Proverbs chapter 20

vs 1

It doesn't say don't drink it, it says don't let it make you stupid. If you can't do one, don't do the other.

vs 2

Not pretty, but there it is. It does almost seem to give it legitimacy - the idea that a king can kill you off for being upset with you. Two things, though. Remember firstly that the death penalty was something of a catch-all in ancient times, and for many years. Secondly, this is simply the nature of power - it's a fact, and an unjust king is going to be undone by these same proverbs as equally as any other unjust man.

vs 3

Admonitions about the foolishness of useless quarreling make it into the NT as well. Fools have fairly limited tools with which to make themselves foolish, but we keep using them to full effect.

vs 4

No work, no pay. Just like the story of the grasshopper and the octopus.

vs 5

A fascinating idea. The human heart is, after all, fathomable. We are not ourselves infinite beings. But it takes some wisdom.

vs 6

I've claimed that several times in sermons - nice to know I have a verse to back it up now.

vs 7

The righteous leading blameless lives is itself a truism I feel. And the bit about children - well, I'm no parent - but I've seen a fair few people clean up their act 'for the children'. Don't know if it works, but people seem to believe that walking blamelessly is good for kids.

vs 8

I think even crappy kings know you have to do justice sometimes, because people really get riled when there is no justice at all. But good kings know the value and necessity of justice, and no doubt are also shrewd judges of character.

vs 9

You read it here first, in Proverbs. There is no-one righteous. Not a new claim.

vs 10

A kilo of flower and a kilo of gold actually weigh the same. But seriously, the point is that if you weigh the goods to make them look heavy, and the payment to make it look light, you're ripping people off. And it is ripping people off that God detests.