Proverbs 23
1 When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what is before thee:
When you sit to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what is before you:
2 And put a knife to thy throat, if thou art a man given to appetite.
And put a knife to your throat, if you be a man given to appetite.
3 Be not desirous of his dainties: for they are deceitful food.
Be not desirous of his dainties: for they are deceitful meat.
4 Labour not to be rich: cease from thy own wisdom.
Labor not to be rich: cease from your own wisdom.
5 Wilt thou set thy eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make to themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.
Will you set your eyes on that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.
6 Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, neither desire thou his delicacies:
Eat you not the bread of him that has an evil eye, neither desire you his dainty meats:
7 For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.
For as he thinks in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, says he to you; but his heart is not with you.
8 The morsel which thou hast eaten shalt thou vomit up, and lose thy sweet words.
The morsel which you have eaten shall you vomit up, and lose your sweet words.
9 Speak not in the ears of a fool: for he will despise the wisdom of thy words.
Speak not 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:
Remove not the old landmark; and enter not into the fields of the fatherless:
11 For their redeemer is mighty; he shall plead their cause with thee.
For their redeemer is mighty; he shall plead their cause with you.
12 Apply thy heart to instruction, and thy 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 thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die.
Withhold not correction from the child: for if you beat him with the rod, he shall not die.
You shall beat him with the rod, and shall deliver his soul from hell. (Sheol h7585)
15 My son, if thy heart be wise, my heart shall rejoice, even mine.
My son, if your heart be wise, my heart shall rejoice, even mine.
16 Yea, my reins shall rejoice, when thy lips speak right things.
Yes, my reins shall rejoice, when your lips speak right things.
17 Let not thy heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the LORD all the day long.
Let not your heart envy sinners: but be you in the fear of the LORD all the day long.
18 For surely there is an end; and thy expectation shall not be cut off.
For surely there is an end; and your expectation shall not be cut off.
19 Hear thou, my son, and be wise, and guide thy heart in the way.
Hear you, my son, and be wise, and guide your heart in the way.
20 Be not among winebibbers; among gluttonous eaters of flesh:
Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh:
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 come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.
22 Hearken to thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old.
Listen to your father that begat you, and despise not your mother when she is old.
23 Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.
Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.
24 The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice: and he that begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him.
The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice: and he that begets a wise child shall have joy of him.
25 Thy father and thy mother shall be glad, and she that bore thee shall rejoice.
Your father and your mother shall be glad, and she that bore you shall rejoice.
26 My son, give me thy heart, and let thy eyes observe my ways.
My son, give me your heart, and let your eyes observe my ways.
27 For an harlot is a deep ditch; and an adulteress is a narrow pit.
For a whore is a deep ditch; and a strange woman is a narrow pit.
28 She also lieth in wait as for a prey, and increaseth the transgressors among men.
She also lies in wait as for a prey, and increases the transgressors among men.
29 Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes?
Who has woe? who has sorrow? who has contentions? who has babbling? who has wounds without cause? who has redness of eyes?
30 They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine.
They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine.
31 Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth its colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright.
Look not you on the wine when it is red, when it gives his color in the cup, when it moves itself aright.
32 At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder.
At the last it bites like a serpent, and stings like an adder.
33 Thy eyes shall behold strange things, and thy heart shall utter perverse things.
Your eyes shall behold strange women, and your heart shall utter perverse things.
34 And thou shalt be as he that lieth down in the midst of the sea, or as he that lieth upon the top of a mast.
Yes, you shall be as he that lies down in the middle of the sea, or as he that lies on the top of a mast.
35 They have stricken me, shalt thou 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 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.
