Proverbs 23
1 When you sit down to eat a meal with a (government official/king), think carefully about what (OR, who) is in front of you.
If you sit to sup at the table of a prince, consider attentively the things set before you:
2 [Even] if you (have a big appetite/want to eat a lot of food), restrain yourself.
and apply your hand, knowing that it behoves you to prepare such [meats]: but if you are very insatiable,
3 Do not want to eat [a lot of] his fine food, because he may be trying to trick you.
desire not his provisions; for these belong to a false life.
4 Do not [cause yourself to become very tired by] working very hard to become rich; be wise and stop doing that,
If you are poor, measure not yourself with a rich man; but refrain yourself in your wisdom.
5 because as soon as you look [MTY] at [all the money that you have acquired], it will be gone; it will [disappear as if it] suddenly grew wings [SIM] and flew up into the sky like an eagle.
If you should fix your eye upon him, he will disappear; for wings like an eagle's are prepared for him, and he returns to the house of his master.
6 [If] someone who is stingy [invites you to a meal], do not eat [a lot of] his fine food,
Sup not with an envious man, neither desire you his meats:
7 because he will be thinking about how much [the food cost that you are eating]. He [will] say to you, “Eat and drink all that you want!”, but that is not what he [will] really be thinking.
so he eats and drinks as if any one should swallow a hair, and do not bring him in to yourself, nor eat your morsel with him:
8 [When you realize what he is really thinking, it will cause you to want to] vomit what you have eaten; and your kind words [telling him that you are enjoying the meal] will be wasted.
for he will vomit it up, and spoil your fair words.
9 (Do not [waste time by]/It is useless) talking to foolish people; they will [only] despise the wise things that you say.
Say nothing in the ears of a fool, lest at any time he sneer at your wise words.
10 Do not [steal someone’s property by] removing a boundary marker that has been there for a long time, and do not take for yourself the land that belongs to orphans,
Remove not the ancient landmarks; and enter not upon the possession of the fatherless:
11 because Yahweh is strong, and he is [like] a relative that has the responsibility to defend them, he will [stand up in court and] argue for them and against you.
for the Lord is their redeemer; he is mighty, and will plead their cause with you.
12 Pay attention to what [your teachers] teach you, and try to learn from the wise things that they say.
Apply your heart to instruction, and prepare your ears for words of discretion.
13 Do not refuse to discipline your children; if you punish/spank them, it will not cause them to die,
Refrain not from chastening a child; for if you beat him with the rod, he shall not die.
For you shall beat him with the rod, and shall deliver his soul from death. (Sheol h7585)
15 My son/child, if you [SYN] become wise, I [SYN] will be very happy.
Son, if your heart be wise, you shall also gladden my heart;
16 I [SYN] will rejoice when I hear you [SYN] say what is right/wise.
and your lips shall converse with my lips, if they be right.
17 Do not envy sinful people; instead, revere Yahweh all of your life.
Let not your heart envy sinners: but be you in the fear of the Lord all the day.
18 [If you do that], you will be happy in the future, and [God] will certainly [do for you what you are] confidently expecting him to do.
For if you should keep these things, you shall have posterity; and your hope shall not be removed.
19 My son/child, listen carefully to me and become wise, and think about (all that you do/your behavior).
Hear, [my] son, and be wise, and rightly direct the thoughts of your heart.
20 Do not associate with those who drink a lot of (wine/strong drink) or with those who (are gluttons/eat more than they should),
Be not a wine-bibber, neither continue long at feasts, and purchases of flesh:
21 because drunkards and gluttons will become poor; and if all that you do is eat and sleep, you will [soon] (be wearing rags/not have any money to buy clothes).
for every drunkard and whoremonger shall be poor; and every sluggard shall clothe himself with tatters and ragged garments.
22 Pay attention to what your father tells you, and (do not neglect/take care of) [LIT] your mother when she is old.
Listen, [my] son, to your father which begot you, and despise not [your mother] because she is grown old.
23 Try to know/learn what is wise, and get good instruction and understanding; and do not throw those things away.
24 Righteous [children] will cause their parents to be very happy; those whose children are wise are proud of them.
A righteous father brings up [his children] well; and his soul rejoices over a wise son.
25 [Do what will] cause your father to be glad and enable your mother [also] to be happy.
Let your father and your mother rejoice over you, and let her that bore you be glad.
26 My son, heed what I say to you, and allow what I do to be an example for you.
[My] son, give me your heart, and let your eyes observe my ways.
27 Prostitutes and immoral women [DOU] are [like] [MET] a deep pit or a well [that you may fall into].
For a strange house is a vessel full of holes; and a strange well is narrow.
28 They wait [for you] like robbers [SIM], and they cause many men to (be unfaithful to/have sex with women who are not) their wives.
For such a one shall perish suddenly; and every transgressor shall be cut off.
29 I will tell you [RHQ] what kind of people are always miserable and sad. I will tell you [RHQ] which people are always causing arguments/quarrels and who are always complaining. I will tell you [RHQ] who are injured in fights and whose eyes are always red/bloodshot.
Who [has] woe? who trouble? who [has] quarrels? and who vexations and disputes? who [has] bruises without a cause? whose eyes are livid?
30 [It is] those who drink a lot of wine, who try drinking other kinds of strong drinks.
Are not those of them that stay long at wine? [are] not [those] of them that haunt [the places] where banquets are? Be not drunk with wine; but converse with just men, and converse [with them] openly.
31 Do not look with pleasure at red wine that looks nice, and which sparkles when it is [poured out] into cups, and which tastes good as you drink it,
For if you should set your eyes on bowls and cups, you shall afterwards go more naked than a pestle.
32 because the next morning [you will feel like] you have been bitten by a poisonous snake [DOU].
But at last [such a one] stretches himself out as one struck by a serpent, and venom is diffused through him as by a horned serpent.
33 You [SYN] will [think that you are] seeing strange/weird things, and you [SYN] will not be able to think clearly or speak clearly.
Whenever your eyes shall behold a strange woman, then your mouth shall speak perverse things.
34 You will think you are in a ship that is tossing on the sea; you be like [SIM] someone who is trying to sleep when the ship is rolling from one side to the other.
And you shall lie as in the midst of the sea, and as a pilot in a great storm.
35 You will say, “[I think that] someone struck me, but he did not hurt me; he hit me, but I did not feel it. When will I (wake up/feel normal again) in order that I can drink some more wine?”
And you shall say, They struck me, and I was not pained; and they mocked me, and I knew it not: when will it be morning, that I may go and seek those with whom I may go in company?
