Proverbs 20

All these are surely terse puzzles, every one, pair, trio, ... of them. Note the identity of verse 16 with 27:13, except the missing first letter, a weak ל, and verse 16 below has a ketiv that is masculine plural, where the qere and 27:13 are both feminine singular. This foreign woman (or men) - any signification?

As a time-stamp, I have now removed mercy seat as a gloss and loving-kindness has morphed to kindness (+ a few mercies) everywhere including all the psalms. The deciding factor is the syllable count. חסד is 2 syllables, not 4. כפרת has lost none of its significance for being just a cover. It is the cover where we meet with G-d. How else can I discern my way except at G-d's pace? If a gloss excludes by its history then it must be rejected.

Sometimes I interpret by adding the missing verb. Sometimes I don't.

Proverbs 20		Fn		Min	Max	Syll
לֵ֣ץ הַ֭יַּין הֹמֶ֣ה שֵׁכָ֑ר וְכָל־שֹׁ֥גֶה בּ֝֗וֹ לֹ֣א יֶחְכָּֽם	1	B	Wine scorns, strong drink snarls, and all straying into it are not shrewd.	3e	4B	7 8
נַ֣הַם כַּ֭כְּפִיר אֵ֣ימַת מֶ֑לֶךְ מִ֝תְעַבְּר֗וֹ חוֹטֵ֥א נַפְשֽׁוֹ	2	B	As a lion cub's growling is a horrible sovereign, from its passing through, sin itself.	3e	4B	8 7
כָּב֣וֹד לָ֭אִישׁ שֶׁ֣בֶת מֵרִ֑יב וְכָל־אֱ֝וִ֗יל יִתְגַּלָּֽע	3		Glory to each to turn from strife, but everyone who is obstinate quarrels.	3e	4B	8 7
מֵ֭חֹרֶף עָצֵ֣ל לֹא־יַחֲרֹ֑שׁ וְשָׁאַ֖ל בַּקָּצִ֣יר וָאָֽיִן	4	g	Come autumn, sluggard not will plough, so it will beg at the harvest, and there is nothing.	3e	4B	8 9
מַ֣יִם עֲ֭מֻקִּים עֵצָ֣ה בְלֶב־אִ֑ישׁ וְאִ֖ישׁ תְּבוּנָ֣ה יִדְלֶֽנָּה	5	B	Deep waters, counsel in the heart of each, and a person of discernment will be a gateway.	3e	4B	9 8
רָב־אָדָ֗ם יִ֭קְרָא אִ֣ישׁ חַסְדּ֑וֹ וְאִ֥ישׁ אֱ֝מוּנִ֗ים מִ֣י יִמְצָֽא	6		An abundance of humanity proclaims each its mercy, but a person of faithfulness, who will find?	3e	4B	8 8
מִתְהַלֵּ֣ךְ בְּתֻמּ֣וֹ צַדִּ֑יק אַשְׁרֵ֖י בָנָ֣יו אַחֲרָֽיו	7		One walking in its completeness is a righteous one. Happy his children after him.	3e	4B	8 7
מֶ֗לֶךְ יוֹשֵׁ֥ב עַל־כִּסֵּא־דִ֑ין מְזָרֶ֖ה בְעֵינָ֣יו כָּל־רָֽע	8	~	A sovereign sitting on the throne of advocacy, sifts in its own eyes all evil.	3e	4B	8 8
מִֽי־יֹ֭אמַר זִכִּ֣יתִי לִבִּ֑י טָ֝הַ֗רְתִּי מֵחַטָּאתִֽי	9		Who will say, I have cleared my heart, I am clean from my sin?	3e	4B	7 7
אֶ֣בֶן וָ֭אֶבֶן אֵיפָ֣ה וְאֵיפָ֑ה תּוֹעֲבַ֥ת יְ֝הוָ֗ה גַּם־שְׁנֵיהֶֽם	10	B	A stone and a stone, where and where? An abomination to Yahweh, even both of them.	3e	4B	10 9
גַּ֣ם בְּ֭מַעֲלָלָיו יִתְנַכֶּר־נָ֑עַר אִם־זַ֖ךְ וְאִם־יָשָׁ֣ר פָּעֳלֽוֹ	11	B	Even in its practices, a youth is recognized, if clear or if upright its work.	3e	4B	11 9
אֹ֣זֶן שֹׁ֭מַעַת וְעַ֣יִן רֹאָ֑ה יְ֝הוָ֗ה עָשָׂ֥ה גַם־שְׁנֵיהֶֽם	12	B	An ear that hears and an eye that sees, Yahweh makes even the two of them.	3e	4B	9 8
