Proverbs 23 Parallel Bible Translations

Proverbs 23 ▼
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1 When you sit to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what is before you: When you sit down to eat with a ruler, observe carefully what is before you, When you sit to dine with a ruler, note well what is before you,
2 And put a knife to your throat, if you be a man given to appetite. and put a knife to your throat if you are given to appetite. and put a knife to your throat if you are given to gluttony.
3 Be not desirous of his dainties: for they are deceitful meat. Do not desire his delicacies, for they are deceptive food. Do not crave his delicacies, for that food is deceptive.
4 Labor not to be rich: cease from your own wisdom. Do not toil to acquire wealth; be discerning enough to desist. Do not wear yourself out to get rich; do not trust your own cleverness.
5 Will you set your eyes on that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven. When your eyes light on it, it is gone, for suddenly it sprouts wings, flying like an eagle toward heaven. Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle.
6 Eat you not the bread of him that has an evil eye, neither desire you his dainty meats: Do not eat the bread of a man who is stingy; do not desire his delicacies, Do not eat the food of a begrudging host, do not crave his delicacies;
7 For as he thinks in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, said he to you; but his heart is not with you. for he is like one who is inwardly calculating. “Eat and drink!” he says to you, but his heart is not with you. for he is the kind of person who is always thinking about the cost. “Eat and drink,” he says to you, but his heart is not with you.
8 The morsel which you have eaten shall you vomit up, and lose your sweet words. You will vomit up the morsels that you have eaten, and waste your pleasant words. You will vomit up the little you have eaten and will have wasted your compliments.
9 Speak not in the ears of a fool: for he will despise the wisdom of your words. Do not speak in the hearing of a fool, for he will despise the good sense of your words. Do not speak to fools, for they will scorn your prudent words.
10 Remove not the old landmark; and enter not into the fields of the fatherless: Do not move an ancient landmark or enter the fields of the fatherless, Do not move an ancient boundary stone or encroach on the fields of the fatherless,
11 For their redeemer is mighty; he shall plead their cause with you. for their Redeemer is strong; he will plead their cause against you. for their Defender is strong; he will take up their case against you.
12 Apply your heart to instruction, and your ears to the words of knowledge. Apply your heart to instruction and your ear to words of knowledge. Apply your heart to instruction and your ears to words of knowledge.
13 Withhold not correction from the child: for if you beat him with the rod, he shall not die. Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you strike him with a rod, he will not die. Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you punish them with the rod, they will not die.
14 You shall beat him with the rod, and shall deliver his soul from hell. If you strike him with the rod, you will save his soul from Sheol. Punish them with the rod and save them from death.
15 My son, if your heart be wise, my heart shall rejoice, even mine. My son, if your heart is wise, my heart too will be glad. My son, if your heart is wise, then my heart will be glad indeed;
16 Yes, my reins shall rejoice, when your lips speak right things. My inmost being will exult when your lips speak what is right. my inmost being will rejoice when your lips speak what is right.
17 Let not your heart envy sinners: but be you in the fear of the LORD all the day long. Let not your heart envy sinners, but continue in the fear of the LORD all the day. Do not let your heart envy sinners, but always be zealous for the fear of the LORD.
18 For surely there is an end; and your expectation shall not be cut off. Surely there is a future, and your hope will not be cut off. There is surely a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off.
19 Hear you, my son, and be wise, and guide your heart in the way. Hear, my son, and be wise, and direct your heart in the way. Listen, my son, and be wise, and set your heart on the right path:
20 Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh: Be not among drunkards or among gluttonous eaters of meat, Do not join those who drink too much wine or gorge themselves on meat,
21 For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags. for the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty, and slumber will clothe them with rags. for drunkards and gluttons become poor, and drowsiness clothes them in rags.
22 Listen to your father that begat you, and despise not your mother when she is old. Listen to your father who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old. Listen to your father, who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old.
23 Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding. Buy truth, and do not sell it; buy wisdom, instruction, and understanding. Buy the truth and do not sell it— wisdom, instruction and insight as well.
24 The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice: and he that begets a wise child shall have joy of him. The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice; he who fathers a wise son will be glad in him. The father of a righteous child has great joy; a man who fathers a wise son rejoices in him.
25 Your father and your mother shall be glad, and she that bore you shall rejoice. Let your father and mother be glad; let her who bore you rejoice. May your father and mother rejoice; may she who gave you birth be joyful!
26 My son, give me your heart, and let your eyes observe my ways. My son, give me your heart, and let your eyes observe my ways. My son, give me your heart and let your eyes delight in my ways,
27 For a whore is a deep ditch; and a strange woman is a narrow pit. For a prostitute is a deep pit; an adulteress is a narrow well. for an adulterous woman is a deep pit, and a wayward wife is a narrow well.
28 She also lies in wait as for a prey, and increases the transgressors among men. She lies in wait like a robber and increases the traitors among mankind. Like a bandit she lies in wait and multiplies the unfaithful among men.
29 Who has woe? who has sorrow? who has contentions? who has babbling? who has wounds without cause? who has redness of eyes? Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has strife? Who has complaining? Who has wounds without cause? Who has redness of eyes? Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has strife? Who has complaints? Who has needless bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes?
30 They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine. Those who tarry long over wine; those who go to try mixed wine. Those who linger over wine, who go to sample bowls of mixed wine.
31 Look not you on the wine when it is red, when it gives his color in the cup, when it moves itself aright. Do not look at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup and goes down smoothly. Do not gaze at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goes down smoothly!
32 At the last it bites like a serpent, and stings like an adder. In the end it bites like a serpent and stings like an adder. In the end it bites like a snake and poisons like a viper.
33 Your eyes shall behold strange women, and your heart shall utter perverse things. Your eyes will see strange things, and your heart utter perverse things. Your eyes will see strange sights, and your mind will imagine confusing things.
34 Yes, you shall be as he that lies down in the middle of the sea, or as he that lies on the top of a mast. You will be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea, like one who lies on the top of a mast. You will be like one sleeping on the high seas, lying on top of the rigging.
35 They have stricken me, shall you 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 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.” “They hit me,” you will say, “but I’m not hurt! They beat me, but I don’t feel it! When will I wake up so I can find another drink?”
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