Proverbs 20:1 says, Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.  This is a warning about drinking to excess I believe.  We are not to allow drinking to cloud our judgment.  I do not think this is a statement that says avoid all alcoholic drinks, since in other parts of the Bible it is ruled as being okay to drink moderate amounts.  Verse two states, The fear of a king is as the roaring of a lion: whoso provoketh him to anger sinneth against his own soul.  We are warned against provoking those in power.  To simply defy the law of those who are in power to prove that we can is not what God leads us to do.  When we rebel simply for earthly reasons, we harm our souls, or our everlasting relationship with God.  Verse three declares, It is an honour for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling.  When we follow God's plan for our life, we will attempt to avoid creating strife with others.  We should especially attempt to avoid strife with our fellow believers.  Those who deny God will continually be attempting to create strife for those who do believe.  Verse four says, The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing.  The sluggard, one who is lazy, will find a reason to not work and will often find himself or herself hungry.  We are to be busy doing what God has called us to do.  Verse five states, Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water; but a man of understanding will draw it out.  If we are looking for wise counselling, we need to go to someone who knows God.  We need not look to those who proclaim anything else than the sovereignty of God for answers.  Verse six asks, Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find?  Most people tend to claim their own goodness, but instead we need to claim our faithfulness to God.  Verse seven declares, The just man walketh in his integrity: his children are blessed after him.  I believe that this means that we are to live with integrity in our relationship to God, and if we do our children are more likely to come to know God.  Verse eight states, A king that sitteth in the throne of judgment scattereth away all evil with his eyes.  A king, or ruler, should always do what is best for those he rules.  This is not the case too often, but it should be.  Verse nine asks, Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?  The answer is no one except Jesus Christ.   We cannot stand before God and proclaim our goodness.  We are all but sinners saved by grace, or lost without accepting the grace of God through faith in Christ.  Verse ten declares, Divers weights, and divers measures, both of them are alike abomination to the LORD.  God expects us to be honest in our dealings with others.  Verse eleven says, Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right.  I believe that this simply means that as followers of Christ we are expected to live under the leadership of God.  God expects us to be honest in the things we say and do.  Verse twelve declares, The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the LORD hath made even both of them.  God gives us sight and hearing, and I believe He expects us to see His work in the world and hear His message to us.  Verse thirteen states, Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied with bread.  I believe this is just another statement that we are to not be lazy, but are to be at work in the world, doing what God calls us to do.  It is naught, it is naught, saith the buyer: but when he is gone his way, then he boasteth.  God does not expect us to cheat others, for example by claiming something to be of little value when we buy it, but then claiming it to be of great value when we sell it.  Verse fifteen proclaims, There is gold, and a multitude of rubies: but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.  I believe this is simply telling us that the knowledge of God is worth more than all the gold and rubies, or anything else, in the world.