Proverbs 23
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1When you sit down to eat with a ruler, consider carefully what is before you, 1While dining with a ruler, pay attention to what is put before you.
2and put a knife to your throat if you possess a large appetite. 2If you are a big eater, put a knife to your throat;
3Do not crave that ruler's delicacies, for that food is deceptive. 3don’t desire all the delicacies, for he might be trying to trick you.
4Do not wear yourself out to become rich; be wise enough to restrain yourself. 4Don’t wear yourself out trying to get rich. Be wise enough to know when to quit.
5When you gaze upon riches, they are gone, for they surely make wings for themselves, and fly off into the sky like an eagle! 5In the blink of an eye wealth disappears, for it will sprout wings and fly away like an eagle.
6Do not eat the food of a stingy person, do not crave his delicacies; 6Don’t eat with people who are stingy; don’t desire their delicacies.
7for he is like someone calculating the cost in his mind. "Eat and drink," he says to you, but his heart is not with you; 7They are always thinking about how much it costs. “Eat and drink,” they say, but they don’t mean it.
8you will vomit up the little bit you have eaten, and will have wasted your pleasant words. 8You will throw up what little you’ve eaten, and your compliments will be wasted.
9Do not speak in the ears of a fool, for he will despise the wisdom of your words. 9Don’t waste your breath on fools, for they will despise the wisest advice.
10Do not move an ancient boundary stone, or take over the fields of the fatherless, 10Don’t cheat your neighbor by moving the ancient boundary markers; don’t take the land of defenseless orphans.
11for their Protector is strong; he will plead their case against you. 11For their Redeemer is strong; he himself will bring their charges against you.
12Apply your heart to instruction and your ears to the words of knowledge. 12Commit yourself to instruction; listen carefully to words of knowledge.
13Do not withhold discipline from a child; even if you strike him with the rod, he will not die. 13Don’t fail to discipline your children. The rod of punishment won’t kill them.
14If you strike him with the rod, you will deliver him from death. 14Physical discipline may well save them from death.
15My child, if your heart is wise, then my heart also will be glad; 15My child, if your heart is wise, my own heart will rejoice!
16my soul will rejoice when your lips speak what is right. 16Everything in me will celebrate when you speak what is right.
17Do not let your heart envy sinners, but rather be zealous in fearing the LORD all the time. 17Don’t envy sinners, but always continue to fear the LORD.
18For surely there is a future, and your hope will not be cut off. 18You will be rewarded for this; your hope will not be disappointed.
19Listen, my child, and be wise, and guide your heart on the right way. 19My child, listen and be wise: Keep your heart on the right course.
20Do not spend time among drunkards, among those who eat too much meat, 20Do not carouse with drunkards or feast with gluttons,
21because drunkards and gluttons become impoverished, and drowsiness clothes them with rags. 21for they are on their way to poverty, and too much sleep clothes them in rags.
22Listen to your father who begot you, and do not despise your mother when she is old. 22Listen to your father, who gave you life, and don’t despise your mother when she is old.
23Acquire truth and do not sell it--wisdom, and discipline, and understanding. 23Get the truth and never sell it; also get wisdom, discipline, and good judgment.
24The father of a righteous person will rejoice greatly; whoever fathers a wise child will have joy in him. 24The father of godly children has cause for joy. What a pleasure to have children who are wise.
25May your father and your mother have joy; may she who bore you rejoice. 25So give your father and mother joy! May she who gave you birth be happy.
26Give me your heart, my son, and let your eyes observe my ways; 26O my son, give me your heart. May your eyes take delight in following my ways.
27for a prostitute is like a deep pit; a harlot is like a narrow well. 27A prostitute is a dangerous trap; a promiscuous woman is as dangerous as falling into a narrow well.
28Indeed, she lies in wait like a robber, and increases the unfaithful among men. 28She hides and waits like a robber, eager to make more men unfaithful.
29Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has contentions? Who has complaints? Who has wounds without cause? Who has dullness of the eyes? 29Who has anguish? Who has sorrow? Who is always fighting? Who is always complaining? Who has unnecessary bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes?
30Those who linger over wine, those who go looking for mixed wine. 30It is the one who spends long hours in the taverns, trying out new drinks.
31Do not look on the wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goes down smoothly. 31Don’t gaze at the wine, seeing how red it is, how it sparkles in the cup, how smoothly it goes down.
32Afterward it bites like a snake, and stings like a viper. 32For in the end it bites like a poisonous snake; it stings like a viper.
33Your eyes will see strange things, and your mind will speak perverse things. 33You will see hallucinations, and you will say crazy things.
34And you will be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea, and like one who lies down on the top of the rigging. 34You will stagger like a sailor tossed at sea, clinging to a swaying mast.
35You will say, "They have struck me, but I am not harmed! They beat me, but I did not know it! When will I awake? I will look for another drink." 35And you will say, “They hit me, but I didn’t feel it. I didn’t even know it when they beat me up. When will I wake up so I can look for another drink?”
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Proverbs 22
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