Proverbs 23
1 When you sit to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what is before you:
When you sit to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what is before you;
2 And put a knife to your throat, if you be a man given to appetite.
put a knife to your throat, if you are a man given to appetite.
3 Be not desirous of his dainties: for they are deceitful food.
Don’t be desirous of his dainties, since they are deceitful food.
4 Labour not to be rich: cease from your own wisdom.
Don’t weary yourself to be rich. In your wisdom, show restraint.
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.
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 Eat you not the bread of him that has an evil eye, neither desire you his dainty meats:
Don’t eat the food of him who has a stingy eye, and don’t 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 as he thinks about the cost, so he is. “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.
The morsel which you have eaten you shall vomit up, and lose your good words.
9 Speak not in the ears of a fool: for he will despise the wisdom of your words.
Don’t speak in the ears of 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:
Don’t move the ancient boundary stone. Don’t encroach on the fields of the fatherless:
11 For their redeemer is mighty; he shall plead their cause with you.
for their Defender is strong. He will plead 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 the words of knowledge.
13 Withhold not correction from the child: for if you beat him with the rod, he shall not die.
Don’t 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 ·Place of the dead·. (Sheol h7585)
15 My son, if your heart be wise, my heart shall rejoice, even mine.
My son, if your heart is wise, then my heart will be glad, even mine:
16 Yea, my reins shall rejoice, when your lips speak right things.
yes, my heart 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.
Don’t let your heart envy people who sin ·intentionally miss the mark goal·; but rather fear Adonai all the day long.
18 For surely there is an end; and your expectation shall not be cut off.
Indeed surely there is a future hope, and your hope will not be cut off.
19 Hear you, my son, and be wise, and guide your heart in the way.
Sh'ma ·Hear obey·, my son, and be wise, and keep your heart on the right path!
20 Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh:
Don’t be among ones drinking too much wine, or those who 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 shall become poor; and drowsiness clothes them in rags.
22 Hearken unto your father that brings forth you, and despise not your mother when she is old.
Sh'ma ·Hear obey· your father who gave you life, and don’t despise your mother when she is old.
23 Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.
Buy the truth, and don’t sell it. Get wisdom, discipline, 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 the upright has great joy. Whoever fathers a wise child delights in him.
25 Your father and your mother shall be glad, and she that bare you shall rejoice.
Let your father and your mother be glad! Let her who bore you 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 keep 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 a wayward wife is a narrow well.
28 She also lies in wait as for a prey, and increases the transgressors among men.
Yes, she lies in wait like a robber, and increases the unfaithful 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 strife? Who has complaints? Who has needless bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes?
30 They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine.
Those who stay long at the wine; those who go to seek out mixed wine.
31 Look not you upon the wine when it is red, when it gives his colour in the cup, when it moves itself aright.
Don’t look at the wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it 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 poisons 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 imagine confusing things.
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.
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 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 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.”
