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23 When you sit down to eat with a ruler,
    pay close attention to what is in front of you,
and put a knife to your throat if you have a big appetite.
Do not crave his delicacies,
    because this is food that deceives you.

Do not wear yourself out getting rich.
    Be smart enough to stop.
Will you catch only a fleeting glimpse of wealth before it is gone?
    It makes wings for itself like an eagle flying into the sky.

Do not eat the food of one who is stingy,
    and do not crave his delicacies.
As he calculates the cost to himself, this is what he does:
    He tells you, “Eat and drink,”
        but he doesn’t really mean it.
You will vomit the little bit you have eaten
    and spoil your pleasant conversation.

Do not talk directly to a fool,
    because he will despise the wisdom of your words.
10 Do not move an ancient boundary marker
    or enter fields that belong to orphans,
11 because the one who is responsible for them is strong.
    He will plead their case against you.

Learning from Your Father

12 Live a more disciplined life,
    and listen carefully to words of knowledge.
13 Do not hesitate to discipline a child.
    If you spank him, he will not die.
14 Spank him yourself,
    and you will save his soul from hell.

15 My son,
    if you have a wise heart,
        my heart will rejoice as well.
16 My heart rejoices when you speak what is right.

17 Do not envy sinners in your heart.
    Instead, continue to fear Yahweh.
18 There is indeed a future,
    and your hope will never be cut off.

19 My son,
    listen, be wise,
        and keep your mind going in the right direction.
20 Do not associate with those who drink too much wine,
    with those who eat too much meat,
21 because both a drunk and a glutton will become poor.
    Drowsiness will dress a person in rags.

22 Listen to your father since you are his son,
    and do not despise your mother because she is old.
23 Buy truth (and do not sell it),
    that is, buy wisdom, discipline, and understanding.
24 A righteous person’s father will certainly rejoice.
    Someone who has a wise son will enjoy him.
25 May your father and your mother be glad.
    May she who gave birth to you rejoice.

26 My son,
    give me your heart.
    Let your eyes find happiness in my ways.
27 A prostitute is a deep pit.
    A loose woman is a narrow well.
28 She is like a robber, lying in ambush.
    She spreads unfaithfulness throughout society.

29 Who has trouble?
    Who has misery?
    Who has quarrels?
    Who has a complaint?
    Who has wounds for no reason?
    Who has bloodshot eyes?
30 Those who drink glass after glass of wine
    and mix it with everything.
31 Do not look at wine
    because it is red,
    because it sparkles in the cup,
    because it goes down smoothly.
32 Later it bites like a snake
    and strikes like a poisonous snake.
33 Your eyes will see strange sights,
    and your mouth will say embarrassing things.
34 You 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.”

Saying 7

23 When you sit to dine with a ruler,
    note well what[a] is before you,
and put a knife to your throat
    if you are given to gluttony.
Do not crave his delicacies,(A)
    for that food is deceptive.

Saying 8

Do not wear yourself out to get rich;
    do not trust your own cleverness.
Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone,(B)
    for they will surely sprout wings
    and fly off to the sky like an eagle.(C)

Saying 9

Do not eat the food of a begrudging host,
    do not crave his delicacies;(D)
for he is the kind of person
    who is always thinking about the cost.[b]
“Eat and drink,” he says to you,
    but his heart is not with you.
You will vomit up the little you have eaten
    and will have wasted your compliments.

Saying 10

Do not speak to fools,
    for they will scorn your prudent words.(E)

Saying 11

10 Do not move an ancient boundary stone(F)
    or encroach on the fields of the fatherless,
11 for their Defender(G) is strong;(H)
    he will take up their case against you.(I)

Saying 12

12 Apply your heart to instruction(J)
    and your ears to words of knowledge.

Saying 13

13 Do not withhold discipline from a child;
    if you punish them with the rod, they will not die.
14 Punish them with the rod
    and save them from death.(K)

Saying 14

15 My son, if your heart is wise,
    then my heart will be glad indeed;
16 my inmost being will rejoice
    when your lips speak what is right.(L)

Saying 15

17 Do not let your heart envy(M) sinners,
    but always be zealous for the fear of the Lord.
18 There is surely a future hope for you,
    and your hope will not be cut off.(N)

Saying 16

19 Listen, my son,(O) and be wise,
    and set your heart on the right path:
20 Do not join those who drink too much wine(P)
    or gorge themselves on meat,
21 for drunkards and gluttons become poor,(Q)
    and drowsiness clothes them in rags.

Saying 17

22 Listen to your father, who gave you life,
    and do not despise your mother when she is old.(R)
23 Buy the truth and do not sell it—
    wisdom, instruction and insight as well.(S)
24 The father of a righteous child has great joy;
    a man who fathers a wise son rejoices in him.(T)
25 May your father and mother rejoice;
    may she who gave you birth be joyful!(U)

Saying 18

26 My son,(V) give me your heart
    and let your eyes delight in my ways,(W)
27 for an adulterous woman is a deep pit,(X)
    and a wayward wife is a narrow well.
28 Like a bandit she lies in wait(Y)
    and multiplies the unfaithful among men.

Saying 19

29 Who has woe? Who has sorrow?
    Who has strife? Who has complaints?
    Who has needless bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes?
30 Those who linger over wine,(Z)
    who go to sample bowls of mixed wine.
31 Do not gaze at wine when it is red,
    when it sparkles in the cup,
    when it goes down smoothly!
32 In the end it bites like a snake
    and poisons like a viper.
33 Your eyes will see strange sights,
    and your mind will imagine confusing things.
34 You 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?”(AA)

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 23:1 Or who
  2. Proverbs 23:7 Or for as he thinks within himself, / so he is; or for as he puts on a feast, / so he is