Proverbs 23:2
New International Version
and put a knife to your throat if you are given to gluttony.

New Living Translation
If you are a big eater, put a knife to your throat;

English Standard Version
and put a knife to your throat if you are given to appetite.

Berean Standard Bible
and put a knife to your throat if you possess a great appetite.

King James Bible
And put a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man given to appetite.

New King James Version
And put a knife to your throat If you are a man given to appetite.

New American Standard Bible
And put a knife to your throat If you are a person of great appetite.

NASB 1995
And put a knife to your throat If you are a man of great appetite.

NASB 1977
And put a knife to your throat, If you are a man of great appetite.

Legacy Standard Bible
So you should put a knife to your throat If you are a man of appetite.

Amplified Bible
For you will put a knife to your throat If you are a man of great appetite.

Christian Standard Bible
and put a knife to your throat if you have a big appetite;

Holman Christian Standard Bible
and put a knife to your throat if you have a big appetite;

American Standard Version
And put a knife to thy throat, If thou be a man given to appetite.

Contemporary English Version
Don't go and stuff yourself! That would be just the same as cutting your throat.

English Revised Version
And put a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man given to appetite.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
and put a knife to your throat if you have a big appetite.

Good News Translation
If you have a big appetite, restrain yourself.

International Standard Version
Put a knife to your own throat, if you have a big appetite.

Majority Standard Bible
and put a knife to your throat if you possess a great appetite.

NET Bible
and put a knife to your throat if you possess a large appetite.

New Heart English Bible
put a knife to your throat, if you are a man given to appetite.

Webster's Bible Translation
And put a knife to thy throat, if thou art a man given to appetite.

World English Bible
put a knife to your throat if you are a man given to appetite.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And you have put a knife to your throat, "" If you [are] a man of appetite.

Young's Literal Translation
And thou hast put a knife to thy throat, If thou art a man of appetite.

Smith's Literal Translation
And put a knife to thy swallow if thou the possessor of a soul.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And put a knife to thy throat, if it be so that thou have thy soul in thy own power.

Catholic Public Domain Version
and put a knife to your throat, if, in such a way, you could hold your soul in your own power.

New American Bible
Stick the knife in your gullet if you have a ravenous appetite.

New Revised Standard Version
and put a knife to your throat if you have a big appetite.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
That you may not put poison in your mouth. And if you are a man given to excessive appetite,

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Lest you put a dagger to your mouth, if you are a man that breathes.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And put a knife to thy throat, If thou be a man given to appetite.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
and apply thine hand, knowing that it behoves thee to prepare such meats: but if thou art very insatiable,

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



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

Cross References
Philippians 3:19
Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and their glory is in their shame. Their minds are set on earthly things.

1 Corinthians 9:27
No, I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.

Romans 13:14
Instead, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the desires of the flesh.

1 Peter 2:11
Beloved, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from the desires of the flesh, which war against your soul.

Galatians 5:24
Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

Matthew 5:29-30
If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. / And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to depart into hell.

1 Corinthians 6:12
“Everything is permissible for me,” but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible for me,” but I will not be mastered by anything.

Titus 2:12
It instructs us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live sensible, upright, and godly lives in the present age,

Luke 21:34
But watch yourselves, or your hearts will be weighed down by dissipation, drunkenness, and the worries of life—and that day will spring upon you suddenly like a snare.

1 Timothy 6:9-10
Those who want to be rich, however, fall into temptation and become ensnared by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. / For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. By craving it, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.

James 1:14-15
But each one is tempted when by his own evil desires he is lured away and enticed. / Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

Genesis 25:29-34
One day, while Jacob was cooking some stew, Esau came in from the field and was famished. / He said to Jacob, “Let me eat some of that red stew, for I am famished.” (That is why he was also called Edom.) / “First sell me your birthright,” Jacob replied. ...

Proverbs 25:16
If you find honey, eat just what you need, lest you have too much and vomit it up.

Proverbs 21:17
He who loves pleasure will become poor; the one who loves wine and oil will never be rich.

Proverbs 28:7
A discerning son keeps the law, but a companion of gluttons disgraces his father.


Treasury of Scripture

And put a knife to your throat, if you be a man given to appetite.

