Proverbs 23

CHAPTER 23

Acquire Truth and Wisdom

1If you should sit to have supper at the table of a monarch, intelligibly comprehend the things  being placed near you! 2And give attention to your hand! beholding that [⁴for such things  ²for you ¹it is a must ³to make preparations]; but if you are insatiable, 3do not desire   his food; for these have [²life ¹a false]. 4Do not reach forth, [²needy ¹being], to the rich!   but in your insight be at a distance! 5If you set   your eye upon him, he shall not at all appear; for there are carefully prepared for him wings as of an eagle, and he returns to the house   being set for him. 6Do not dine with [²man ¹a bewitching], nor desire   his foods; 7[²in which ³manner ¹for] as if any may swallow down a hair, thus he eats and drinks; nor [³to ⁴yourself ¹should you bring ²him], nor  you should eat   your morsel with him, 8for he will vomit it, and lay waste   [³words ¹your   ²good]. 9[³into ⁴the ears ⁵of a fool ¹Do not ²speak]! lest at any time he sneer at   discerning your words. 10You should not transpose [²boundaries ¹the everlasting]; and to the possession of orphans you should not enter to take; 11for the one ransoming them is the lord; he is strong, and he arbitrates   their case with you. 12Give [³for ⁴instruction   ²heart ¹your]!   and [²your ears ¹prepare] for words of good sense! 13You should not be at a distance [²the simple ¹to correct]; for if you strike him with a rod in no way should he die. 14Forasmuch as you struck him with a rod,   then [²his soul ³from ⁴death ¹you rescued]. 15O son, if [⁴wise ¹you should make ²your   ³heart], you shall gladden also   my heart; 16and [⁴shall spend time ¹the words   ²of your ³lips] with   my lips, if they should be straight. 17Let not [²be jealous   ¹your heart] of sinners, but [²in ³the fear ⁴of the lord  ¹be] the whole   day! 18For if you should give heed to these things  there will be a progeny for you,   and your hope will not leave. 19Hear, O son, and [²wise ¹be], and straighten out the reflections of your heart! 20Do not be a winebibber, nor stretch out couplings, [³of meats ¹nor ²purchasings]! 21For every intoxicated one and whoremonger shall be poor; and [³shall put on ⁴torn ⁵and ⁶ragged garments  ¹every ²sleepy one]. 22Hear, O son, the father   engendering you, and do not disdain that [³has grown old ¹your   ²mother]! 23[²truth ¹Acquire]! and you should not thrust away wisdom and instruction and understanding. 24[⁴well ³nourishes ²father ¹A just]; [⁴by ¹and ⁶son ⁵a wise ³is gladdened   ²his soul]. 25Let your [⁴be glad   ¹father ²and   ³mother] over you, and let [⁴rejoice ¹the ²one who gave birth to ³you]! 26Give to me, O son, your heart,   and let your eyes [²my ³ways ¹give heed to]! 27[⁵a cask ¹For ⁶having been drilled ⁴is ²a strange ³house]; and [²well ³is narrow ¹a strange]. 28For this one suddenly shall perish, and every lawbreaker shall be consumed. 29To whom is there woe? to whom a tumult? to whom litigations? to whom rancor and intrigue? to whom breaks without cause? to whom dark colored   eyes? 30is it not the ones lingering in wines? is it not the ones prowling where parties happen? Do not be intoxicated by wine, but consort [²men ¹with just], and consort in the promenades! 31For if in the bowls and the cups you should give   your eyes, afterwards you shall walk more naked than a pestle. 32  But at last it will be as if [²by ³a serpent ¹being struck] he stretches out, and as if by a horned serpent [³diffuses ⁴throughout him ¹the ²poison]. 33  [³eyes ²your ¹Whenever] behold the strange woman,   your mouth then speaks perverse things; 34and you shall recline as if in the heart of the sea; and as a navigator in a great swell; 35and you shall say, They beat me, and I did not have pain; and, They mocked me, but I did not know. When will it be dawn that coming I shall seek after one who shall go together with me to drink?