Proverbs 23
23
1 When you sit to eat with a ruler,
you shall surely observe what is before you,
2and you shall put a knife to your throat
if you have a big appetite.#Literally “lord/master of life”
3Do not desire his delicacies,
for#Hebrew “and” it is food of deception.
4Do not tire in order to become rich;
out of your understanding, may you desist.
5Your eyes will alight#Literally “cause to fly” on it, but there is nothing to it,
for suddenly it will make for itself wings
like an eagle and it will be exhausted in the heavens.
6Do not eat the bread of the stingy,#Literally “stingy of eye”
and do not desire his delicacies.
7For, like hair in his throat,#Literally “soul,” or “inner self” so it is.#Or “is he”
“Eat and drink!” he will say to you,
but his heart will not be with you.
8Your morsel you have eaten, you will vomit it up,
and you will waste your pleasant words.
9In the ears of a fool do not speak,
for he will despise the wisdom of your words.
10Do not remove an ancient boundary marker,
and on the fields of orphans do not encroach;
11For their redeemer is strong,
he himself will plead their cause against you.
12Apply your heart#Or “mind” to instruction,
and your ear to sayings of knowledge.
13Do not withhold discipline from a child,
if you will beat him with the rod, he will not die.
14As for you, with the rod you shall beat him,
and his life#Or “soul,” or “inner self” you will save from Sheol.#A term for the place where the dead reside, i.e., the Underworld
15My child, if your heart#Or “mind” is wise,
my heart will be glad—even me!
16And my insides#Literally “kidneys” will rejoice
when your lips speak what is upright.
17May your heart#Or “mind” not envy the sinners,
but live in fear of Yahweh all day.#Literally “all the day”
18Surely#Literally “For if” there is a future,
and your hope will not be cut off.
19You, my child, hear and be wise,
and direct your heart#Or “mind” on the road.
20Do not be among drinkers of wine,
among gluttonous eaters of their meat.#Literally “meat for them”
21For the drunkard and gluttonous, they will become poor,
and with rags, drowsiness will clothe them.
22Listen to your father—he who gave you life,#Literally “caused you to be born”
and do not despise your mother when#Or “for, because” she is old.
23Buy truth and do not sell it,
wisdom and instruction and understanding.
24The father of the righteous will surely rejoice;
he who bears a wise person will be happy with him.
25May your father and your mother be glad,
and may she who bore you rejoice.
26My child, may you give your heart#Or “mind” to me,
and may your eyes delight in my ways.
27For a deep pit is a prostitute,#Or “whore”
and a narrow well is an adulteress.#Literally “a foreign woman”
28She is also like a robber lying in wait,
and the faithless among mankind she increases.
29To whom is woe? To whom is sorrow? To whom are quarrels? To whom is complaint?
To whom are wounds without cause? To whom is redness of the eyes?
30To those who linger over wine,
to those who come to try mixed wine.
31Do not look at wine when it is red,
when it sparkles#Literally “gives its eye” on the cup,
going down smoothly.
32In the end,#Literally “end him” it will bite like a serpent,
and it will sting like an adder.
33Your eyes will see strange things,
and your heart#Or “mind” will speak perverse things.
34And you will be like him who lies down in the heart of the sea,
and like him who lies down on top of a mast.
35“They struck me; I was not hurt. They beat me; I did not know it.
When I will awake, I will continue; I will seek it again.”
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Proverbs 23: LEB
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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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