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.
When you sit to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what is before you;
2 [Even] if you (have a big appetite/want to eat a lot of food), restrain yourself.
put a knife to your throat if you are a man given to appetite.
3 Do not want to eat [a lot of] his fine food, because he may be trying to trick you.
Don’t be desirous of his dainties, since they are deceitful food.
4 Do not [cause yourself to become very tired by] working very hard to become rich; be wise and stop doing that,
Don’t weary yourself to be rich. In your wisdom, show restraint.
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.
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 [If] someone who is stingy [invites you to a meal], do not eat [a lot of] his fine food,
Don’t eat the food of him who has a stingy eye, and don’t crave his delicacies,
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.
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 [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.
You will vomit up the morsel which you have eaten and waste your pleasant words.
9 (Do not [waste time by]/It is useless) talking to foolish people; they will [only] despise the wise things that you say.
Don’t speak in the ears of a fool, for he will despise the wisdom of your 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,
Don’t move the ancient boundary stone. Don’t encroach on the fields 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 their Defender is strong. He will plead their case against 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 your ears to the words of knowledge.
13 Do not refuse to discipline your children; if you punish/spank them, it will not cause them to 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. (Sheol h7585)
15 My son/child, if you [SYN] become wise, I [SYN] will be very happy.
My son, if your heart is wise, then my heart will be glad, even mine.
16 I [SYN] will rejoice when I hear you [SYN] say what is right/wise.
Yes, my heart will rejoice when your lips speak what is right.
17 Do not envy sinful people; instead, revere Yahweh all of your life.
Don’t let your heart envy sinners, but rather fear the LORD all day long.
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.
Indeed surely there is a future hope, and your hope will not be cut off.
19 My son/child, listen carefully to me and become wise, and think about (all that you do/your behavior).
Listen, my son, and be wise, and keep your heart on the right path!
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),
Don’t be amongst ones drinking too much wine, or those who gorge themselves on meat;
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 the drunkard and the glutton shall become poor; and drowsiness clothes them in rags.
22 Pay attention to what your father tells you, and (do not neglect/take care of) [LIT] your mother when she is old.
Listen to your father who gave you life, and don’t despise your mother when she is old.
23 Try to know/learn what is wise, and get good instruction and understanding; and do not throw those things away.
Buy the truth, and don’t sell it. Get wisdom, discipline, and understanding.
24 Righteous [children] will cause their parents to be very happy; those whose children are wise are proud of them.
The father of the righteous has great joy. Whoever fathers a wise child delights in him.
25 [Do what will] cause your father to be glad and enable your mother [also] to be happy.
Let your father and your mother be glad! Let her who bore you rejoice!
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 keep in my ways.
27 Prostitutes and immoral women [DOU] are [like] [MET] a deep pit or a well [that you may fall into].
For a prostitute is a deep pit; and a wayward wife is a narrow well.
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.
Yes, she lies in wait like a robber, and increases the unfaithful amongst men.
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 has sorrow? Who has strife? Who has complaints? Who has needless bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes?
30 [It is] those who drink a lot of wine, who try drinking other kinds of strong drinks.
Those who stay long at the wine; those who go to seek out mixed wine.
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,
Don’t look at the wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goes down smoothly.
32 because the next morning [you will feel like] you have been bitten by a poisonous snake [DOU].
In the end, it bites like a snake, and poisons like a viper.
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.
Your eyes will see strange things, and your mind will imagine confusing 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.
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 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?”
“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 will look for more.”