אַל־תֶּֽאֱהַ֣ב שֵׁ֭נָה פֶּן־תִּוָּרֵ֑שׁ פְּקַ֖ח עֵינֶ֣יךָ שְֽׂבַֽע־לָֽחֶם	13		Do not love sleep lest you be dispossessed. Give sight to your eyes. Be satisfied with bread.	3e	4B	10 9
רַ֣ע רַ֭ע יֹאמַ֣ר הַקּוֹנֶ֑ה וְאֹזֵ֥ל ל֝֗וֹ אָ֣ז יִתְהַלָּֽל	14	B	Evil, evil, says the buyer, but having gone its way, then it boasts.	3e	4B	7 8
יֵ֣שׁ זָ֭הָב וְרָב־פְּנִינִ֑ים וּכְלִ֥י יְ֝קָ֗ר שִׂפְתֵי־דָֽעַת	15	B	There is gold and abundant rubies, but precious cargo are the lips of knowledge.	3e	4B	8 7
לְֽקַח־בִּ֭גְדוֹ כִּי־עָ֣רַב זָ֑ר וּבְעַ֖ד נָכְרִיָּ֣ה חַבְלֵֽהוּ	16		Take its garment when it is surety for a stranger, and concerning a foreigner, take its pledge.	3e	4B	7 8
עָרֵ֣ב לָ֭אִישׁ לֶ֣חֶם שָׁ֑קֶר וְ֝אַחַ֗ר יִמָּֽלֵא־פִ֥יהוּ חָצָֽץ	17		Sweet to each the bread of falsehood, but after, its mouth is filled with arrows.	3e	4B	8 10
מַ֭חֲשָׁבוֹת בְּעֵצָ֣ה תִכּ֑וֹן וּ֝בְתַחְבֻּל֗וֹת עֲשֵׂ֣ה מִלְחָמָֽה	18	g	Reckonings in counsel will be established, and through pledges, to make war.	3e	4B	9 9
גּֽוֹלֶה־סּ֭וֹד הוֹלֵ֣ךְ רָכִ֑יל וּלְפֹתֶ֥ה שְׂ֝פָתָ֗יו לֹ֣א תִתְעָרָֽב	19		A travelling merchant uncovers intimacy, so do not sweeten one who seduces its lips.	3e	4B	7 10
מְ֭קַלֵּל אָבִ֣יו וְאִמּ֑וֹ יִֽדְעַ֥ךְ נֵ֝ר֗וֹ בֶּאֱשׁ֥וּן חֹֽשֶׁךְ	20	g	One who slights his father and his mother, its lamp will be extinguished in a picture of darkness.	3e	4B	8 9
נַ֭חֲלָה מְבֹהֶ֣לֶת בָּרִאשֹׁנָ֑ה וְ֝אַחֲרִיתָ֗הּ לֹ֣א תְבֹרָֽךְ	21	g	An inheritance brash at its beginning, then its aftermath may not be blessed.	3e	4B	11 9
אַל־תֹּאמַ֥ר אֲשַׁלְּמָה־רָ֑ע קַוֵּ֥ה לַֽ֝יהוָ֗ה וְיֹ֣שַֽׁע לָֽךְ	22		Do not say, I will repay evil. Wait for Yahweh and he will save you.	3e	4B	7 8
תּוֹעֲבַ֣ת יְ֭הוָה אֶ֣בֶן וָאָ֑בֶן וּמֹאזְנֵ֖י מִרְמָ֣ה לֹא־טֽוֹב	23		An abomination to Yahweh, a stone and a stone, and a deceitful balance is not good.	3e	4B	10 7
מֵיהוָ֥ה מִצְעֲדֵי־גָ֑בֶר וְ֝אָדָ֗ם מַה־יָּבִ֥ין דַּרְכּֽוֹ	24		From Yahweh are the paces of valour, so the human, how will it discern his way?	3e	4A	6 8
מוֹקֵ֣שׁ אָ֭דָם יָ֣לַע קֹ֑דֶשׁ וְאַחַ֖ר נְדָרִ֣ים לְבַקֵּֽר	25		Trapped is the human impulsive with the holy, but afterwards, vows to reflect.	3e	4B	8 9
מְזָרֶ֣ה רְ֭שָׁעִים מֶ֣לֶךְ חָכָ֑ם וַיָּ֖שֶׁב עֲלֵיהֶ֣ם אוֹפָֽן	26		A shrewd sovereign sifts the wicked, and will turn the wheel on them.	3e	4B	10 8
נֵ֣ר יְ֭הוָה נִשְׁמַ֣ת אָדָ֑ם חֹ֝פֵ֗שׂ כָּל־חַדְרֵי־בָֽטֶן	27	B	The lamp of Yahweh, the breath of the human, investigating the inner rooms of the belly.	3e	4B	7 6
חֶ֣סֶד וֶ֭אֱמֶת יִצְּרוּ־מֶ֑לֶךְ וְסָעַ֖ד בַּחֶ֣סֶד כִּסְאֽוֹ	28	B	Kindness and truth fashion a sovereign, and confirmed in mercy is its throne.	3e	4B	8 8
תִּפְאֶ֣רֶת בַּחוּרִ֣ים כֹּחָ֑ם וַהֲדַ֖ר זְקֵנִ֣ים שֵׂיבָֽה	29		The adornment of youths in their prime, their power, and the honour of the aged, grey hair.	3e	4B	8 8
חַבֻּר֣וֹת פֶּ֭צַע תַּמְר֣וּק בְּרָ֑ע וּ֝מַכּ֗וֹת חַדְרֵי־בָֽטֶן	30		The stripes of wounds inflicted, the ablution of evil, so are strikes in the inner rooms of the belly.	3e	4B	9 6