Proverbs 20-22

Thoughts

Proverbs 20

Verse	Wise / Righteous	Foolish / Wicked
1	—	Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler
2	—	Provokes king’s wrath like roar of lion
3	Honor for a man to keep aloof from strife	Every fool will be quarreling
4	—	Sluggard does not plow
5	Man of understanding draws out counsel	—
6	Faithful man- who can find?	—
7	Walks in integrity,Children blessed after him	—
8	King winnows evil	—
9	—	“I have made my heart pure”
10	Just balances delight the LORD	Differing weights abomination
11	Child known by pure and upright deeds	—
12	—	—
13	Loves not sleep, will have plenty	Loves sleep, comes to poverty
14	—	“Bad, bad,” then boasts
15	Knowledge is precious jewel	—
16	Use security when pledging	Pledges for stranger without security
17	—	Bread of deceit
18	Plans established by counsel	—
19	—	Goes about slandering
20	Blessing father and mother	Lamp put out in darkness
21	—	Inheritance hastily gotten
22	Wait for the LORD	says  “I will repay evil”
23	Honest weights delight	False scales not good
24	Steps from the LORD	—
25	Avoids rash vows	to say rashly, “It is holy”
26	Wise king scatters wicked	—
27	Spirit of man lamp of LORD	—
28	Steadfast love preserves king	—
29	Glory of young men strength	—
30	Blows cleanse evil	—

vs 12 The hearing ear and the seeing eye, the Lord has made them both.

Proverbs 21

Verse	Wise / Righteous (ESV)	Foolish / Wicked (ESV)
1	King’s heart in hand of LORD	—
2	Knows LORD weigh the heart	Way seems right
3	Do righteousness and justice	—
4	—	Haughty eyes, proud heart
5	Plans of diligent lead to abundance	Everyone hasty comes to poverty
6	—	Treasures gained by lying
7	Righteous know justice	Violence sweeps wicked away
8	Innocent straight	Guilty crooked
9	—	Quarrelsome wife
10	—	Soul of wicked desires evil
11	Simple becomes wise by instruction	Scoffer learns nothing
12	Righteous observes house of wicked	—
13	Hears cry of poor	Will not be answered
14	Gift in secret averts anger	—
15	Justice joy to righteous	Terror to evildoers
16	—	Wanders from way of understanding
17	—	Loves pleasure
18	—	A ransom for the righteous
19	—	quarrelsome and fretful woman.
20	Precious treasure with wise	Fool devours it
21	Pursues righteousness and kindness	—
22	Wise scales city of mighty	—
23	Guards mouth and tongue,Keeps soul from trouble	—
24	—	Scoffer, arrogant, proud
25	—	Desire kills sluggard
26	Righteous gives	Wicked covets
27	—	Sacrifice abomination
28	Honest witness speaks	False witness perishes
29	Upright gives thought to way	Wicked puts on bold face
30	—	—
31	—	—

vs 30 No wisdom, no understanding, no counsel can avail against the Lord.

vs 31 The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but the victory belongs to the Lord.

Proverbs 22

Verse	Wise / Righteous (ESV)	Foolish / Wicked (ESV)
1	A good name is to be chosen	Chooses riches
2	The LORD is the Maker of them all	—
3	The prudent sees danger and hides	The simple go on and suffer
4	Fear of the LORD leads to riches and honor and life	—
5	Keeps himself far from snares	Thorns and snares in the way
6	Train up a child in the way he should go	—
7	—	Borrower is the slave of the lender
8	—	Sows injustice, reaps calamity
9	A bountiful eye will be blessed	—
10	Cast out a scoffer, strife goes out	Scoffer brings quarreling
11	Loves purity of heart, gracious speech	—
12	LORD preserves knowledge	Overthrows words of traitor
13	—	Sluggard says, “There is a lion!”
14	—	Mouth of forbidden woman
15	Discipline drives folly far	Folly bound in heart of child
16	—	Oppresses the poor / gives to the rich

Now the 2 phrase sayings end, and Proverbs shifts its flow to longer sayings with themes. This will go on until Proverbs 24.

The reader is now urged to incline the ear and apply the heart

• Wisdom is meant to be stored within, not merely heard
• The goal is to put our trust in the LORD

The sayings provide certainty of truth “right and true”

vs 20 Have I not written for you thirty sayings of counsel and knowledge

• Many scholars note a parallel with the Egyptian Instruction of Amenemope, which also has 30 chapters, suggesting Proverbs is placing Israel’s wisdom confidently alongside (and above) other ancient wisdom traditions.

Warnings Against Exploitation and Injustice 

• Do not rob or crush the poor because they are vulnerable
• The LORD personally defends them

Warnings About Associations

• Avoid companionship with the hot-tempered
• Habits are contagious

Warning Against Reckless Financial Entanglement 

• Do not guarantee debts you cannot cover

Respect for Boundaries

• Do not move ancient landmarks (showing boundaries)

Commendation of Excellent Work 

• Skill and diligence  places a person before kings

Application

Proverbs 20-22 together teach how wisdom is formed. We see wisdom through restraint, righteousness, and foresight, just to name a few.  We should slow down where impulse is easiest, examine not just what we do but why, and intentionally train yourself (and others) toward long-term good rather than short-term advantage.