Proverbs 23
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 given to appetite.
3 # ver. 6 Do not desire his delicacies,
for they are deceptive food.
4 # ch. 15:27; 28:20; Matt. 6:19; 1 Tim. 6:9, 10; Heb. 13:5 Do not toil to acquire wealth;
# [ch. 3:5, 7; 26:12; Isa. 5:21; Rom. 12:16] be discerning enough to desist.
5When your eyes light on it, it is gone,
# ch. 27:24 for suddenly it sprouts wings,
flying like an eagle toward heaven.
6 # [Ps. 141:4] Do not eat the bread of a man who is #ch. 28:22; Deut. 15:9 stingy;#23:6 Hebrew whose eye is evil
# ver. 3 do not desire his delicacies,
7for he is like one who is inwardly calculating.#23:7 Or for as he calculates in his soul, so is he
“Eat and drink!” he says to you,
but his #[Ps. 12:2]heart is not with you.
8You will vomit up the morsels that you have eaten,
and waste your pleasant words.
9Do not speak in the hearing of a fool,
for he will despise the good sense of your words.
10 # See ch. 22:28 Do not move an ancient landmark
or enter the fields of the fatherless,
11for their #[Ex. 6:6]; See Job 19:25 Redeemer is strong;
he will #See ch. 22:23plead their cause against you.
12Apply your heart to instruction
and your ear to words of knowledge.
13Do not withhold #See ch. 13:24 discipline from a child;
# [ch. 19:18] if you strike him with a rod, he will not die.
14If you strike him with the rod,
you will #[1 Cor. 5:5]save his soul from Sheol.
15 # ver. 24, 25; See ch. 29:3 My son, if your heart is wise,
my heart too will be glad.
16My #Ps. 7:9; 73:21 inmost being#23:16 Hebrew My kidneys will exult
when your lips speak #[ch. 8:6]what is right.
17Let not your heart #See Ps. 37:1 envy sinners,
but continue in #[ch. 28:14]the fear of the Lord all the day.
18Surely #ch. 24:14, 20 there is a future,
and your #Ps. 9:18hope will not be cut off.
19Hear, my son, and #ch. 6:6 be wise,
and #[ch. 9:6]direct your heart in the way.
20Be not among #[ver. 29, 30; Isa. 5:11, 22; Matt. 24:49; Luke 21:34; Rom. 13:13; Eph. 5:18] drunkards#23:20 Hebrew those who drink too much wine
or among #ch. 28:7gluttonous eaters of meat,
21for the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty,
and #[ch. 6:10, 11]slumber will clothe them with rags.
22 # See ch. 1:8 Listen to your father who gave you life,
# [ch. 30:17] and do not despise your mother when she is old.
23 # [ch. 4:5, 7; 18:15; Matt. 13:44] Buy truth, and do not sell it;
buy wisdom, instruction, and understanding.
24 # ver. 15; See ch. 29:3 The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice;
he who fathers a wise son will be glad in him.
25 # [See ver. 24 above] Let your father and mother be glad;
let #ch. 17:25her who bore you rejoice.
26My son, give me your heart,
and let your eyes observe#23:26 Or delight in my ways.
27For a prostitute is #[ch. 22:14] a deep pit;
# See ch. 2:16 an adulteress#23:27 Hebrew a foreign woman is a narrow #Ps. 55:23well.
28 # ch. 7:12; [Eccles. 7:26] She lies in wait like a robber
and increases the traitors among mankind.
29 # [ver. 20, 21] Who has woe? Who has sorrow?
Who has strife? Who has complaining?
Who has #[ver. 35] wounds without cause?
Who has #Gen. 49:12redness of eyes?
30Those who #Isa. 5:11 tarry long over wine;
those who go to try #ch. 9:2, 5; Ps. 75:8; Isa. 5:22; 65:11mixed wine.
31Do not look at wine when it is red,
when it sparkles in the cup
and goes down smoothly.
32In the end it #Job 20:16bites like a serpent
and stings like an adder.
33Your eyes will see strange things,
and your heart utter #See ch. 2:12perverse 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 Or of the rigging
35“They #Jer. 5:3; [ver. 29] struck me,” you will say,#23:35 Hebrew lacks you will say “but I was not hurt;
they beat me, but I did not feel it.
When shall I awake?
I #Isa. 56:12must have another drink.”
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Proverbs 23: ESV
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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
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Proverbs 23
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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