Proverbs 23:18-35
New American Standard Bible
Chapter 23
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. 20Do not be with heavy drinkers of wine, Or with gluttonous eaters of meat; 21For the heavy drinker and the glutton will come to poverty, And drowsiness will clothe one with rags. 22Listen to your father, who fathered you, And do not despise your mother when she is old. 23Buy truth, and do not sell it, Get wisdom, instruction, and understanding. 24The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice, And he who fathers a wise son will be glad in him. 25Let your father and your mother be glad, And let her rejoice who gave birth to you. 26Give me your heart, my son, And let your eyes delight in my ways. 27For a prostitute is a deep pit, And a strange woman is a narrow well. 28Certainly she lurks as a robber, And increases the treacherous among mankind. 29Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has contentions? Who has complaining? Who has wounds without cause? Who has red eyes? 30Those who linger long over wine, Those who go to taste mixed wine. 31Do not look at wine when it is red, When it sparkles in the cup, When it goes down smoothly; 32In the end it bites like a snake And stings like a viper. 33Your eyes will see strange things And your mind will say perverse things. 34And you will be like one who lies down in the middle of the sea, Or like one who lies down on the top of a mast. 35'They struck me, but I did not become ill; They beat me, but I did not know it. When will I awake? I will seek another drink.'King James Version
19Hear thou, my son, and be wise, and guide thine heart in the way.
20Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh:
21For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.
22Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old.
23Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.
24The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice: and he that begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him.
25Thy father and thy mother shall be glad, and she that bare thee shall rejoice.
26My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways.
27For a whore is a deep ditch; and a strange woman is a narrow pit.
28She also lieth in wait as for a prey, and increaseth the transgressors among men.
29Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes?
30They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine.
31Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright.
32At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder.
33Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things.
34Yea, 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.
35They 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.
Christian Standard Bible
Chapter 23
18For then you will have a future, and your hope will not be dashed. 19Listen, my son, and be wise; keep your mind on the right course. 20Don't associate with those who drink too much wine or with those who gorge themselves on meat.
21For the drunkard and the glutton will become poor, and grogginess will clothe them in rags.
22Listen to your father who gave you life, and don't despise your mother when she is old.
23Buy--and do not sell--truth, wisdom, instruction, and understanding.
24The father of a righteous son will rejoice greatly, and one who fathers a wise son will delight in him.
25Let your father and mother have joy, and let her who gave birth to you rejoice.
26My son, give me your heart, and let your eyes observe my ways.
27For a prostitute is a deep pit, and a wayward woman is a narrow well;
28indeed, she sets an ambush like a robber and increases the number of unfaithful people.
29Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has conflicts? Who has complaints? Who has wounds for no reason? Who has red eyes?
30Those who linger over wine; those who go looking for mixed wine.
31Don't gaze at wine because it is red, because it gleams in the cup and goes down smoothly.
32In the end it bites like a snake and stings like a viper.
33Your eyes will see strange things, and you will say absurd things.
34You'll be like someone sleeping out at sea or lying down on the top of a ship's mast.
35"They struck me, but I feel no pain! They beat me, but I didn't know it! When will I wake up? I'll look for another drink."
New Living Translation
19My child, listen and be wise: Keep your heart on the right course.
20Do not carouse with drunkards or feast with gluttons,
21for they are on their way to poverty, and too much sleep clothes them in rags.
22Listen to your father, who gave you life, and don’t despise your mother when she is old.
23Get the truth and never sell it; also get wisdom, discipline, and good judgment.
24The father of godly children has cause for joy. What a pleasure to have children who are wise.
25So give your father and mother joy! May she who gave you birth be happy.
26O my son, give me your heart. May your eyes take delight in following my ways.
27A prostitute is a dangerous trap; a promiscuous woman is as dangerous as falling into a narrow well.
28She hides and waits like a robber, eager to make more men unfaithful.
29Who has anguish? Who has sorrow? Who is always fighting? Who is always complaining? Who has unnecessary bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes?
30It is the one who spends long hours in the taverns, trying out new drinks.
31Don’t gaze at the wine, seeing how red it is, how it sparkles in the cup, how smoothly it goes down.
32For in the end it bites like a poisonous snake; it stings like a viper.
33You will see hallucinations, and you will say crazy things.
34You will stagger like a sailor tossed at sea, clinging to a swaying mast.
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?'
English Standard Version
Chapter 23
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. 20Be not among drunkards or among gluttonous eaters of meat, 21for the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty, and slumber will clothe them with rags. 22Listen to your father who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old. 23Buy truth, and do not sell it; buy wisdom, instruction, and understanding. 24The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice; he who fathers a wise son will be glad in him. 25Let your father and mother be glad; let her who bore you rejoice. 26My son, give me your heart, and let your eyes observe my ways. 27For a prostitute is a deep pit; an adulteress is a narrow well. 28She lies in wait like a robber and increases the traitors among mankind. 29Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has strife? Who has complaining? Who has wounds without cause? Who has redness of eyes? 30Those who tarry long over wine; those who go to try mixed wine. 31Do not look at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup and goes down smoothly. 32In the end it bites like a serpent and stings like an adder. 33Your eyes will see strange things, and your heart utter perverse things. 34You will be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea, like one who lies on the top of a mast. 35“They struck me,” you will say, “but I was not hurt; they beat me, but I did not feel it. When shall I awake? I must have another drink.”New International Version
Chapter 23
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: 20Do not join those who drink too much wine or gorge themselves on meat, 21for drunkards and gluttons become poor, and drowsiness clothes them in rags. 22Listen to your father, who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old. 23Buy the truth and do not sell it-- wisdom, instruction and insight as well. 24The father of a righteous child has great joy; a man who fathers a wise son rejoices in him. 25May your father and mother rejoice; may she who gave you birth be joyful! 26My son, give me your heart and let your eyes delight in my ways, 27for an adulterous woman is a deep pit, and a wayward wife is a narrow well. 28Like a bandit she lies in wait and multiplies the unfaithful among men. 29Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has strife? Who has complaints? Who has needless bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes? 30Those who linger over wine, who go to sample bowls of mixed wine. 31Do not gaze at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goes down smoothly! 32In the end it bites like a snake and poisons like a viper. 33Your eyes will see strange sights, and your mind will imagine confusing things. 34You will be like one sleeping on the high seas, lying on top of the rigging. 35They hit me,' you will say, 'but I'm not hurt! They beat me, but I don't feel it! When will I wake up so I can find another drink?'New King James Version
