< 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.
2 [Even] if you (have a big appetite/want to eat a lot of food), restrain yourself.
3 Do not want to eat [a lot of] his fine food, because he may be trying to trick you.
4 Do not [cause yourself to become very tired by] working very hard to become rich; be wise and stop doing that,
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.
6 [If] someone who is stingy [invites you to a meal], do not eat [a lot of] his fine food,
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.
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.
9 (Do not [waste time by]/It is useless) talking to foolish people; they will [only] despise the wise things that you say.
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,
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.
12 Pay attention to what [your teachers] teach you, and try to learn from the wise things that they say.
13 Do not refuse to discipline your children; if you punish/spank them, it will not cause them to die,
14 and it may save them from [going to] the place where dead people are. (Sheol )
15 My son/child, if you [SYN] become wise, I [SYN] will be very happy.
16 I [SYN] will rejoice when I hear you [SYN] say what is right/wise.
17 Do not envy sinful people; instead, revere Yahweh all of your life.
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.
19 My son/child, listen carefully to me and become wise, and think about (all that you do/your behavior).
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),
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).
22 Pay attention to what your father tells you, and (do not neglect/take care of) [LIT] 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.
24 Righteous [children] will cause their parents to be very happy; those whose children are wise are proud of them.
25 [Do what will] cause your father to be glad and enable your mother [also] to be happy.
26 My son, heed what I say to you, and allow what I do to be an example for you.
27 Prostitutes and immoral women [DOU] are [like] [MET] a deep pit or a well [that you may fall into].
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.
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.
30 [It is] those who drink a lot of wine, who try drinking other kinds of strong drinks.
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,
32 because the next morning [you will feel like] you have been bitten by a poisonous snake [DOU].
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.
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.
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?”
