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Proverbs 23

When you sit down to eat with a ruler, pay close attention to what's in front of you. Put a knife to your throat if you're a man given to appetite. Don't crave his delicacies; they're deceptive food. Don't wear yourself out trying to be rich; cease from your own wisdom.

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Don't work yourself out to be rich

When you sit down to eat with a ruler, pay close attention to what's in front of you. Put a knife to your throat if you're a man given to appetite. Don't crave his delicacies; they're deceptive food. Don't wear yourself out trying to be rich; cease from your own wisdom. Will you set your eyes on riches that disappear? They certainly make themselves wings and fly away like an eagle towards heaven. Don't eat the bread of a man with an evil eye, and don't crave his delicacies. As he thinks in his heart, so he is. ‘Eat and drink,’ he says to you, but his heart isn't with you. You'll vomit up the morsel you've eaten and lose your sweet words. Don't speak in the ears of a fool, because he'll despise the wisdom of your words. Don't move the old landmark or enter the fields of orphans, for their Redeemer is mighty, and he will plead their cause with you. Apply your heart to instruction and your ears to the words of knowledge. Don't withhold correction from a child; if you strike him with the rod, he won't die. Strike him with the rod and deliver his soul from hell. My son, if your heart is wise, my heart will rejoice—yes, mine. My heart will rejoice when your lips speak what is right. Don't let your heart envy sinners; stay in the fear of the LORD all day long. There surely is an end, and your expectation will not be cut off.

When you sit down to eat with a ruler, think carefully what's in front of you. And put a knife to your throat if you're a man given to appetite. Don't want his tasty things, because it's food that takes you in. Don't work yourself out to be rich. Stop from your own wisdom. Will you set your eyes on what's nothing? Because riches definitely make themselves wings and fly off like an eagle towards heaven. Don't eat the bread of the one with a stingy eye, and don't want his tasty things. Because the way he thinks in his heart, that's what he is. Eat and drink, he says to you. But his heart isn't with you. The bit you've eaten you'll vomit up, and you'll lose your sweet words. Don't speak in the ears of a fool, because he'll sneer at the wisdom of your words. Don't shift the old boundary marker, and don't go into the fields of the orphans. Because their Redeemer is mighty. He'll take up their case with you. Set your heart on teaching, and your ears on the words of knowledge. Don't hold back teaching from a child. Because if you strike him with the rod, he won't die. You'll strike him with the rod and rescue his soul from the grave. My son, if your heart is wise, my heart will be glad, yes, mine. Yes, my insides will celebrate when your lips speak right things. Don't let your heart be jealous of sinners, but be in the fear of the Lord all day long. Because there's definitely an end, and what you're hoping for won't be cut off.

When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what is before thee: And put a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man given to appetite. Be not desirous of his dainties: for they are deceitful meat. Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom. Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven. Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, neither desire thou his dainty meats: For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee. The morsel which thou hast eaten shalt thou vomit up, and lose thy sweet words. Speak not in the ears of a fool: for he will despise the wisdom of thy words. Remove not the old landmark; and enter not into the fields of the fatherless: For their redeemer is mighty; he shall plead their cause with thee. Apply thine heart unto instruction, and thine ears to the words of knowledge. Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die. Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell. My son, if thine heart be wise, my heart shall rejoice, even mine. Yea, my reins shall rejoice, when thy lips speak right things. Let not thine heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the LORD all the day long. For surely there is an end; and thine expectation shall not be cut off.

1

When you sit down to eat with a ruler, pay close attention to what's in front of you.

Plain English

When you sit down to eat with a ruler, think carefully what's in front of you.

King James Version, 1611

When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what is before thee:

2

Put a knife to your throat if you're a man given to appetite.

Plain English

And put a knife to your throat if you're a man given to appetite.

King James Version, 1611

And put a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man given to appetite.

3

Don't crave his delicacies; they're deceptive food.

Plain English

Don't want his tasty things, because it's food that takes you in.

King James Version, 1611

Be not desirous of his dainties: for they are deceitful meat.

4

Don't wear yourself out trying to be rich; cease from your own wisdom.

Plain English

Don't work yourself out to be rich. Stop from your own wisdom.

King James Version, 1611

Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom.

5

Will you set your eyes on riches that disappear? They certainly make themselves wings and fly away like an eagle towards heaven.

Plain English

Will you set your eyes on what's nothing? Because riches definitely make themselves wings and fly off like an eagle towards heaven.

King James Version, 1611

Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.

6

Don't eat the bread of a man with an evil eye, and don't crave his delicacies.

Plain English

Don't eat the bread of the one with a stingy eye, and don't want his tasty things.

