Proverbs 23
23
1When you sit down to eat with a ruler,
pay close attention to what is in front of you,
2and put a knife to your throat if you have a big appetite.
3Do not crave his delicacies,
because this is food that deceives you.
4Do not wear yourself out getting rich.
Be smart enough to stop.
5Will you catch only a fleeting glimpse of wealth before it is gone?
It makes wings for itself like an eagle flying into the sky.
6Do not eat the food of one who is stingy,
and do not crave his delicacies.
7As he calculates the cost to himself, this is what he does:
He tells you, “Eat and drink,”
but he doesn’t really mean it.
8You will vomit the little bit you have eaten
and spoil your pleasant conversation.
9Do not talk directly to a fool,
because he will despise the wisdom of your words.
10Do not move an ancient boundary marker
or enter fields that belong to orphans,
11because the one who is responsible for them is strong.
He will plead their case against you.
Learning from Your Father
12Live a more disciplined life,
and listen carefully to words of knowledge.
13Do not hesitate to discipline a child.
If you spank him, he will not die.
14Spank him yourself,
and you will save his soul from hell.
15My son,
if you have a wise heart,
my heart will rejoice as well.
16My heart rejoices when you speak what is right.
17Do not envy sinners in your heart.
Instead, continue to fear the Lord.
18There is indeed a future,
and your hope will never be cut off.
19My son,
listen, be wise,
and keep your mind going in the right direction.
20Do not associate with those who drink too much wine,
with those who eat too much meat,
21because both a drunk and a glutton will become poor.
Drowsiness will dress a person in rags.
22Listen to your father since you are his son,
and do not despise your mother because she is old.
23Buy truth (and do not sell it),
⌞that is,⌟ buy wisdom, discipline, and understanding.
24A righteous person’s father will certainly rejoice.
Someone who has a wise son will enjoy him.
25May your father and your mother be glad.
May she who gave birth to you rejoice.
26My son,
give me your heart.
Let your eyes find happiness in my ways.
27A prostitute is a deep pit.
A loose woman is a narrow well.
28She is like a robber, lying in ambush.
She spreads unfaithfulness throughout society.
29Who has trouble?
Who has misery?
Who has quarrels?
Who has a complaint?
Who has wounds for no reason?
Who has bloodshot eyes?
30Those who drink glass after glass of wine
and mix it with everything.
31Do not look at wine
because it is red,
because it sparkles in the cup,
because it goes down smoothly.
32Later it bites like a snake
and strikes like a poisonous snake.
33Your eyes will see strange sights,
and your mouth will say embarrassing things.
34You will be like someone lying down in the middle of the sea
or like someone lying down on top of a ship’s mast, saying,
35“They strike me, but I feel no pain.
They beat me, but I’m not aware of it.
Whenever I wake up, I’m going to look for another drink.”
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GOD'S WORD® Translation ©1995, 2003, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020 by God's Word to the Nations Mission Society. All rights reserved.
Proverbs 23
23
1When you sit down to dine with a ruler,
carefully consider what is in front of you.
2Place a knife at your throat
to control your appetite.
3Don’t long for the ruler’s delicacies;
the food misleads.
4Don’t wear yourself out trying to get rich;
be smart enough to stop.
5When your eyes fly to wealth
it is gone; it grows wings
like an eagle and flies heavenward.
6Don’t eat food with stingy people;
don’t long for their delicacies,
7because they are like a hair in the throat.#23.7 LXX; Heb uncertain
They say to you, “Eat and drink!”
but they don’t mean it.
8You will eat scraps and vomit them out.
You will waste your pleasant words.
9Don’t speak in the ears of fools,
for they will scorn your insightful words.
10Don’t remove an ancient boundary marker;
don’t invade the fields of orphans,
11for their redeemer is strong.
He will bring charges against you.
12Bring your mind to instruction,
your ear to knowledgeable sayings.
13Don’t withhold instruction from children;
if you strike them with a rod, they won’t die.
14Strike them with a rod,
and you will save their lives from the grave.#23.14 Heb Sheol
15My child, if your heart is wise,
then my heart too will be happy.
16My inner being will rejoice
when your lips speak with integrity.
17Don’t let your heart envy sinners,
but fear the LORD constantly;
18then you will have a future,
and your hope won’t be cut off.
19Listen, my child, and be wise!
Keep your mind straight on the path.
20Don’t hang out with those who get drunk on wine
or those who eat too much meat,
21because drunks and gluttons will be impoverished;
their stupor will clothe them in rags.
22Listen to your father, who gave you life;
don’t despise your elderly mother.
23Buy truth and don’t sell it;
buy wisdom, instruction, and understanding.
24The father of the righteous will be very happy;
the one who gives life to the wise will rejoice.
25Your father and your mother will rejoice;
she who gave you birth will be happy.
26My child, give your mind to me
and let your eyes keep to my path.
27A prostitute is a deep pit,
and a foreign woman is a narrow well.
28Indeed, she ambushes like a robber
and increases the number of the faithless.
29Who is suffering?
Who is uneasy?
Who has arguments?
Who has complaints?
Who has unnecessary wounds?
Who has glazed eyes?—
30those who linger over wine;
those who go looking for mixed wine.
31Don’t look at wine when it is red,
when it sparkles in the cup,
going down smoothly.
32In the end, it bites like a snake
and poisons like a viper.
33Your eyes will see strange things,
and your heart will speak distorted words.
34You will be like one who lies down while out on the sea#23.34 Or in the heart of the sea
or one who lies on top of a mast.
35“Though hit, I feel no pain;
though beaten up, I don’t know anything about it.
When I wake up,
I’ll look for wine again!”
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