23:1 When you sit down to eat with a ruler,
consider carefully1 what2 is before you,
23:2 and put a knife to your throat3
if you possess a large appetite.4
23:3 Do not crave that ruler’s5 delicacies,
23:4 Do not wear yourself out to become rich;
be wise enough to restrain yourself.8
23:5 When you gaze upon riches,9 they are gone,
for they surely make wings for themselves,
and fly off into the sky like an eagle!10
23:6 Do not eat the food of a stingy person,11
do not crave his delicacies;
23:7 for he is12 like someone calculating the cost13 in his mind.14
“Eat and drink,” he says to you,
but his heart is not with you;
23:8 you will vomit up15 the little bit you have eaten,
and will have wasted your pleasant words.16
23:9 Do not speak in the ears of a fool,17
for he will despise the wisdom of your words.18
23:10 Do not move an ancient boundary stone,
or take over19 the fields of the fatherless,
23:11 for their Protector20 is strong;
he will plead their case against you.21
23:12 Apply22 your heart to instruction
and your ears to the words of knowledge.
23:13 Do not withhold discipline from a child;
even if you strike him with the rod, he will not die.
23:14 If you strike23 him with the rod,
you will deliver his life24 from death.25
23:15 My child,26 if your heart is wise,
then my heart also will be glad;
when your lips speak what is right.28
23:17 Do not let your heart envy29 sinners,
but rather be zealous in fearing the Lord30 all the time.
23:18 For surely there is a future,31
and your hope will not be cut off.32
23:19 Listen, my child,33 and be wise,
and guide your heart on the right way.
23:20 Do not be among those who drink too much wine,34
among those who eat too much35 meat,
23:21 because drunkards and gluttons become impoverished,
and drowsiness36 clothes them with rags.37
23:22 Listen to your father who begot you,
and do not despise your mother when she is old.
23:23 Acquire38 truth and do not sell it—
wisdom, and discipline, and understanding.
23:24 The father of a righteous person will rejoice greatly;39
whoever fathers a wise child40 will have joy in him.
23:25 May your father and your mother have joy;
may she who bore you rejoice.41
23:26 Give me your heart, my child,42
and let your eyes observe my ways;
23:27 for a prostitute is like43 a deep pit;
a harlot44 is like45 a narrow well.46
23:28 Indeed, she lies in wait like a robber,47
and increases the unfaithful48 among men.49
23:29 Who has woe?50 Who has sorrow?
Who has contentions? Who has complaints?
Who has wounds without cause? Who has dullness51 of the eyes?
23:30 Those who linger over wine,
those who go looking for mixed wine.52
23:31 Do not look on the wine when it is red,
when it sparkles53 in the cup,
when it goes down smoothly.54
23:32 Afterward55 it bites like a snake,
and stings like a viper.
23:33 Your eyes will see strange things,56
and your mind will speak perverse things.
23:34 And you will be like one who lies down in the midst57 of the sea,
and like one who lies down on the top of the rigging.58
23:35 You will say,59 “They have struck me, but I am not harmed!
They beat me, but I did not know it!60
When will I awake? I will look for another drink.”61