King James Version, 1611

Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, neither desire thou his dainty meats:

7

As he thinks in his heart, so he is. ‘Eat and drink,’ he says to you, but his heart isn't with you.

Plain English

Because the way he thinks in his heart, that's what he is. Eat and drink, he says to you. But his heart isn't with you.

King James Version, 1611

For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.

8

You'll vomit up the morsel you've eaten and lose your sweet words.

Plain English

The bit you've eaten you'll vomit up, and you'll lose your sweet words.

King James Version, 1611

The morsel which thou hast eaten shalt thou vomit up, and lose thy sweet words.

9

Don't speak in the ears of a fool, because he'll despise the wisdom of your words.

Plain English

Don't speak in the ears of a fool, because he'll sneer at the wisdom of your words.

King James Version, 1611

Speak not in the ears of a fool: for he will despise the wisdom of thy words.

10

Don't move the old landmark or enter the fields of orphans,

Plain English

Don't shift the old boundary marker, and don't go into the fields of the orphans.

King James Version, 1611

Remove not the old landmark; and enter not into the fields of the fatherless:

11

for their Redeemer is mighty, and he will plead their cause with you.

Plain English

Because their Redeemer is mighty. He'll take up their case with you.

King James Version, 1611

For their redeemer is mighty; he shall plead their cause with thee.

12

Apply your heart to instruction and your ears to the words of knowledge.

Plain English

Set your heart on teaching, and your ears on the words of knowledge.

King James Version, 1611

Apply thine heart unto instruction, and thine ears to the words of knowledge.

13

Don't withhold correction from a child; if you strike him with the rod, he won't die.

Plain English

Don't hold back teaching from a child. Because if you strike him with the rod, he won't die.

King James Version, 1611

Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die.

14

Strike him with the rod and deliver his soul from hell.

Plain English

You'll strike him with the rod and rescue his soul from the grave.

King James Version, 1611

Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell.

15

My son, if your heart is wise, my heart will rejoice—yes, mine.

Plain English

My son, if your heart is wise, my heart will be glad, yes, mine.

King James Version, 1611

My son, if thine heart be wise, my heart shall rejoice, even mine.

16

My heart will rejoice when your lips speak what is right.

Plain English

Yes, my insides will celebrate when your lips speak right things.

King James Version, 1611

Yea, my reins shall rejoice, when thy lips speak right things.

17

Don't let your heart envy sinners; stay in the fear of the LORD all day long.

Plain English

Don't let your heart be jealous of sinners, but be in the fear of the Lord all day long.

King James Version, 1611

Let not thine heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the LORD all the day long.

18

There surely is an end, and your expectation will not be cut off.

Plain English

Because there's definitely an end, and what you're hoping for won't be cut off.

King James Version, 1611

For surely there is an end; and thine expectation shall not be cut off.

Who has trouble?

Listen, my son, and be wise; guide your heart in the way. Don't hang around with heavy drinkers or people who gorge themselves on meat, The drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty, and drowsiness will clothe a man in rags. Listen to the father who gave you life, and don't despise your mother when she is old. Buy the truth and don't sell it—wisdom, instruction and understanding as well. The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice; whoever fathers a wise child will be glad in him. Let your father and mother be glad, and let the woman who bore you rejoice. My son, give me your heart, and let your eyes observe my ways. A prostitute is a deep ditch, and an unfaithful woman is a narrow pit. She also lies in wait like a robber and increases the transgressors among men. Who has trouble? Who has sorrow? Who has arguments? Who has complaints? Who has wounds for no reason? Who has red eyes? Those who linger over wine, those who go looking for mixed wine. Don't stare at the wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup and goes down smoothly. In the end it bites like a serpent and stings like an adder. Your eyes will see strange women, and your heart will utter perverse things. You'll be like someone lying down in the middle of the sea, or like someone lying at the top of a mast. ‘They hit me, but I didn't feel it. They beat me, and I didn't notice. When will I wake up? I'll go looking for another drink.’

Listen, my son, and be wise, and guide your heart in the way. Don't be among wine drinkers, among greedy eaters of meat. Because the drunk and the greedy will come to poverty, and being drowsy will dress a man in rags. Listen to your father who fathered you, and don't look down on your mother when she's old. Buy the truth and don't sell it — wisdom too, and teaching, and understanding. The father of the righteous will celebrate hard, and the one who fathers a wise child will have joy of him. Your father and your mother will be glad, and the one who had you will celebrate. My son, give me your heart, and let your eyes watch my ways. Because a prostitute is a deep ditch, and a strange woman is a narrow pit. She lies in wait too like a robber, and grows the ones who deal treacherously among men. Who has trouble? Who has sorrow? Who has fighting? Who has complaining? Who has wounds for no reason? Who has red eyes? The ones who stay a long time at the wine, the ones who go looking for mixed wine. Don't look at the wine when it's red, when it gives its colour in the cup, when it goes down smoothly. At the last it bites like a snake and stings like an adder. Your eyes will see strange women, and your heart will speak twisted things. Yes, you'll be like the one who lies down in the middle of the sea, or like the one who lies on the top of a mast. They've struck me, you'll say, and I wasn't sick. They've beaten me and I didn't feel it. When will I wake up? I'll look for it again.

