Proverbs — Chapter 23

1When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what is before thee:

2And put a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man given to appetite.

3Be not desirous of his dainties: for they are deceitful meat.

4Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom.

5Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.

6Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, neither desire thou his dainty meats:

7For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.

8The morsel which thou hast eaten shalt thou vomit up, and lose thy sweet words.

9Speak not in the ears of a fool: for he will despise the wisdom of thy words.

10Remove not the old landmark; and enter not into the fields of the fatherless:

11For their redeemer is mighty; he shall plead their cause with thee.

12Apply thine heart unto instruction, and thine ears to the words of knowledge.

13Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die.

14Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell.

15My son, if thine heart be wise, my heart shall rejoice, even mine.

16Yea, my reins shall rejoice, when thy lips speak right things.

17Let not thine heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the LORD all the day long.

18For surely there is an end; and thine expectation shall not be cut off.

19Hear thou, my son, and be wise, and guide thine heart in the way.

20Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh:

21For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.

22Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old.

23Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.

24The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice: and he that begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him.

25Thy father and thy mother shall be glad, and she that bare thee shall rejoice.

26My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways.

27For a whore is a deep ditch; and a strange woman is a narrow pit.

28She also lieth in wait as for a prey, and increaseth the transgressors among men.

29Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes?

30They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine.

31Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright.

32At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder.

33Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things.

34Yea, thou shalt be as he that lieth down in the midst of the sea, or as he that lieth upon the top of a mast.

35They have stricken me, shalt thou say, and I was not sick; they have beaten me, and I felt it not: when shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.

1When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, Consider diligently him that is before thee;

2And put a knife to thy throat, If thou be a man given to appetite.

3Be not desirous of his dainties; Seeing they are deceitful food.

4Weary not thyself to be rich; Cease from thine own wisdom.

5Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? For [riches] certainly make themselves wings, Like an eagle that flieth toward heaven.

6Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, Neither desire thou his dainties:

7For as he thinketh within himself, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; But his heart is not with thee.

8The morsel which thou hast eaten shalt thou vomit up, And lose thy sweet words.

9Speak not in the hearing of a fool; For he will despise the wisdom of thy words.

10Remove not the ancient landmark; And enter not into the fields of the fatherless:

11For their Redeemer is strong; He will plead their cause against thee.

12Apply thy heart unto instruction, And thine ears to the words of knowledge.

13Withhold not correction from the child; [For] if thou beat him with the rod, he will not die.

14Thou shalt beat him with the rod, And shalt deliver his soul from Sheol.

15My son, if thy heart be wise, My heart will be glad, even mine:

16Yea, my heart will rejoice, When thy lips speak right things.

17Let not thy heart envy sinners; But [be thou] in the fear of Jehovah all the day long:

18For surely there is a reward; And thy hope shall not be cut off.

19Hear thou, my son, and be wise, And guide thy heart in the way.

20Be not among winebibbers, Among gluttonous eaters of flesh:

21For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty; And drowsiness will clothe [a man] with rags.

22Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, And despise not thy mother when she is old.

23Buy the truth, and sell it not; [Yea], wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.

24The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice; And he that begetteth a wise child will have joy of him.

25Let thy father and thy mother be glad, And let her that bare thee rejoice.

26My son, give me thy heart; And let thine eyes delight in my ways.

27For a harlot is a deep ditch; And a foreign woman is a narrow pit.

28Yea, she lieth in wait as a robber, And increaseth the treacherous among men.

29Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? Who hath complaining? who hath wounds without cause? Who hath redness of eyes?

30They that tarry long at the wine; They that go to seek out mixed wine.

31Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, When it sparkleth in the cup, When it goeth down smoothly:

32At the last it biteth like a serpent, And stingeth like an adder.

33Thine eyes shall behold strange things, And thy heart shall utter perverse things.

34Yea, thou shalt be as he that lieth down in the midst of the sea, Or as he that lieth upon the top of a mast.

35They have stricken me, [shalt thou say], and I was not hurt; They have beaten me, and I felt it not: When shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.

1When you sit down to eat with a ruler, consider carefully what is before you,

2and put a knife to your throat if you possess a large appetite.

3Do not crave that ruler’s delicacies, for that food is deceptive.

4Do not wear yourself out to become rich; be wise enough to restrain yourself.

5When you gaze upon riches, they are gone, for they surely make wings for themselves and fly off into the sky like an eagle!

