Proverbs 23
1 When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what [is] before thee:
When you sit to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what is before you:
2 And put a knife to thy throat, if thou [be] a man given to appetite.
And put a knife to your throat, if you be a man given to appetite.
3 Be not desirous of his dainties: for they [are] deceitful meat.
Be not desirous of his dainties: for they are deceitful food.
4 Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom.
Labour not to be rich: cease from your own wisdom.
5 Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for [riches] certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.
Will you set your eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.
6 Eat thou not the bread of [him that hath] an evil eye, neither desire thou his dainty meats:
Eat you not the bread of him that has an evil eye, neither desire you his dainty meats:
7 For as he thinketh in his heart, so [is] he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart [is] not with thee.
For as he thinks in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, says he to you; but his heart is not with you.
8 The morsel [which] thou hast eaten shalt thou vomit up, and lose thy sweet words.
The morsel which you have eaten shall you vomit up, and lose your sweet words.
9 Speak not in the ears of a fool: for he will despise the wisdom of thy words.
Speak not in the ears of a fool: for he will despise the wisdom of your words.
10 Remove not the old landmark; and enter not into the fields of the fatherless:
Remove not the old landmark; and enter not into the fields of the fatherless:
11 For their redeemer [is] mighty; he shall plead their cause with thee.
For their redeemer is mighty; he shall plead their cause with you.
12 Apply thine heart unto instruction, and thine ears to the words of knowledge.
Apply your heart unto instruction, and your ears to the words of knowledge.
13 Withhold not correction from the child: for [if] thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die.
Withhold not correction from the child: for if you beat him with the rod, he shall not die.
You shall beat him with the rod, and shall deliver his soul from hell. (Sheol h7585)
15 My son, if thine heart be wise, my heart shall rejoice, even mine.
My son, if your heart be wise, my heart shall rejoice, even mine.
16 Yea, my reins shall rejoice, when thy lips speak right things.
Yea, my reins shall rejoice, when your lips speak right things.
17 Let not thine heart envy sinners: but [be thou] in the fear of the LORD all the day long.
Let not your heart envy sinners: but be you in the fear of the LORD all the day long.
18 For surely there is an end; and thine expectation shall not be cut off.
For surely there is an end; and your expectation shall not be cut off.
19 Hear thou, my son, and be wise, and guide thine heart in the way.
Hear you, my son, and be wise, and guide your heart in the way.
20 Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh:
Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh:
21 For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe [a man] with rags.
For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.
22 Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old.
Hearken unto your father that brings forth you, and despise not your mother when she is old.
23 Buy the truth, and sell [it] not; [also] wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.
Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.
24 The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice: and he that begetteth a wise [child] shall have joy of him.
The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice: and he that bring forths a wise child shall have joy of him.
25 Thy father and thy mother shall be glad, and she that bare thee shall rejoice.
Your father and your mother shall be glad, and she that bare you shall rejoice.
26 My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways.
My son, give me your heart, and let your eyes observe my ways.
27 For a whore [is] a deep ditch; and a strange woman [is] a narrow pit.
For a whore is a deep ditch; and a strange woman is a narrow pit.
28 She also lieth in wait as [for] a prey, and increaseth the transgressors among men.
She also lies in wait as for a prey, and increases the transgressors among men.
29 Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes?
Who has woe? who has sorrow? who has contentions? who has babbling? who has wounds without cause? who has redness of eyes?
30 They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine.
They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine.
31 Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, [when] it moveth itself aright.
Look not you upon the wine when it is red, when it gives his colour in the cup, when it moves itself aright.
32 At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder.
At the last it bites like a serpent, and stings like an adder.
33 Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things.
your eyes shall behold strange women, and your heart shall utter perverse things.
34 Yea, 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.
Yea, you shall be as he that lies down in the midst of the sea, or as he that lies upon the top of a mast.
35 They 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.
They have stricken me, shall you 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.