Hear thou, my son, and be wise, and guide thine heart in the way. Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh: For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags. Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old. Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding. The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice: and he that begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him. Thy father and thy mother shall be glad, and she that bare thee shall rejoice. My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways. For a whore is a deep ditch; and a strange woman is a narrow pit. She also lieth in wait as for a prey, and increaseth the transgressors among men. Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes? They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine. Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright. At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder. Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things. Yea, 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. They 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.

19

Listen, my son, and be wise; guide your heart in the way.

Plain English

Listen, my son, and be wise, and guide your heart in the way.

King James Version, 1611

Hear thou, my son, and be wise, and guide thine heart in the way.

20

Don't hang around with heavy drinkers or people who gorge themselves on meat,

Plain English

Don't be among wine drinkers, among greedy eaters of meat.

King James Version, 1611

Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh:

21

The drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty, and drowsiness will clothe a man in rags.

Plain English

Because the drunk and the greedy will come to poverty, and being drowsy will dress a man in rags.

King James Version, 1611

For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.

22

Listen to the father who gave you life, and don't despise your mother when she is old.

Plain English

Listen to your father who fathered you, and don't look down on your mother when she's old.

King James Version, 1611

Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old.

23

Buy the truth and don't sell it—wisdom, instruction and understanding as well.

Plain English

Buy the truth and don't sell it — wisdom too, and teaching, and understanding.

King James Version, 1611

Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.

24

The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice; whoever fathers a wise child will be glad in him.

Plain English

The father of the righteous will celebrate hard, and the one who fathers a wise child will have joy of him.

King James Version, 1611

The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice: and he that begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him.

25

Let your father and mother be glad, and let the woman who bore you rejoice.

Plain English

Your father and your mother will be glad, and the one who had you will celebrate.

King James Version, 1611

Thy father and thy mother shall be glad, and she that bare thee shall rejoice.

26

My son, give me your heart, and let your eyes observe my ways.

Plain English

My son, give me your heart, and let your eyes watch my ways.

King James Version, 1611

My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways.

27

A prostitute is a deep ditch, and an unfaithful woman is a narrow pit.

Plain English

Because a prostitute is a deep ditch, and a strange woman is a narrow pit.

King James Version, 1611

For a whore is a deep ditch; and a strange woman is a narrow pit.

28

She also lies in wait like a robber and increases the transgressors among men.

Plain English

She lies in wait too like a robber, and grows the ones who deal treacherously among men.

King James Version, 1611

She also lieth in wait as for a prey, and increaseth the transgressors among men.

29

Who has trouble? Who has sorrow? Who has arguments? Who has complaints? Who has wounds for no reason? Who has red eyes?

Plain English

Who has trouble? Who has sorrow? Who has fighting? Who has complaining? Who has wounds for no reason? Who has red eyes?

King James Version, 1611

Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes?

30

Those who linger over wine, those who go looking for mixed wine.

Plain English

The ones who stay a long time at the wine, the ones who go looking for mixed wine.

King James Version, 1611

They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine.

31

Don't stare at the wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup and goes down smoothly.

Plain English

Don't look at the wine when it's red, when it gives its colour in the cup, when it goes down smoothly.

King James Version, 1611

Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright.

32

In the end it bites like a serpent and stings like an adder.

Plain English

At the last it bites like a snake and stings like an adder.

King James Version, 1611

At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder.

33

Your eyes will see strange women, and your heart will utter perverse things.

Plain English

Your eyes will see strange women, and your heart will speak twisted things.

King James Version, 1611

Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things.

34

You'll be like someone lying down in the middle of the sea, or like someone lying at the top of a mast.

Plain English

Yes, you'll be like the one who lies down in the middle of the sea, or like the one who lies on the top of a mast.

King James Version, 1611

Yea, 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.

35

‘They hit me, but I didn't feel it. They beat me, and I didn't notice. When will I wake up? I'll go looking for another drink.’

Plain English

They've struck me, you'll say, and I wasn't sick. They've beaten me and I didn't feel it. When will I wake up? I'll look for it again.

King James Version, 1611

They 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.