Proverbiorum 23
1 quando sederis ut comedas cum principe diligenter adtende quae posita sunt ante faciem tuam
When you sit down to dine with a ruler, consider carefully what is set before you,
2 et statue cultrum in gutture tuo si tamen habes in potestate animam tuam
and put a knife to your throat if you possess a great appetite.
3 ne desideres de cibis eius in quo est panis mendacii
Do not crave his delicacies, for that food is deceptive.
4 noli laborare ut diteris sed prudentiae tuae pone modum
Do not wear yourself out to get rich; be wise enough to restrain yourself.
5 ne erigas oculos tuos ad opes quas habere non potes quia facient sibi pinnas quasi aquilae et avolabunt in caelum
When you glance at wealth, it disappears, for it makes wings for itself and flies like an eagle to the sky.
6 ne comedas cum homine invido et ne desideres cibos eius
Do not eat the bread of a stingy man, and do not crave his delicacies;
7 quoniam in similitudinem arioli et coniectoris aestimat quod ignorat comede et bibe dicet tibi et mens eius non est tecum
for he is keeping track, inwardly counting the cost. “Eat and drink,” he says to you, but his heart is not with you.
8 cibos quos comederas evomes et perdes pulchros sermones tuos
You will vomit up what little you have eaten and waste your pleasant words.
9 in auribus insipientium ne loquaris quia despicient doctrinam eloquii tui
Do not speak to a fool, for he will despise the wisdom of your words.
10 ne adtingas terminos parvulorum et agrum pupillorum ne introeas
Do not move an ancient boundary stone or encroach on the fields of the fatherless,
11 propinquus enim eorum Fortis est et ipse iudicabit contra te causam illorum
for their Redeemer is strong; He will take up their case against you.
12 ingrediatur ad doctrinam cor tuum et aures tuae ad verba scientiae
Apply your heart to instruction and your ears to words of knowledge.
13 noli subtrahere a puero disciplinam si enim percusseris eum virga non morietur
Do not withhold discipline from a child; although you strike him with a rod, he will not die.
Strike him with a rod, and you will deliver his soul from Sheol. (Sheol h7585)
15 fili mi si sapiens fuerit animus tuus gaudebit tecum cor meum
My son, if your heart is wise, my own heart will indeed rejoice.
16 et exultabunt renes mei cum locuta fuerint rectum labia tua
My inmost being will rejoice when your lips speak what is right.
17 non aemuletur cor tuum peccatores sed in timore Domini esto tota die
Do not let your heart envy sinners, but always continue in the fear of the LORD.
18 quia habebis spem in novissimo et praestolatio tua non auferetur
For surely there is a future, and your hope will not be cut off.
19 audi fili mi et esto sapiens et dirige in via animum tuum
Listen, my son, and be wise, and guide your heart on the right course.
20 noli esse in conviviis potatorum nec in comesationibus eorum qui carnes ad vescendum conferunt
Do not join those who drink too much wine or gorge themselves on meat.
21 quia vacantes potibus et dantes symbola consumentur et vestietur pannis dormitatio
For the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty, and drowsiness will clothe them in rags.
22 audi patrem tuum qui genuit te et ne contemnas cum senuerit mater tua
Listen to your father who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old.
23 veritatem eme et noli vendere sapientiam et doctrinam et intellegentiam
Invest in truth and never sell it— in wisdom and instruction and understanding.
24 exultat gaudio pater iusti qui sapientem genuit laetabitur in eo
The father of a righteous man will greatly rejoice, and he who fathers a wise son will delight in him.
25 gaudeat pater tuus et mater tua et exultet quae genuit te
May your father and mother be glad, and may she who gave you birth rejoice!
26 praebe fili mi cor tuum mihi et oculi tui vias meas custodiant
My son, give me your heart, and let your eyes delight in my ways.
27 fovea enim profunda est meretrix et puteus angustus aliena
For a prostitute is a deep pit, and an adulteress is a narrow well.
28 insidiatur in via quasi latro et quos incautos viderit interficit
Like a robber she lies in wait and multiplies the faithless among men.
29 cui vae cuius patri vae cui rixae cui foveae cui sine causa vulnera cui suffusio oculorum
Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has contentions? Who has complaints? Who has needless wounds? Who has bloodshot eyes?
30 nonne his qui morantur in vino et student calicibus epotandis
Those who linger over wine, who go to taste mixed drinks.
31 ne intuearis vinum quando flavescit cum splenduerit in vitro color eius ingreditur blande
Do not gaze at wine while it is red, when it sparkles in the cup and goes down smoothly.
32 sed in novissimo mordebit ut coluber et sicut regulus venena diffundet
In the end it bites like a snake and stings like a viper.
33 oculi tui videbunt extraneas et cor tuum loquetur perversa
Your eyes will see strange things, and your mind will utter perversities.
34 et eris sicut dormiens in medio mari et quasi sopitus gubernator amisso clavo
You will be like one sleeping on the high seas or lying on the top of a mast:
35 et dices verberaverunt me sed non dolui traxerunt me et ego non sensi quando evigilabo et rursum vina repperiam
“They struck me, but I feel no pain! They beat me, but I did not know it! When can I wake up to search for another drink?”