6Do not eat the food of a stingy person, do not crave his delicacies;

7for he is like someone who has calculated the cost in his mind. “Eat and drink,” he says to you, but his heart is not with you;

8you will vomit up the little bit you have eaten and will have wasted your pleasant words.

9Do not speak in the ears of a fool, for he will despise the wisdom of your words.

10Do not move an ancient boundary stone or take over the fields of the fatherless,

11for their Protector is strong; he will plead their case against you.

12Apply your heart to instruction and your ears to the words of knowledge.

13Do not withhold discipline from a child; even if you strike him with the rod, he will not die.

14If you strike him with the rod, you will deliver him from death.

15My child, if your heart is wise, then my heart also will be glad;

16my soul will rejoice when your lips speak what is right.

17Do not let your heart envy sinners, but rather be zealous in fearing the Lord all the time.

18For surely there is a future, and your hope will not be cut off.

19Listen, my child, and be wise, and guide your heart on the right way.

20Do not spend time among drunkards, among those who eat too much meat,

21because drunkards and gluttons become impoverished, and drowsiness clothes them with rags.

22Listen to your father who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old.

23Acquire truth and do not sell it— wisdom, and discipline, and understanding.

24The father of a righteous person will rejoice greatly; whoever fathers a wise child will have joy in him.

25May your father and your mother have joy; may she who bore you rejoice.

26Give me your heart, my son, and let your eyes observe my ways;

27for a prostitute is like a deep pit; a harlot is like a narrow well.

28Indeed, she lies in wait like a robber and increases the unfaithful among men.

29Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has contentions? Who has complaints? Who has wounds without cause? Who has dullness of the eyes?

30Those who linger over wine, those who go looking for mixed wine.

31Do not look on the wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goes down smoothly.

32Afterward it bites like a snake and stings like a viper.

33Your eyes will see strange things, and your mind will speak perverse things.

34And you will be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea, and like one who lies down on the top of the rigging.

35You will say, “They have struck me, but I am not harmed! They beat me, but I did not know it! When will I awake? I will look for another drink.”

1When you sit to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what is before you;

2put a knife to your throat, if you are a man given to appetite.

3Don’t be desirous of his dainties, since they are deceitful food.

4Don’t weary yourself to be rich. In your wisdom, show restraint.

5Why do you set your eyes on that which is not? For it certainly sprouts wings like an eagle and flies in the sky.

6Don’t eat the food of him who has a stingy eye, and don’t crave his delicacies:

7for as he thinks about the cost, so he is. “Eat and drink!” he says to you, but his heart is not with you.

8The morsel which you have eaten you shall vomit up, and lose your good words.

9Don’t speak in the ears of a fool, for he will despise the wisdom of your words.

10Don’t move the ancient boundary stone. Don’t encroach on the fields of the fatherless:

11for their Defender is strong. He will plead their case against you.

12Apply your heart to instruction, and your ears to the words of knowledge.

13Don’t withhold correction from a child. If you punish him with the rod, he will not die.

14Punish him with the rod, and save his soul from Sheol.

15My son, if your heart is wise, then my heart will be glad, even mine:

16yes, my heart will rejoice, when your lips speak what is right.

17Don’t let your heart envy sinners; but rather fear Yahweh all day long.

18Indeed surely there is a future hope, and your hope will not be cut off.

19Listen, my son, and be wise, and keep your heart on the right path!

20Don’t be among ones drinking too much wine, or those who gorge themselves on meat:

21for the drunkard and the glutton shall become poor; and drowsiness clothes them in rags.

22Listen to your father who gave you life, and don’t despise your mother when she is old.

23Buy the truth, and don’t sell it. Get wisdom, discipline, and understanding.

24The father of the righteous has great joy. Whoever fathers a wise child delights in him.

25Let your father and your mother be glad! Let her who bore you rejoice!

26My son, give me your heart; and let your eyes keep in my ways.

27For a prostitute is a deep pit; and a wayward wife is a narrow well.

28Yes, she lies in wait like a robber, and increases the unfaithful among men.

29Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has strife? Who has complaints? Who has needless bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes?

30Those who stay long at the wine; those who go to seek out mixed wine.

31Don’t look at the wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goes down smoothly.

32In the end, it bites like a snake, and poisons like a viper.

33Your eyes will see strange things, and your mind will imagine confusing things.

34Yes, you will be as he who lies down in the middle of the sea, or as he who lies on top of the rigging:

35“They hit me, and I was not hurt! They beat me, and I don’t feel it! When will I wake up? I can do it again. I can find another.”