Proverbs 23
1 When you sit to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what is before you:
When you sit down for a meal with a ruler, look carefully at what is placed before you,
2 And put a knife to your throat, if you be a man given to appetite.
and cut down if you have a big appetite.
3 Be not desirous of his dainties: for they are deceitful meat.
Don't be greedy for his fancy food, for it's offered with deceptive motives.
4 Labor not to be rich: cease from your own wisdom.
Don't wear yourself out trying to get rich—be wise enough not to bother!
5 Will you set your eyes on that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.
It disappears in the blink of an eye, suddenly growing wings and flying off into the sky like an eagle.
6 Eat you not the bread of him that has an evil eye, neither desire you his dainty meats:
Don't accept meal invitations from miserly people; don't be greedy for their fancy food,
7 For as he thinks in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, says he to you; but his heart is not with you.
for what they're thinking inside is what they really are. They say, “Come on, eat and drink!”—but in their minds they don't really care about you.
8 The morsel which you have eaten shall you vomit up, and lose your sweet words.
You'll vomit up the little pieces you've eaten, and your kind words of appreciation will be wasted.
9 Speak not in the ears of a fool: for he will despise the wisdom of your words.
Don't talk to stupid people because they'll ridicule your wise words.
10 Remove not the old landmark; and enter not into the fields of the fatherless:
Don't move ancient boundary markers, and don't encroach on fields belonging to orphans,
11 For their redeemer is mighty; he shall plead their cause with you.
for their Protector is powerful and he will plead their case against you.
12 Apply your heart to instruction, and your ears to the words of knowledge.
Focus your mind on instruction; listen intently to words of knowledge.
13 Withhold not correction from the child: for if you beat him with the rod, he shall not die.
Don't keep from disciplining your children—a beating won't kill them.
If you use physical correction you can save them from death. (Sheol h7585)
15 My son, if your heart be wise, my heart shall rejoice, even mine.
My son, if you think wisely then I'll be happy;
16 Yes, my reins shall rejoice, when your lips speak right things.
I'll be delighted when you say what's right.
17 Let not your heart envy sinners: but be you in the fear of the LORD all the day long.
Don't think enviously of sinners, but always remember to honor the Lord,
18 For surely there is an end; and your expectation shall not be cut off.
for there's definitely a future for you, and your hope will not be crushed.
19 Hear you, my son, and be wise, and guide your heart in the way.
Pay attention, my son, and be wise; make sure your mind concentrates on following the right way.
20 Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh:
Don't join in with people who drink too much wine or who stuff themselves with meat.
21 For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.
For people who get drunk and overeat lose all they've got, and they spend so much time dozing that all they have left to wear is rags.
22 Listen to your father that begat you, and despise not your mother when she is old.
Pay attention to your father, and don't disregard your mother when she's old.
23 Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.
Invest in truth—and don't sell it! Invest in wisdom, instruction, and understanding.
24 The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice: and he that begets a wise child shall have joy of him.
Children who do right make their fathers very happy; a wise son brings joy to his father.
25 Your father and your mother shall be glad, and she that bore you shall rejoice.
Make your father and mother happy; bring joy to her who gave birth to you.
26 My son, give me your heart, and let your eyes observe my ways.
My son, give me your undivided attention, and cheerfully follow my example.
27 For a whore is a deep ditch; and a strange woman is a narrow pit.
A prostitute is like being trapped in a pit; an immoral woman is like getting stuck a narrow well,
28 She also lies in wait as for a prey, and increases the transgressors among men.
Like a robber, she lies in wait ready to ambush men and make more of them unfaithful to their wives.
29 Who has woe? who has sorrow? who has contentions? who has babbling? who has wounds without cause? who has redness of eyes?
Who's in trouble? Who's in pain? Who's arguing? Who's complaining? Who's injured for no reason? Who's got bloodshot eyes?
30 They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine.
—those who spend a long time drinking wine, those who are always trying some new cocktail.
31 Look not you on the wine when it is red, when it gives his color in the cup, when it moves itself aright.
Don't let the look of wine tempt you—how red it is, how it sparkles in the cup, how smooth it feels as it goes down.
32 At the last it bites like a serpent, and stings like an adder.
In the end it bites like a serpent, it stings like a snake.
33 Your eyes shall behold strange women, and your heart shall utter perverse things.
You'll hallucinate, seeing strange things, and your confused mind will make you say all kinds of craziness.
34 Yes, you shall be as he that lies down in the middle of the sea, or as he that lies on the top of a mast.
You'll stumble around like you're on the rolling ocean, you'll be tossed about like someone lying down at the top of a ship's mast, saying,
35 They have stricken me, shall you 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.
“People punched me, but it didn't hurt me; they beat me, but I didn't feel a thing. I've got to get up because I need another drink.”
