Proverbs 20:3

It is honour to a man that separateth himself from strivings; but fond men be meddled with despisings. (It is honourable for someone to separate himself from strife, or from arguments; but the foolish shall mix, or mingle, themselves in with arguments.)

Wycliffe Modern Spelling

In The King James Version

It is an honour for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling.

In Context

2As the roaring of a lion, so and the dread of a king (or and so the king’s wrath); he that stirreth him to ire, sinneth against his (own) soul.

4A slow man would not ear for cold; therefore he shall beg in summer, and men shall not give to him. (A lazy person will not plow when it is cold; then at harvest time he shall beg, but others shall not give him anything.)

Read all of Proverbs 20

Cross References

Proverbs 14:17A man unpatient shall work folly; and a guileful man is odious. (An impatient person will act foolishly; and a deceitful person is odious.)

Proverbs 16:32A patient man is better than a strong man; and he that is lord of his soul, is better than an overcomer of cities. (A patient person is better than a strong person; and he who is lord over himself, or over his own nature, is better than an overcomer of cities.)

Proverbs 18:6The lips of a fool meddle themselves with chidings; and his mouth stirreth strives. (A fool’s lips mix, or mingle, themselves in with arguments; and his mouth stirreth up strife.)

Proverbs 21:24A proud man and (a) boaster is called a fool, (for) that (he) worketh (his) pride in ire.

Proverbs 26:17As he that taketh a dog by the ears; so he that passeth, and is unpatient, and is meddled with the chiding of another man. (Like he who taketh a dog by the ears, is he who passeth by, and is impatient, and is mixed in, or mingled, with the argument of another man.)

Ephesians 4:32and be ye together benign, [or of good will], merciful, forgiving together, as also God forgave to you in Christ. (and be benign, or have good will, with one another, merciful, and forgiving each other, as also God forgave you in the Messiah.)

Matthew Henry on Proverbs 20:3

2 The fear of a king is as the roaring of a lion: whoso provoketh him to anger sinneth against his own soul. See here, 1. How formidable kings are, and what a terror they strike upon those they are angry with. Their fear, with which (especially when they are absolute and their will is a law) they keep their subjects in awe, is as the roaring of a lion, which is very dreadful to the creatures he preys upon, and makes them tremble so that they cannot escape from him. Those princes that rule by wisdom and love rule… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

Study Proverbs 20:3