mercy and truth preserve the king: and his throne is upholden by mercy.

29

The glory of young men is their strength: and the beauty of old men is the gray head.

30

The blueness of a wound cleanseth away evil: so do stripes the inward parts of the belly.

Proverbs 20:22-1953 — Frequently Asked Questions

7 questions
What does Proverbs 20:22-1953 say?
Proverbs 20:22-1953 in the King James Version reads: “Say not thou, I will recompense evil; but wait on the Lord, and he shall save thee. Divers weights are an abomination unto the Lord; and a false balance is not good. Man’s goings are of the Lord; how can a man then understand his own way? It is a snare to the man who devoureth that which is holy, and after vows to make enquiry. A wise king scattereth the wicked, and bringeth the wheel over them. The spirit of man is the candle of the Lord, searching all the inward parts of the belly. Mercy and truth preserve the king: and his throne is upholden by mercy. The glory of young men is their strength: and the beauty of old men is the gray head. The blueness of a wound cleanseth away evil: so do stripes the inward parts of the belly. ”
Where is Proverbs 20:22-1953 in the Bible?
Proverbs 20:22-1953 is found in the Old Testament, in the book of Proverbs, chapter 20, verses 22–1953.
Who wrote Proverbs?
Proverbs is traditionally attributed to Solomon (primarily), with sections by Agur and Lemuel. It was written c. 970–700 BC.
What is the book of Proverbs about?
Proverbs is practical wisdom for everyday life — short, vivid sayings on speech, work, money, friendship, sex, parenting, and the fear of the LORD. It teaches that wisdom is not mere cleverness but a way of walking with God in a complicated world.
What are the major themes of Proverbs?
Proverbs explores themes including Wisdom, Folly, Fear of the LORD, Discipline, Speech, Diligence. These themes shape the meaning and context of Proverbs 20:22-1953.
What translation should I read Proverbs 20:22-1953 in?
Proverbs 20:22-1953 is available on GodsGoodBook in the King James Version (KJV), American Standard Version (ASV), World English Bible (WEB), NET Bible, Young's Literal Translation, Darby Bible, Douay-Rheims Bible, and the Bible in Basic English. Each translation reflects different translation philosophies — use the translation picker on this page to compare them, or browse our full translations directory.
How can I memorize Proverbs 20:22-1953?
Proverbs 20:22-1953 reads (KJV): “Say not thou, I will recompense evil; but wait on the Lord, and he shall save thee. Divers weights are an abomination unto the Lord; and a false balance is not good. Man’s goings are of the Lord; how can a man then understand his own way? It is a snare to the man who devoureth that which is holy, and after vows to make enquiry. A wise king scattereth the wicked, and bringeth the wheel over them. The spirit of man is the candle of the Lord, searching all the inward parts of the belly. Mercy and truth preserve the king: and his throne is upholden by mercy. The glory of young men is their strength: and the beauty of old men is the gray head. The blueness of a wound cleanseth away evil: so do stripes the inward parts of the belly. ” Read it aloud, break it into short phrases, repeat each phrase three times before adding the next, then put the phrases together. Reading it in multiple translations (above) often helps the meaning settle.
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