નીતિવચનો 23
1 ૧ જ્યારે તું કોઈ અધિકારીની સાથે જમવા બેસે, ત્યારે તારી આગળ જે પીરસેલુ હોય તેનું ખૂબ ધ્યાનથી અવલોકન કર.
When you sit to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what is before you;
put a knife to your throat if you are a man given to appetite.
Don’t be desirous of his dainties, since they are deceitful food.
Don’t weary yourself to be rich. In your wisdom, show restraint.
5 ૫ જે કંઈ વિસાતનું નથી તે પર તું તારી દૃષ્ટિ ચોંટાડશે અને અચાનક દ્રવ્ય આકાશમાં ઊડી જશે અને ગરુડ પક્ષીના જેવી પાંખો નિશ્ચે ધારણ કરે છે.
Why do you set your eyes on that which is not? For it certainly sprouts wings like an eagle and flies in the sky.
Don’t eat the food of him who has a stingy eye, and don’t crave his delicacies,
7 ૭ કારણ કે જેવો તે વિચાર કરે છે, તેવો જ તે છે. તે તને કહે છે, “ખાઓ અને પીઓ!” પણ તેનું મન તારા પ્રત્યે નથી.
for as he thinks about the cost, so he is. “Eat and drink!” he says to you, but his heart is not with you.
You will vomit up the morsel which you have eaten and waste your pleasant words.
Don’t speak in the ears of a fool, for he will despise the wisdom of your words.
Don’t move the ancient boundary stone. Don’t encroach on the fields of the fatherless,
for their Defender is strong. He will plead their case against you.
Apply your heart to instruction, and your ears to the words of knowledge.
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)
My son, if your heart is wise, then my heart will be glad, even mine.
Yes, my heart will rejoice when your lips speak what is right.
Don’t let your heart envy sinners, but rather fear the LORD all day long.
Indeed surely there is a future hope, and your hope will not be cut off.
Listen, my son, and be wise, and keep your heart on the right path!
Don’t be among ones drinking too much wine, or those who gorge themselves on meat;
for the drunkard and the glutton shall become poor; and drowsiness clothes them in rags.
Listen to your father who gave you life, and don’t despise your mother when she is old.
Buy the truth, and don’t sell it. Get wisdom, discipline, and understanding.
The father of the righteous has great joy. Whoever fathers a wise child delights in him.
Let your father and your mother be glad! Let her who bore you rejoice!
My son, give me your heart; and let your eyes keep in my ways.
For a prostitute is a deep pit; and a wayward wife is a narrow well.
Yes, she lies in wait like a robber, and increases the unfaithful among men.
29 ૨૯ કોને અફસોસ છે? કોણ ગમગીન છે? કોણ ઝઘડે છે? કોણ ફરિયાદ કરે છે? કોણ વગર કારણે ઘવાય છે? કોની આંખોમાં રતાશ છે?
Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has strife? Who has complaints? Who has needless bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes?
Those who stay long at the wine; those who go to seek out mixed wine.
31 ૩૧ જ્યારે દ્રાક્ષારસ લાલ હોય, જ્યારે તે પ્યાલામાં પોતાનો રંગ પ્રકાશતો હોય અને જ્યારે તે સરળતાથી પેટમાં ઊતરતો હોય, ત્યારે તે પર દૃષ્ટિ ન કર.
Don’t look at the wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goes down smoothly.
In the end, it bites like a snake, and poisons like a viper.
Your eyes will see strange things, and your mind will imagine confusing things.
34 ૩૪ હા, કોઈ સમુદ્રમાં સૂતો હોય કે, કોઈ વહાણના સઢના થાંભલાની ટોચ પર આડો પડેલો હોય, તેના જેવો તું થશે.
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 ૩૫ તું કહેશે કે, “તેઓએ મારા પર પ્રહાર કર્યો!” “પણ મને વાગ્યું નહિ. તેઓએ મને માર્યો, પણ મને કંઈ ખબર પડી નહિ. હું ક્યારે જાગીશ? મારે ફરી એકવાર પીવું છે.”
“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.”
