Proverbiorum 23
1 Quando sederis ut comedas cum principe, diligenter attende quae apposita sunt ante faciem tuam:
When you sit down for a meal with a ruler, look carefully at what is placed before you,
2 et statue cultrum in gutture tuo, si tamen habes in potestate animam tuam,
and cut down if you have a big appetite.
3 ne desideres de cibis eius, in quo est panis mendacii.
Don't be greedy for his fancy food, for it's offered with deceptive motives.
4 Noli laborare ut diteris: sed prudentiae tuae pone modum.
Don't wear yourself out trying to get rich—be wise enough not to bother!
5 Ne erigas oculos tuos ad opes, quas non potes habere: quia facient sibi pennas quasi aquilae, et volabunt in caelum.
It disappears in the blink of an eye, suddenly growing wings and flying off into the sky like an eagle.
6 Ne comedas cum homine invido, et ne desideres cibos eius:
Don't accept meal invitations from miserly people; don't be greedy for their fancy food,
7 quoniam in similitudinem arioli, et coniectoris, aestimat quod ignorat. Comede et bibe, dicet tibi: et mens eius non est tecum.
for what they're thinking inside is what they really are. They say, “Come on, eat and drink!”—but in their minds they don't really care about you.
8 Cibos, quos comederas, evomes: et perdes pulchros sermones tuos.
You'll vomit up the little pieces you've eaten, and your kind words of appreciation will be wasted.
9 In auribus insipientium ne loquaris: qui despicient doctrinam eloquii tui.
Don't talk to stupid people because they'll ridicule your wise words.
10 Ne attingas parvulorum terminos: et agrum pupillorum ne introeas:
Don't move ancient boundary markers, and don't encroach on fields belonging to orphans,
11 Propinquus enim illorum fortis est: et ipse iudicabit contra te causam illorum.
for their Protector is powerful and he will plead their case against you.
12 Ingrediatur ad doctrinam cor tuum: et aures tuae ad verba scientiae.
Focus your mind on instruction; listen intently to words of knowledge.
13 Noli subtrahere a puero disciplinam: si enim percusseris eum virga, non morietur.
Don't keep from disciplining your children—a beating won't kill them.
If you use physical correction you can save them from death. (Sheol h7585)
15 Fili mi, si sapiens fuerit animus tuus, gaudebit tecum cor meum:
My son, if you think wisely then I'll be happy;
16 et exultabunt renes mei, cum locuta fuerint recta labia tua.
I'll be delighted when you say what's right.
17 Non aemuletur cor tuum peccatores: sed in timore Domini esto tota die:
Don't think enviously of sinners, but always remember to honor the Lord,
18 quia habebis spem in novissimo, et praestolatio tua non auferetur.
for there's definitely a future for you, and your hope will not be crushed.
19 Audi fili mi, et esto sapiens: et dirige in via animum tuum.
Pay attention, my son, and be wise; make sure your mind concentrates on following the right way.
20 Noli esse in conviviis potatorum, nec in comessationibus eorum, qui carnes ad vescendum conferunt:
Don't join in with people who drink too much wine or who stuff themselves with meat.
21 quia vacantes potibus, et dantes symbola consumentur, et vestietur pannis dormitatio.
For people who get drunk and overeat lose all they've got, and they spend so much time dozing that all they have left to wear is rags.
22 Audi patrem tuum, qui genuit te: et ne contemnas cum senuerit mater tua.
Pay attention to your father, and don't disregard your mother when she's old.
23 Veritatem eme, et noli vendere sapientiam, et doctrinam, et intelligentiam.
Invest in truth—and don't sell it! Invest in wisdom, instruction, and understanding.
24 Exultat gaudio pater iusti: qui sapientem genuit, laetabitur in eo.
Children who do right make their fathers very happy; a wise son brings joy to his father.
25 Gaudeat pater tuus, et mater tua, et exultet quae genuit te.
Make your father and mother happy; bring joy to her who gave birth to you.
26 Praebe fili mi cor tuum mihi: et oculi tui vias meas custodiant.
My son, give me your undivided attention, and cheerfully follow my example.
27 Fovea enim profunda est meretrix: et puteus angustus, aliena.
A prostitute is like being trapped in a pit; an immoral woman is like getting stuck a narrow well,
28 Insidiatur in via quasi latro, et quos incautos viderit, interficiet.
Like a robber, she lies in wait ready to ambush men and make more of them unfaithful to their wives.
29 Cui vae? cuius patri vae? cui rixae? cui foveae? cui sine causa vulnera? cui suffusio oculorum?
Who's in trouble? Who's in pain? Who's arguing? Who's complaining? Who's injured for no reason? Who's got bloodshot eyes?
30 Nonne his, qui commorantur in vino, et student calicibus epotandis?
—those who spend a long time drinking wine, those who are always trying some new cocktail.
31 Ne intuearis vinum quando flavescit, cum splenduerit in vitro color eius: ingreditur blande,
Don't let the look of wine tempt you—how red it is, how it sparkles in the cup, how smooth it feels as it goes down.
32 sed in novissimo mordebit ut coluber, et sicut regulus venena diffundet.
In the end it bites like a serpent, it stings like a snake.
33 Oculi tui videbunt extraneas, et cor tuum loquetur perversa.
You'll hallucinate, seeing strange things, and your confused mind will make you say all kinds of craziness.
34 Et eris sicut dormiens in medio mari, et quasi sopitus gubernator, amisso clavo:
You'll stumble around like you're on the rolling ocean, you'll be tossed about like someone lying down at the top of a ship's mast, saying,
35 et dices: Verberaverunt me, sed non dolui: traxerunt me, et ego non sensi: quando evigilabo, et rursus vina reperiam?
“People punched me, but it didn't hurt me; they beat me, but I didn't feel a thing. I've got to get up because I need another drink.”
