Proverbs 23

1When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what is before thee:

2And put a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man given to appetite.

3Be not desirous of his dainties: for they are deceitful meat.

4Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom.

5Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.footnote a

6Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, neither desire thou his dainty meats:

7For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.

8The morsel which thou hast eaten shalt thou vomit up, and lose thy sweet words.

9Speak not in the ears of a fool: for he will despise the wisdom of thy words.

10Remove not the old landmark; and enter not into the fields of the fatherless:footnote b

11For their redeemer is mighty; he shall plead their cause with thee.

12Apply thine heart unto instruction, and thine ears to the words of knowledge.

13Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die.

14Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell.

15My son, if thine heart be wise, my heart shall rejoice, even mine.footnote c

16Yea, my reins shall rejoice, when thy lips speak right things.

17Let not thine heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the LORD all the day long.

18For surely there is an end; and thine expectation shall not be cut off.footnote d

19Hear thou, my son, and be wise, and guide thine heart in the way.

20Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh:footnote e

21For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.

22Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old.

23Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.

24The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice: and he that begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him.

25Thy father and thy mother shall be glad, and she that bare thee shall rejoice.

26My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways.

27For a whore is a deep ditch; and a strange woman is a narrow pit.

28She also lieth in wait as for a prey, and increaseth the transgressors among men.footnote f

29Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes?

30They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine.

31Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright.

32At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder.footnote g

33Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things.

34Yea, thou shalt be as he that lieth down in the midst of the sea, or as he that lieth upon the top of a mast.footnote h

35They have stricken me, shalt thou say, and I was not sick; they have beaten me, and I felt it not: when shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.footnote i

True Riches

Saying 7

1When you sit down to dine with a ruler,consider carefully what is set before you,footnote a 2and put a knife to your throatif you possess a great appetite. 3Do not crave his delicacies,for that food is deceptive.

Saying 8

4Do not wear yourself out to get rich;be wise enough to restrain yourself. 5When you glance at wealth, it disappears,for it makes wings for itselfand flies like an eagle to the sky.

Saying 9

6Do not eat the bread of a stingy man,footnote band do not crave his delicacies; 7for he is keeping track,inwardly counting the cost.footnote c“Eat and drink,” he says to you,but his heart is not with you. 8You will vomit up what little you have eatenand waste your pleasant words.

Saying 10

9Do not speak to a fool,for he will despise the wisdom of your words.

Saying 11

10Do not move an ancient boundary stoneor encroach on the fields of the fatherless, 11for their Redeemer is strong;He will take up their case against you.

Saying 12

12Apply your heart to instructionand your ears to words of knowledge.

Saying 13

13Do not withhold discipline from a child;although you strike him with a rod, he will not die. 14Strike him with a rod,and you will deliver his soul from Sheol.

Saying 14

15My son, if your heart is wise,my own heart will indeed rejoice. 16My inmost beingfootnote dwill rejoicewhen your lips speak what is right.

Saying 15

17Do not let your heart envy sinners,but always continue in the fear of the LORD. 18For surely there is a future,and your hope will not be cut off.

Saying 16

19Listen, my son, and be wise,and guide your heart on the right course. 20Do not join those who drink too much wineor gorge themselves on meat. 21For the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty,and drowsiness will clothe them in rags.

Saying 17

22Listen to your father who gave you life,and do not despise your mother when she is old. 23Invest in truth and never sell it—in wisdom and instruction and understanding. 24The father of a righteous man will greatly rejoice,and he who fathers a wise son will delight in him. 25May your father and mother be glad,and may she who gave you birth rejoice!

Saying 18

26My son, give me your heart,and let your eyes delight in my ways. 27For a prostitute is a deep pit,and an adulteressfootnote eis a narrow well. 28Like a robber she lies in waitand multiplies the faithless among men.

Saying 19

29Who has woe? Who has sorrow?Who has contentions? Who has complaints?Who has needless wounds? Who has bloodshot eyes? 30Those who linger over wine,who go to taste mixed drinks. 31Do not gaze at wine while it is red,when it sparkles in the cupand goes down smoothly. 32In the end it bites like a snakeand stings like a viper. 33Your eyes will see strange things,and your mind will utter perversities. 34You will be like one sleeping on the high seasor lying on the top of a mast: 35“They struck me, but I feel no pain!They beat me, but I did not know it!When can I wake upto search for another drink?”