Proverbios 23
1 CUANDO te sentares á comer con algún señor, considera bien lo que estuviere delante de ti;
When you sit down for a meal with a ruler, look carefully at what is placed before you,
2 Y pon cuchillo á tu garganta, si tienes gran apetito.
and cut down if you have a big appetite.
3 No codicies sus manjares delicados, porque es pan engañoso.
Don't be greedy for his fancy food, for it's offered with deceptive motives.
4 No trabajes por ser rico; pon coto á tu prudencia.
Don't wear yourself out trying to get rich—be wise enough not to bother!
5 ¿Has de poner tus ojos en las riquezas, siendo ningunas? porque hacerse han alas, como alas de águila, y volarán al cielo.
It disappears in the blink of an eye, suddenly growing wings and flying off into the sky like an eagle.
6 No comas pan de [hombre de] mal ojo, ni codicies sus manjares:
Don't accept meal invitations from miserly people; don't be greedy for their fancy food,
7 Porque cual es su pensamiento en su alma, tal es él. Come y bebe, te dirá; mas su corazón no está contigo.
for what they're thinking inside is what they really are. They say, “Come on, eat and drink!”—but in their minds they don't really care about you.
8 Vomitarás la parte que tú comiste, y perderás tus suaves palabras.
You'll vomit up the little pieces you've eaten, and your kind words of appreciation will be wasted.
9 No hables á oídos del necio; porque menospreciará la prudencia de tus razones.
Don't talk to stupid people because they'll ridicule your wise words.
10 No traspases el término antiguo, ni entres en la heredad de los huérfanos:
Don't move ancient boundary markers, and don't encroach on fields belonging to orphans,
11 Porque el defensor de ellos es el Fuerte, el cual juzgará la causa de ellos contra ti.
for their Protector is powerful and he will plead their case against you.
12 Aplica tu corazón á la enseñanza, y tus oídos á las palabras de sabiduría.
Focus your mind on instruction; listen intently to words of knowledge.
13 No rehuses la corrección del muchacho: [porque] si lo hirieres con vara, no morirá.
Don't keep from disciplining your children—a beating won't kill them.
If you use physical correction you can save them from death. (Sheol h7585)
15 Hijo mío, si tu corazón fuere sabio, también á mí se me alegrará el corazón;
My son, if you think wisely then I'll be happy;
16 Mis entrañas también se alegrarán, cuando tus labios hablaren cosas rectas.
I'll be delighted when you say what's right.
17 No tenga tu corazón envidia de los pecadores, antes [persevera] en el temor de Jehová todo tiempo:
Don't think enviously of sinners, but always remember to honor the Lord,
18 Porque ciertamente hay fin, y tu esperanza no será cortada.
for there's definitely a future for you, and your hope will not be crushed.
19 Oye tú, hijo mío, y sé sabio, y endereza tu corazón al camino.
Pay attention, my son, and be wise; make sure your mind concentrates on following the right way.
20 No estés con los bebedores de vino, ni con los comedores de carne:
Don't join in with people who drink too much wine or who stuff themselves with meat.
21 Porque el bebedor y el comilón empobrecerán: y el sueño hará vestir vestidos rotos.
For people who get drunk and overeat lose all they've got, and they spend so much time dozing that all they have left to wear is rags.
22 Oye á tu padre, á aquel que te engendró; y cuando tu madre envejeciere, no la menosprecies.
Pay attention to your father, and don't disregard your mother when she's old.
23 Compra la verdad, y no la vendas; la sabiduría, la enseñanza, y la inteligencia.
Invest in truth—and don't sell it! Invest in wisdom, instruction, and understanding.
24 Mucho se alegrará el padre del justo: y el que engendró sabio se gozará con él.
Children who do right make their fathers very happy; a wise son brings joy to his father.
25 Alégrense tu padre y tu madre, y gócese la que te engendró.
Make your father and mother happy; bring joy to her who gave birth to you.
26 Dame, hijo mío, tu corazón, y miren tus ojos por mis caminos.
My son, give me your undivided attention, and cheerfully follow my example.
27 Porque sima profunda es la ramera, y pozo angosto la extraña.
A prostitute is like being trapped in a pit; an immoral woman is like getting stuck a narrow well,
28 También ella, como robador, acecha, y multiplica entre los hombres los prevaricadores.
Like a robber, she lies in wait ready to ambush men and make more of them unfaithful to their wives.
29 ¿Para quién será el ay? ¿para quién el ay? ¿para quién las rencillas? ¿para quién las quejas? ¿para quién las heridas en balde? ¿para quién lo amoratado de los ojos?
Who's in trouble? Who's in pain? Who's arguing? Who's complaining? Who's injured for no reason? Who's got bloodshot eyes?
30 Para los que se detienen mucho en el vino, para los que van buscando la mistura.
—those who spend a long time drinking wine, those who are always trying some new cocktail.
31 No mires al vino cuando rojea, cuando resplandece su color en el vaso: éntrase suavemente;
Don't let the look of wine tempt you—how red it is, how it sparkles in the cup, how smooth it feels as it goes down.
32 [Mas] al fin como serpiente morderá, y como basilisco dará dolor:
In the end it bites like a serpent, it stings like a snake.
33 Tus ojos mirarán las extrañas, y tu corazón hablará perversidades.
You'll hallucinate, seeing strange things, and your confused mind will make you say all kinds of craziness.
34 Y serás como el que yace en medio de la mar, ó como el que está en la punta de un mastelero.
You'll stumble around like you're on the rolling ocean, you'll be tossed about like someone lying down at the top of a ship's mast, saying,
35 [Y dirás]: Hiriéronme, mas no me dolió; azotáronme, mas no lo sentí; cuando despertare, aun lo tornaré á buscar.
“People punched me, but it didn't hurt me; they beat me, but I didn't feel a thing. I've got to get up because I need another drink.”
