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.23.5 set…: Heb. cause thine eyes to fly upon
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:23.10 landmark: or, bound 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.23.15 even…: or, even I will rejoice 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.23.18 end: or, reward
19Hear thou, my son, and be wise, and guide thine heart in the way. 20Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh:23.20 of flesh: Heb. of their flesh 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.23.28 as for…: or, as a robber
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.23.32 an…: or, a cockatrice 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.23.34 the midst…: Heb. the heart of the sea 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.23.35 I felt…: Heb. I knew it not
Saying 7
1When you sit down to eat with a ruler,
look carefully at what’s in front of you.
2Put a knife to your throat
if you like to eat too much.
3Don’t long for his fancy food.
It can fool you.
Saying 8
4Don’t wear yourself out to get rich.
Don’t trust how wise you think you are.
5When you take even a quick look at riches, they are gone.
They grow wings and fly away into the sky like an eagle.
Saying 9
6Don’t eat the food of anyone who doesn’t want to share it.
Don’t long for his fancy food.
7He is the kind of person
who is always thinking about how much it costs.
“Eat and drink,” he says to you.
But he doesn’t mean it.
8You will throw up what little you have eaten.
You will have wasted your words of praise.
Saying 10
9Don’t speak to foolish people.
They will laugh at your wise words.
Saying 11
10Don’t move old boundary stones.
Don’t try to take over the fields of children whose fathers have died.
11That’s because the God who guards them is strong.
He will stand up for them in court against you.
Saying 12
12Apply your heart to what you are taught.
Listen carefully to words of knowledge.
Saying 13
13Don’t hold back correction from a child.
If you correct them, they won’t die.
14So correct them.
Then you will save them from death.
Saying 14
15My son, if your heart is wise,
my heart will be very glad.
16Deep down inside, I will be happy
when you say what is right.
Saying 15
17Do not long for what sinners have.
But always show great respect for the Lord.
18There really is hope for you in days to come.
So your hope will not be cut off.
Saying 16
19My son, listen and be wise.
Set your heart on the right path.
20Don’t join those who drink too much wine.
Don’t join those who stuff themselves with meat.
21Those who drink or eat too much will become poor.
If they sleep too much, they’ll have to wear rags.
Saying 17
22Listen to your father, who gave you life.
Don’t hate your mother when she is old.
23Buy the truth and don’t sell it.
Get wisdom, instruction and understanding as well.
24The father of a godly child is very happy.
A man who has a wise son is glad.
25May your father and mother be glad.
May the woman who gave birth to you be joyful.
Saying 18
26My son, give me your heart.
May you be happy living the way you see me live.
27An unfaithful wife is like a deep pit.
A wife who commits adultery is like a narrow well.
28She hides and waits like a thief.
She causes many men to sin.
Saying 19
29Who has trouble? Who has sorrow?
Who argues? Who has problems?
Who has wounds for no reason? Who has red eyes?
30Those who spend too much time with wine.
Or those who like to taste wine mixed with spices.
31Don’t look at wine when it is red.
Don’t look at it when it bubbles in the cup.
And don’t look at it when it goes down smoothly.
32In the end it bites like a snake.
It bites like a poisonous serpent.
33Your eyes will see strange sights.
Your mind will imagine weird things.
34You will feel like someone sleeping on the ocean.
You will think you are lying among the ropes in a boat.
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?”
