| 章 |
| 23:1 |
When you sit down to dine with a ruler, Consider carefully what is before you,
|
| 23:2 |
And put a knife to your throat If you are a man of great appetite.
|
| 23:3 |
Do not desire his delicacies, For it is deceptive food.
|
| 23:4 |
Do not weary yourself to gain wealth, Cease from your consideration of it.
|
| 23:5 |
When you set your eyes on it, it is gone. For wealth certainly makes itself wings Like an eagle that flies toward the heavens.
|
| 23:6 |
Do not eat the bread of a selfish man, Or desire his delicacies;
|
| 23:7 |
For as he thinks within himself, so he is. He says to you, "Eat and drink!" But his heart is not with you.
|
| 23:8 |
You will vomit up the morsel you have eaten, And waste your compliments.
|
| 23:9 |
Do not speak in the hearing of a fool, For he will despise the wisdom of your words.
|
| 23:10 |
Do not move the ancient boundary Or go into the fields of the fatherless,
|
| 23:11 |
For their Redeemer is strong; He will plead their case against you.
|
| 23:12 |
Apply your heart to discipline And your ears to words of knowledge.
|
| 23:13 |
Do not hold back discipline from the child, Although you strike him with the rod, he will not die.
|
| 23:14 |
You shall strike him with the rod And rescue his soul from Sheol.
|
| 23:15 |
My son, if your heart is wise, My own heart also will be glad;
|
| 23:16 |
And my inmost being will rejoice When your lips speak what is right.
|
| 23:17 |
Do not let your heart envy sinners, But live in the fear of the Lord always.
|
| 23:18 |
Surely there is a future, And your hope will not be cut off.
|
| 23:19 |
Listen, my son, and be wise, And direct your heart in the way.
|
| 23:20 |
Do not be with heavy drinkers of wine, Or with gluttonous eaters of meat;
|
| 23:21 |
For the heavy drinker and the glutton will come to poverty, And drowsiness will clothe one with rags.
|
| 23:22 |
Listen to your father who begot you, And do not despise your mother when she is old.
|
| 23:23 |
Buy truth, and do not sell it, Get wisdom and instruction and understanding.
|
| 23:24 |
The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice, And he who sires a wise son will be glad in him.
|
| 23:25 |
Let your father and your mother be glad, And let her rejoice who gave birth to you.
|
| 23:26 |
Give me your heart, my son, And let your eyes delight in my ways.
|
| 23:27 |
For a harlot is a deep pit And an adulterous woman is a narrow well.
|
| 23:28 |
Surely she lurks as a robber, And increases the faithless among men.
|
| 23:29 |
Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has contentions? Who has complaining? Who has wounds without cause? Who has redness of eyes?
|
| 23:30 |
Those who linger long over wine, Those who go to taste mixed wine.
|
| 23:31 |
Do not look on the wine when it is red, When it sparkles in the cup, When it goes down smoothly;
|
| 23:32 |
At the last it bites like a serpent And stings like a viper.
|
| 23:33 |
Your eyes will see strange things And your mind will utter perverse things.
|
| 23:34 |
And 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.
|
| 23:35 |
"They struck me, but I did not become ill; They beat me, but I did not know it. When shall I awake? I will seek another drink."
|