Proverbs 18:8,9
The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly…

1 Corinthians 9:27
But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

Philippians 3:19
Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)

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Proverbs 23
1. Consider carefully what is before you














and put a knife to your throat
This phrase is a vivid metaphorical expression emphasizing self-restraint and discipline. In ancient Near Eastern culture, meals were significant social events, often involving lavish feasts. The imagery of putting a knife to one's throat suggests the seriousness of exercising control over one's desires, particularly in the presence of abundance. This can be connected to the broader biblical theme of self-control, as seen in Galatians 5:23, where self-control is listed as a fruit of the Spirit. The metaphor also serves as a stark warning against gluttony, which is condemned in other parts of Scripture, such as Proverbs 23:20-21. The use of such strong imagery underscores the importance of moderation and the dangers of overindulgence.

if you possess a great appetite
The phrase addresses the human tendency towards excess and the challenge of managing one's desires. In the context of Proverbs, wisdom literature often contrasts the wise and the foolish, with the wise exercising restraint and the foolish succumbing to their appetites. This can be seen in the broader biblical narrative, where self-discipline is a mark of wisdom and godliness. The "great appetite" can be understood not only in terms of physical hunger but also as a metaphor for other desires, such as wealth, power, or pleasure. This aligns with teachings found in the New Testament, such as 1 John 2:16, which warns against the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. The call to control one's appetite is a call to live a life of balance and integrity, reflecting the character of Christ, who demonstrated perfect self-control and submission to the Father's will.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Solomon
Traditionally attributed as the author of Proverbs, Solomon was the son of King David and known for his wisdom. He compiled these sayings to impart wisdom and instruction.

2. The Banquet
The setting implied in this verse is a banquet or a feast, a place where indulgence and excess might be tempting.

3. The Wise Person
The implied audience of this proverb, someone who seeks wisdom and self-control in their life.
Teaching Points
Self-Control and Discipline
The imagery of putting a knife to one's throat is a stark reminder of the importance of self-control. It suggests that unchecked desires can lead to self-destruction.

Awareness of Temptation
Recognize the environments and situations where you are most tempted to overindulge, whether in food, drink, or other areas of life.

Spiritual Vigilance
Just as physical appetite needs control, so do spiritual appetites. Be vigilant in prayer and study to maintain spiritual discipline.

Practical Moderation
Apply moderation in all areas of life, not just in eating. This includes time management, spending, and even emotional responses.

Guarding the Heart
Proverbs often speaks about guarding the heart. This verse reminds us that our desires can lead us astray if not kept in check.(2) And put a knife to thy throat.--Use the strongest methods to keep thine appetite in check, if thou art likely to give way to it, and then, overcome by meat and drink, to say or do anything to offend thy host.

Verse 2. - And put a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man given to appetite. "Stab thy gluttony," Wordsworth. Restrain thyself by the strongest measures, convince thyself that thou art in the utmost peril, if thou art a glutton or wine bibber (Ecclus. 34 [31]:12). The LXX. gives a different turn to the injunction, "And apply (ἐπίβαλλε) thy hand, knowing that it behoves thee to prepare such things." This is like the warning of Siracides, in the chapter quoted above, where the disciple is admonished not to attend the banquets of rich men, lest he should be tempted to vie with them, and thus ruin himself by attempting to return their civilities in the same lavish manner. The earlier commentators have used the above verses as a lesson concerning the due and reverent partaking of the Holy Communion, thus: "When you approach the table of Christ, consider diligently what is represented by the elements before you, and have discernment and faith, lest you eat and drink unworthily; and after communicating walk warily, mortify all evil desires, live as in the presence of the Lord Jesus, the Giver of the feast."

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
and put
וְשַׂמְתָּ֣ (wə·śam·tā)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 7760: Put -- to put, place, set

a knife
שַׂכִּ֣ין (śak·kîn)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7915: A knife

to your throat
בְּלֹעֶ֑ךָ (bə·lō·‘e·ḵā)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 3930: Probably throat

if
אִם־ (’im-)
Conjunction
Strong's 518: Lo!, whether?, if, although, Oh that!, when, not

you
אָֽתָּה׃ (’āt·tāh)
Pronoun - second person masculine singular
Strong's 859: Thou and thee, ye and you

possess
בַּ֖עַל (ba·‘al)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1167: A master, a husband, owner

a [great] appetite.
נֶ֣פֶשׁ (ne·p̄eš)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 5315: A soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, passion, appetite, emotion


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OT Poetry: Proverbs 23:2 Put a knife to your throat if (Prov. Pro Pr)
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