Proverbs 23

1When you sit down to eat with a ruler,

observe carefully what#23.1 Or who is before you;

2and put a knife to your throat

if you are a man given to appetite.

3Do not desire his delicacies,

for they are deceptive food.

4Do not toil to acquire wealth;

be wise enough to desist.

5When your eyes light upon it, it is gone;

for suddenly it takes to itself wings,

flying like an eagle toward heaven.

6Do not eat the bread of a man who is stingy;

do not desire his delicacies;

7for he is like one who is inwardly reckoning.#23.7 Heb obscure

“Eat and drink!” he says to you;

but his heart is not with you.

8You will vomit up the morsels which you have eaten,

and waste your pleasant words.

9Do not speak in the hearing of a fool,

for he will despise the wisdom of your words.

10Do not remove an ancient landmark

or enter the fields of the fatherless;

11for their Redeemer is strong;

he will plead their cause against you.

12Apply your mind to instruction

and your ear to words of knowledge.

13Do not withhold discipline from a child;

if you beat him with a rod, he will not die.

14If you beat him with the rod

you will save his life from Sheol.

15My son, if your heart is wise,

my heart too will be glad.

16My soul will rejoice

when your lips speak what is right.

17Let not your heart envy sinners,

but continue in the fear of the Lord all the day.

18Surely there is a future,

and your hope will not be cut off.

19Hear, my son, and be wise,

and direct your mind in the way.

20Be not among winebibbers,

or among gluttonous eaters of meat;

21for the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty,

and drowsiness will clothe a man with rags.

22Hearken to your father who begot you,

and do not despise your mother when she is old.

23Buy truth, and do not sell it;

buy wisdom, instruction, and understanding.

24The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice;

he who begets a wise son will be glad in him.

25Let your father and mother be glad,

let her who bore you rejoice.

26My son, give me your heart,

and let your eyes observe#23.26 Another reading is delight in my ways.

27For a harlot is a deep pit;

an adventuress is a narrow well.

28She lies in wait like a robber

and increases the faithless among men.

29Who has woe? Who has sorrow?

Who has strife? Who has complaining?

Who has wounds without cause?

Who has redness of eyes?

30Those who tarry long over wine,

those who go to try mixed wine.

31Do not look at wine when it is red,

when it sparkles in the cup

and goes down smoothly.

32At the last it bites like a serpent,

and stings like an adder.

33Your eyes will see strange things,

and your mind utter perverse things.

34You will be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea,

like one who lies on the top of a mast.#23.34 Heb obscure

35“They struck me,” you will say,#23.35 Gk Syr Vg Tg: Heb lacks you will say “but I was not hurt;

they beat me, but I did not feel it.

When shall I awake?

I will seek another drink.”

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Proverbs 23: RSV

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Proverbs 23

Saying 7

1When you sit to dine with a ruler,

note well what#23:1 Or who is before you,

2and put a knife to your throat

if you are given to gluttony.

3Do not crave his delicacies,

for that food is deceptive.

Saying 8

4Do not wear yourself out to get rich;

do not trust your own cleverness.

5Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone,

for they will surely sprout wings

and fly off to the sky like an eagle.

Saying 9

6Do not eat the food of a begrudging host,

do not crave his delicacies;

7for he is the kind of person

who is always thinking about the cost.#23:7 Or for as he thinks within himself, / so he is; or for as he puts on a feast, / so he is

“Eat and drink,” he says to you,

but his heart is not with you.

8You will vomit up the little you have eaten

and will have wasted your compliments.

Saying 10

9Do not speak to fools,

for they will scorn your prudent words.

Saying 11

10Do not move an ancient boundary stone

or encroach on the fields of the fatherless,

11for their Defender is strong;

he will take up their case against you.

Saying 12

12Apply your heart to instruction

and your ears to words of knowledge.

Saying 13

13Do not withhold discipline from a child;

if you punish them with the rod, they will not die.

14Punish them with the rod

and save them from death.

Saying 14

15My son, if your heart is wise,

then my heart will be glad indeed;

16my inmost being will rejoice

when your lips speak what is right.

Saying 15

17Do not let your heart envy sinners,

but always be zealous for the fear of the Lord.

18There is surely a future hope for you,

and your hope will not be cut off.

Saying 16

19Listen, my son, and be wise,

and set your heart on the right path:

20Do not join those who drink too much wine

or gorge themselves on meat,

21for drunkards and gluttons become poor,

and drowsiness clothes them in rags.

Saying 17

22Listen to your father, who gave you life,

and do not despise your mother when she is old.

23Buy the truth and do not sell it—

wisdom, instruction and insight as well.

24The father of a righteous child has great joy;

a man who fathers a wise son rejoices in him.

25May your father and mother rejoice;

may she who gave you birth be joyful!

Saying 18

26My son, give me your heart

and let your eyes delight in my ways,

27for an adulterous woman is a deep pit,

and a wayward wife is a narrow well.

28Like a bandit she lies in wait

and multiplies the unfaithful among men.

Saying 19

29Who has woe? Who has sorrow?

Who has strife? Who has complaints?

Who has needless bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes?

30Those who linger over wine,

who go to sample bowls of mixed wine.

31Do not gaze at wine when it is red,

when it sparkles in the cup,

when it goes down smoothly!

32In the end it bites like a snake

and poisons like a viper.

33Your eyes will see strange sights,

and your mind will imagine confusing things.

34You will be like one sleeping on the high seas,

lying on top of the rigging.

35“They hit me,” you will say, “but I’m not hurt!

They beat me, but I don’t feel it!

When will I wake up

so I can find another drink?”

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