Proverbs 23
1 When thou sittest to eate with a ruler, consider diligently what is before thee,
When you sit to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what is before you;
2 And put the knife to thy throte, if thou be a man giuen to the appetite.
put a knife to your throat if you are a man given to appetite.
3 Be not desirous of his deintie meates: for it is a deceiuable meate.
Do not be desirous of his dainties, since they are deceitful food.
4 Trauaile not too much to be rich: but cease from thy wisdome.
Do not weary yourself to be rich. In your wisdom, show restraint.
5 Wilt thou cast thine eyes vpon it, which is nothing? for riches taketh her to her wings, as an eagle, and flyeth into the heauen.
Why do you set your eyes on that which is not? For it certainly sprouts wings like an eagle and flies in the sky.
6 Eate thou not the bread of him that hath an euil eye, neither desire his deintie meates.
Do not eat the food of him who has a stingy eye, and do not crave his delicacies,
7 For as though he thought it in his heart, so will hee say vnto thee, Eate and drinke: but his heart is not with thee.
for as he thinks about the cost, so he is. “Eat and drink!” he says to you, but his heart is not with you.
8 Thou shalt vomit thy morsels that thou hast eaten, and thou shalt lose thy sweete wordes.
You will vomit up the morsel which you have eaten and waste your pleasant words.
9 Speake not in the eares of a foole: for hee will despise the wisdome of thy wordes.
Do not speak in the ears of a fool, for he will despise the wisdom of your words.
10 Remooue not the ancient boundes, and enter not into the fieldes of the fatherlesse.
Do not move the ancient boundary stone. Do not encroach on the fields of the fatherless,
11 For he that redeemeth them, is mightie: he will defend their cause against thee.
for their Defender is strong. He will plead their case against you.
12 Apply thine heart to instruction, and thine eares to the wordes of knowledge.
Apply your heart to instruction, and your ears to the words of knowledge.
13 Withhold not correction from the childe: if thou smite him with the rodde, he shall not die.
Do not withhold correction from a child. If you punish him with the rod, he will not die.
Punish him with the rod, and save his soul from Sheol (Sheol h7585).
15 My sonne, if thine heart be wise, mine heart shall reioyce, and I also.
My son, if your heart is wise, then my heart will be glad, even mine.
16 And my reynes shall reioyce, when thy lips speake righteous things.
Yes, my heart will rejoice when your lips speak what is right.
17 Let not thine heart bee enuious against sinners: but let it bee in the feare of the Lord continually.
Do not let your heart envy sinners, but rather fear the LORD all day long.
18 For surely there is an ende, and thy hope shall not be cut off.
Indeed surely there is a future hope, and your hope will not be cut off.
19 O thou my sonne, heare, and bee wise, and guide thine heart in the way.
Listen, my son, and be wise, and keep your heart on the right path!
20 Keepe not company with drunkards, nor with gluttons.
Do not be among ones drinking too much wine, or those who gorge themselves on meat;
21 For the drunkard and the glutton shall bee poore, and the sleeper shalbe clothed with ragges.
for the drunkard and the glutton shall become poor; and drowsiness clothes them in rags.
22 Obey thy father that hath begotten thee, and despise not thy mother when she is olde.
Listen to your father who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old.
23 Bye the trueth, but sell it not: likewise wisdome, and instruction, and vnderstanding.
Buy the truth, and do not sell it. Get wisdom, discipline, and understanding.
24 The father of the righteous shall greatly reioyce, and hee that begetteth a wise childe, shall haue ioy of him.
The father of the righteous has great joy. Whoever fathers a wise child delights in him.
25 Thy father and thy mother shall be glad, and she that bare thee shall reioyce.
Let your father and your mother be glad! Let her who bore you rejoice!
26 My sonne, giue mee thine heart, and let thine eyes delite in my wayes.
My son, give me your heart; and let your eyes keep in my ways.
27 For a whore is as a deepe ditche, and a strange woman is as a narrowe pitte.
For a prostitute is a deep pit; and a wayward wife is a narrow well.
28 Also she lyeth in wait as for a praye, and she increaseth the transgressers among men.
Yes, she lies in wait like a robber, and increases the unfaithful among men.
29 To whome is woe? to whome is sorowe? to whom is strife? to whom is murmuring? to whom are woundes without cause? and to whome is the rednesse of the eyes?
Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has strife? Who has complaints? Who has needless bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes?
30 Euen to them that tarie long at the wine, to them that goe, and seeke mixt wine.
Those who stay long at the wine; those who go to seek out mixed wine.
31 Looke not thou vpon the wine, when it is red, and when it sheweth his colour in the cup, or goeth downe pleasantly.
Do not look at the wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goes down smoothly.
32 In the ende thereof it will bite like a serpent, and hurt like a cockatrise.
In the end, it bites like a snake, and poisons like a viper.
33 Thine eyes shall looke vpon strange women, and thine heart shall speake lewde things.
Your eyes will see strange things, and your mind will imagine confusing things.
34 And thou shalt bee as one that sleepeth in the middes of the sea, and as hee that sleepeth in the toppe of the maste.
Yes, 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 haue stricken mee, shalt thou say, but I was not sicke: they haue beaten mee, but I knew not, when I awoke: therefore will I seeke it yet still.
“They hit me, and I was not hurt! They beat me, and I do not feel it! When will I wake up? I can do it again. I will look for more.”
