Proverbs 23
1 When you sit to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what is before you:
When you sit down to dine with a ruler, consider carefully what is set before you,
2 And put a knife to your throat, if you be a man given to appetite.
and put a knife to your throat if you possess a great appetite.
3 Be not desirous of his dainties: for they are deceitful food.
Do not crave his delicacies, for that food is deceptive.
4 Labour not to be rich: cease from your own wisdom.
Do not wear yourself out to get rich; be wise enough to restrain yourself.
5 Will you set your eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.
When you glance at wealth, it disappears, for it makes wings for itself and flies like an eagle to the sky.
6 Eat you not the bread of him that has an evil eye, neither desire you his dainty meats:
Do not eat the bread of a stingy man, and do not crave his delicacies;
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 he is keeping track, inwardly counting the cost. “Eat and drink,” he says to you, but his heart is not with you.
8 The morsel which you have eaten shall you vomit up, and lose your sweet words.
You will vomit up what little you have eaten and waste your pleasant words.
9 Speak not in the ears of a fool: for he will despise the wisdom of your words.
Do not speak to a fool, for he will despise the wisdom of your words.
10 Remove not the old landmark; and enter not into the fields of the fatherless:
Do not move an ancient boundary stone or encroach on the fields of the fatherless,
11 For their redeemer is mighty; he shall plead their cause with you.
for their Redeemer is strong; He will take up their case against you.
12 Apply your heart unto instruction, and your ears to the words of knowledge.
Apply your heart to instruction and your ears to words of knowledge.
13 Withhold not correction from the child: for if you beat him with the rod, he shall not die.
Do not withhold discipline from a child; although you strike him with a rod, he will not die.
Strike him with a rod, and you will deliver his soul from Sheol. (Sheol h7585)
15 My son, if your heart be wise, my heart shall rejoice, even mine.
My son, if your heart is wise, my own heart will indeed rejoice.
16 Yea, my reins shall rejoice, when your lips speak right things.
My inmost being will rejoice when your lips speak what is right.
17 Let not your heart envy sinners: but be you in the fear of the LORD all the day long.
Do not let your heart envy sinners, but always continue in the fear of the LORD.
18 For surely there is an end; and your expectation shall not be cut off.
For surely there is a future, and your hope will not be cut off.
19 Hear you, my son, and be wise, and guide your heart in the way.
Listen, my son, and be wise, and guide your heart on the right course.
20 Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh:
Do not join those who drink too much wine or gorge themselves on meat.
21 For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.
For the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty, and drowsiness will clothe them in rags.
22 Hearken unto your father that brings forth you, and despise not your mother when she is old.
Listen to your father who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old.
23 Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.
Invest in truth and never sell it— in wisdom and instruction and understanding.
24 The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice: and he that bring forths a wise child shall have joy of him.
The father of a righteous man will greatly rejoice, and he who fathers a wise son will delight in him.
25 Your father and your mother shall be glad, and she that bare you shall rejoice.
May your father and mother be glad, and may she who gave you birth rejoice!
26 My son, give me your heart, and let your eyes observe my ways.
My son, give me your heart, and let your eyes delight in my ways.
27 For a whore is a deep ditch; and a strange woman is a narrow pit.
For a prostitute is a deep pit, and an adulteress is 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 and multiplies the faithless among men.
29 Who has woe? who has sorrow? who has contentions? who has babbling? who has wounds without cause? who has redness of eyes?
Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has contentions? Who has complaints? Who has needless wounds? Who has bloodshot eyes?
30 They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine.
Those who linger over wine, who go to taste mixed drinks.
31 Look not you upon the wine when it is red, when it gives his colour in the cup, when it moves itself aright.
Do not gaze at wine while it is red, when it sparkles in the cup and goes down smoothly.
32 At the last it bites like a serpent, and stings like an adder.
In the end it bites like a snake and stings like a viper.
33 your eyes shall behold strange women, and your heart shall utter perverse things.
Your eyes will see strange things, and your mind will utter perversities.
34 Yea, you shall be as he that lies down in the midst of the sea, or as he that lies upon the top of a mast.
You will be like one sleeping on the high seas or lying on the top of a mast:
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.
“They struck me, but I feel no pain! They beat me, but I did not know it! When can I wake up to search for another drink?”
