Proverbs 23
Geneva Study Bible
When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what is before thee:
When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, {a} consider diligently what is before thee:

(a) Eat with sobriety.

And put a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man given to appetite.
{b} And put a knife to thy throat, if thou art a man given to appetite.

(b) Bridle your appetite, as if by force and violence.

Be not desirous of his dainties: for they are deceitful meat.
Be not desirous of his dainties: {c} for they are deceitful food.

(c) For often the rich when they bid their inferiors to their tables, it is not for the love they bear them, but for their own secret purposes.

Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom.
Labour not to be rich: cease from thy own {d} wisdom.

(d) Bestow not the gifts that God has given you, to get worldly riches.

Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.
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:
Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an {e} evil eye, neither desire thou his delicacies:

(e) That is, covetous, as contrary a good eye is taken for liberal as in Pr 22:9.

For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.
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.
The {f} morsel which thou hast eaten shalt thou vomit up, and lose thy sweet words.

(f) He will not cease till he has done you some harm, and his flattering words will come to no use.

Speak not in the ears of a fool: for he will despise the wisdom of thy 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:
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.
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.
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.
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.
Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from {g} hell.

(g) That is, from destruction.

My son, if thine heart be wise, my heart shall rejoice, even mine.
My son, if thine heart be wise, my heart shall rejoice, even mine.
Yea, my reins shall rejoice, when thy lips speak right things.
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.
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.
For surely there is an end; {h} and thy expectation shall not be cut off.

(h) The prosperity of the wicked will not continue.

Hear thou, my son, and be wise, and guide thine heart in the way.
Hear thou, my son, and be wise, and guide thy heart in the {i} way.

(i) In the observation of God's commandments.

Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh:
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.
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.
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.
Buy {k} the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.

(k) Spare no cost for truths sake, neither depart from it for any gain.

The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice: and he that begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him.
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.
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.
My son, give me {l} thy heart, and let thy eyes observe my ways.

(l) Give yourself wholly to wisdom.

For a whore is a deep ditch; and a strange woman is a narrow pit.
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.
She also lieth in wait as for a prey, {m} and increaseth the transgressors among men.

(m) She seduces many and causes them to offend God.

Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes?
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.
They that tarry long at the wine; they that go {n} to seek mixed wine.

(n) Who by art make wine stronger and more pleasant.

Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright.
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.
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.
Thy {o} eyes shall behold strange women, and thy heart shall utter perverse things.

(o) That is, drunkenness will bring you to whoredom.

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.
And thou shalt be as he that lieth down in the midst of the {p} sea, or as he that lieth upon the top of a mast.

(p) In such great danger will you be.

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.
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 {q} seek it yet again.

(q) Though drunkenness makes them more insensible then beasts, yet they can not refrain.

The Geneva Bible Translation Notes [1599]

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