English Standard Version

New American Standard Bible 1995

1When you sit down to eat with a ruler, observe carefully what is before you,

1When you sit down to dine with a ruler, Consider carefully what is before you,

2and put a knife to your throat if you are given to appetite.

2And put a knife to your throat If you are a man of great appetite.

3Do not desire his delicacies, for they are deceptive food.

3Do not desire his delicacies, For it is deceptive food.

4Do not toil to acquire wealth; be discerning enough to desist.

4Do not weary yourself to gain wealth, Cease from your consideration of it.

5When your eyes light on it, it is gone, for suddenly it sprouts wings, flying like an eagle toward heaven.

5When you set your eyes on it, it is gone. For wealth certainly makes itself wings Like an eagle that flies toward the heavens.

6Do not eat the bread of a man who is stingy; do not desire his delicacies,

6Do not eat the bread of a selfish man, Or desire his delicacies;

7for he is like one who is inwardly calculating. “Eat and drink!” he says to you, but his heart is not with you.

7For as he thinks within himself, so he is. He says to you, "Eat and drink!" But his heart is not with you.

8You will vomit up the morsels that you have eaten, and waste your pleasant words.

8You will vomit up the morsel you have eaten, And waste your compliments.

9Do not speak in the hearing of a fool, for he will despise the good sense of your words.

9Do not speak in the hearing of a fool, For he will despise the wisdom of your words.

10Do not move an ancient landmark or enter the fields of the fatherless,

10Do not move the ancient boundary Or go into the fields of the fatherless,

11for their Redeemer is strong; he will plead their cause against you.

11For their Redeemer is strong; He will plead their case against you.

12Apply your heart to instruction and your ear to words of knowledge.

12Apply your heart to discipline And your ears to words of knowledge.

13Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you strike him with a rod, he will not die.

13Do not hold back discipline from the child, Although you strike him with the rod, he will not die.

14If you strike him with the rod, you will save his soul from Sheol.

14You shall strike him with the rod And rescue his soul from Sheol.

15My son, if your heart is wise, my heart too will be glad.

15My son, if your heart is wise, My own heart also will be glad;

16My inmost being will exult when your lips speak what is right.

16And my inmost being will rejoice When your lips speak what is right.

17Let not your heart envy sinners, but continue in the fear of the LORD all the day.

17Do not let your heart envy sinners, But live in the fear of the LORD always.

18Surely there is a future, and your hope will not be cut off.

18Surely there is a future, And your hope will not be cut off.

19Hear, my son, and be wise, and direct your heart in the way.

19Listen, my son, and be wise, And direct your heart in the way.

20Be not among drunkards or among gluttonous eaters of meat,

20Do not be with heavy drinkers of wine, Or with gluttonous eaters of meat;

21for the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty, and slumber will clothe them with rags.

21For the heavy drinker and the glutton will come to poverty, And drowsiness will clothe one with rags.

22Listen to your father who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old.

22Listen to your father who begot you, And do not despise your mother when she is old.

23Buy truth, and do not sell it; buy wisdom, instruction, and understanding.

23Buy truth, and do not sell it, Get wisdom and instruction and understanding.

24The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice; he who fathers a wise son will be glad in him.

24The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice, And he who sires a wise son will be glad in him.

25Let your father and mother be glad; let her who bore you rejoice.

25Let your father and your mother be glad, And let her rejoice who gave birth to you.

26My son, give me your heart, and let your eyes observe my ways.

26Give me your heart, my son, And let your eyes delight in my ways.

27For a prostitute is a deep pit; an adulteress is a narrow well.

27For a harlot is a deep pit And an adulterous woman is a narrow well.

28She lies in wait like a robber and increases the traitors among mankind.

28Surely she lurks as a robber, And increases the faithless among men.

29Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has strife? Who has complaining? Who has wounds without cause? Who has redness of eyes?

29Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has contentions? Who has complaining? Who has wounds without cause? Who has redness of eyes?

30Those who tarry long over wine; those who go to try mixed wine.

30Those who linger long over wine, Those who go to taste mixed wine.

31Do not look at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup and goes down smoothly.

31Do not look on the wine when it is red, When it sparkles in the cup, When it goes down smoothly;

32In the end it bites like a serpent and stings like an adder.

32At the last it bites like a serpent And stings like a viper.

33Your eyes will see strange things, and your heart utter perverse things.

33Your eyes will see strange things And your mind will utter perverse things.

34You will be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea, like one who lies on the top of a mast.

34And 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.

35“They struck me,” you will say, “but I was not hurt; they beat me, but I did not feel it. When shall I awake? I must have another drink.”

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."

ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.

New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org