Proverbs 23

Saying 7

¹When you sit to dine with a ruler,

note well what 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.

“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?”