Proverbs 23:1-19
New American Standard Bible
Chapter 23
1When you sit down to dine with a ruler, Consider carefully what is before you, 2And put a knife to your throat If you are a person of great appetite. 3Do not desire his delicacies, For it is deceptive food. 4Do not weary yourself to gain wealth; Stop dwelling on it. 5 When you set your eyes on it, it is gone. For wealth certainly makes itself wings Like an eagle that flies toward the heavens. 6Do not eat the bread of a selfish person; Or desire his delicacies; 7For as he thinks within himself, so he is. He says to you, 'Eat and drink!' But his heart is not with you. 8You will vomit up the morsel you have eaten And waste your compliments. 9Do not speak to be heard by a fool, For he will despise the wisdom of your words. 10Do not move the ancient boundary Or go into the fields of the fatherless, 11For their Redeemer is strong; He will plead their case against you. 12Apply your heart to discipline, And your ears to words of knowledge. 13Do not withhold discipline from a child; Though you strike him with the rod, he will not die. 14You shall strike him with the rod And rescue his soul from Sheol. 15My son, if your heart is wise, My own heart also will be glad, 16And my innermost being will rejoice When your lips speak what is right. 17Do not let your heart envy sinners, But live in the fear of the Lord always. 18Certainly there is a future, And your hope will not be cut off. 19Listen, my son, and be wise, And direct your heart in the way.King James Version
Chapter 23
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.
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.
10Remove not the old landmark; and enter not into the fields of the fatherless:
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.
16Yea, my reins shall rejoice, when thy lips speak right things.
Christian Standard Bible
Chapter 23
1When you sit down to dine with a ruler, consider carefully what is before you, 2and put a knife to your throat if you have a big appetite;
3don't desire his choice food, for that food is deceptive.
4Don't wear yourself out to get rich; because you know better, stop!
5As soon as your eyes fly to it, it disappears, for it makes wings for itself and flies like an eagle to the sky.
6Don't eat a stingy person's bread, and don't desire his choice food,
7for it's like someone calculating inwardly. "Eat and drink," he says to you, but his heart is not with you.
9Don't speak to a fool, for he will despise the insight of your words.
10Don't move an ancient boundary marker, and don't encroach on the fields of the fatherless,
12Apply yourself to discipline and listen to words of knowledge.
13Don't withhold discipline from a youth; if you punish him with a rod, he will not die.
14Punish him with a rod, and you will rescue his life from Sheol.
15My son, if your heart is wise, my heart will indeed rejoice.
New Living Translation
Chapter 23
1While dining with a ruler, pay attention to what is put before you. 2If you are a big eater, put a knife to your throat; 3don’t desire all the delicacies, for he might be trying to trick you.
4Don’t wear yourself out trying to get rich. Be wise enough to know when to quit.
5In the blink of an eye wealth disappears, for it will sprout wings and fly away like an eagle.
6Don’t eat with people who are stingy; don’t desire their delicacies.
7They are always thinking about how much it costs. 'Eat and drink,' they say, but they don’t mean it.
8You will throw up what little you’ve eaten, and your compliments will be wasted.
10Don’t cheat your neighbor by moving the ancient boundary markers; don’t take the land of defenseless orphans.
11For their Redeemer is strong; he himself will bring their charges against you.
13Don’t fail to discipline your children. The rod of punishment won’t kill them.
14Physical discipline may well save them from death.
15My child, if your heart is wise, my own heart will rejoice!
16Everything in me will celebrate when you speak what is right.
English Standard Version
Chapter 23
1When you sit down to eat with a ruler, observe carefully what is before you, 2and put a knife to your throat if you are given to appetite. 3Do not desire his delicacies, for they are deceptive food. 4Do not toil to acquire wealth; be discerning enough to desist. 5When your eyes light on it, it is gone, for suddenly it sprouts wings, flying like an eagle toward heaven. 6Do not eat the bread of a man who is stingy; do not desire his delicacies, 7for he is like one who is inwardly calculating. “Eat and drink!” he says to you, but his heart is not with you. 8You will vomit up the morsels that you have eaten, and waste your pleasant words. 9Do not speak in the hearing of a fool, for he will despise the good sense of your words. 10Do not move an ancient landmark or enter the fields of the fatherless, 11for their Redeemer is strong; he will plead their cause against you. 12Apply your heart to instruction and your ear to words of knowledge. 13Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you strike him with a rod, he will not die. 14If you strike him with the rod, you will save his soul from Sheol. 15My son, if your heart is wise, my heart too will be glad. 16My inmost being will exult when your lips speak what is right. 17Let not your heart envy sinners, but continue in the fear of the LORD all the day. 18Surely there is a future, and your hope will not be cut off. 19Hear, my son, and be wise, and direct your heart in the way.New International Version
Chapter 23
1When you sit to dine with a ruler, note well what is before you, 2and put a knife to your throat if you are given to gluttony. 3Do not crave his delicacies, for that food is deceptive. 4Do not wear yourself out to get rich; do not trust your own cleverness. 5Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle. 6Do not eat the food of a begrudging host, do not crave his delicacies; 7for he is the kind of person who is always thinking about the cost. 'Eat and drink,' he says to you, but his heart is not with you. 8You will vomit up the little you have eaten and will have wasted your compliments. 9Do not speak to fools, for they will scorn your prudent words. 10Do not move an ancient boundary stone or encroach on the fields of the fatherless, 11for their Defender is strong; he will take up their case against you. 12Apply your heart to instruction and your ears to words of knowledge. 13Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you punish them with the rod, they will not die. 14Punish them with the rod and save them from death. 15My son, if your heart is wise, then my heart will be glad indeed; 16my inmost being will rejoice when your lips speak what is right. 17Do not let your heart envy sinners, but always be zealous for the fear of the LORD. 18There is surely a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off. 19Listen, my son, and be wise, and set your heart on the right path:New King James Version
