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 put a knife to your throat if you are a man given to appetite.
And put a knife to your throat, if you be a man given to appetite.
3 Don’t be desirous of his dainties, since they are deceitful food.
Be not desirous of his dainties: for they are deceitful meat.
4 Don’t weary yourself to be rich. In your wisdom, show restraint.
Labor not to be rich: cease from your own wisdom.
5 Why do you set your eyes on that which is not? For it certainly sprouts wings like an eagle and flies in the sky.
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 Don’t eat the food of him who has a stingy eye, and don’t crave his delicacies,
Eat you not the bread of him that has an evil eye, neither desire you his dainty meats:
7 for as he thinks about the cost, so he is. “Eat and drink!” he says to you, but his heart is not with you.
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 You will vomit up the morsel which you have eaten and waste your pleasant words.
The morsel which you have eaten shall you vomit up, and lose your sweet words.
9 Don’t speak in the ears of a fool, for he will despise the wisdom of your words.
Speak not in the ears of a fool: for he will despise the wisdom of your words.
10 Don’t move the ancient boundary stone. Don’t encroach on the fields of the fatherless,
Remove not the old landmark; and enter not into the fields of the fatherless:
11 for their Defender is strong. He will plead their case against you.
For their redeemer is mighty; he shall plead their cause with you.
12 Apply your heart to instruction, and your ears to the words of knowledge.
Apply your heart to instruction, and your ears to the words of knowledge.
13 Don’t withhold correction from a child. If you punish him with the rod, he will 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 your heart is wise, then my heart will be glad, even mine.
My son, if your heart be wise, my heart shall rejoice, even mine.
16 Yes, my heart will rejoice when your lips speak what is right.
Yes, my reins shall rejoice, when your lips speak right things.
17 Don’t let your heart envy sinners, but rather fear the LORD all day long.
Let not your heart envy sinners: but be you in the fear of the LORD all the day long.
18 Indeed surely there is a future hope, and your hope will not be cut off.
For surely there is an end; and your expectation shall not be cut off.
19 Listen, my son, and be wise, and keep your heart on the right path!
Hear you, my son, and be wise, and guide your heart in the way.
20 Don’t be amongst ones drinking too much wine, or those who gorge themselves on meat;
Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh:
21 for the drunkard and the glutton shall become poor; and drowsiness clothes them in rags.
For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.
22 Listen to your father who gave you life, and don’t despise your 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 don’t sell it. Get wisdom, discipline, and understanding.
Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.
24 The father of the righteous has great joy. Whoever fathers a wise child delights in him.
The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice: and he that begets a wise child shall have joy of him.
25 Let your father and your mother be glad! Let her who bore you rejoice!
Your father and your mother shall be glad, and she that bore you shall rejoice.
26 My son, give me your heart; and let your eyes keep in my ways.
My son, give me your heart, and let your eyes observe my ways.
27 For a prostitute is a deep pit; and a wayward wife is a narrow well.
For a whore is a deep ditch; and a strange woman is a narrow pit.
28 Yes, she lies in wait like a robber, and increases the unfaithful amongst men.
She also lies in wait as for a prey, and increases the transgressors among men.
29 Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has strife? Who has complaints? Who has needless bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes?
Who has woe? who has sorrow? who has contentions? who has babbling? who has wounds without cause? who has redness of eyes?
30 Those who stay long at the wine; those who go to seek out mixed wine.
They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine.
31 Don’t look at the wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goes down smoothly.
Look not you on the wine when it is red, when it gives his color in the cup, when it moves itself aright.
32 In the end, it bites like a snake, and poisons like a viper.
At the last it bites like a serpent, and stings like an adder.
33 Your eyes will see strange things, and your mind will imagine confusing things.
Your eyes shall behold strange women, and your heart shall utter perverse things.
34 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:
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 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.”
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.
