Proverbs 23 Parallel Bible Translations

Proverbs 23 ▼
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1 When you sit down to eat with a ruler, discern carefully what is before your face, 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 are an owner of an 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 You should not mark out his delicacies, for it is bread of lies. Do not desire his delicacies, for they are deceptive food. Do not crave his delicacies, for that food is deceptive.
4 Do not toil to become rich, cease from your own understanding. 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 make your eyes fly onto it, and it is not there? For it certainly makes for itself wings like an eagle and flies away to the heavens! 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 Do not eat the bread of one evil of eye, and do not mark out his delicacies. 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 like one who calculates in his soul, so is he—“Eat and drink,” he says to you, and 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 Your morsel that you have eaten, you will vomit it up, and you will ruin your pleasant 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 Do not speak 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 Do not remove a boundary of old, and do not enter 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 strong—He will contend their dispute against 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 You must bring your heart to discipline, 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 Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you strike him with the rod, he will 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 strike him with the rod, and you will deliver his soul from Sheol. 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 is wise, my heart will be glad—even I. 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 And my kidneys will exult at the speaking of uprightness by your lips. 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 Do not let your heart be jealous of the sinners, but rather in the fear of YHWH all the day. 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 a posterity, and your hope will 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 Listen you, my son, and be wise, and let your heart walk straight 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 Not Be among those getting drunk on wine, among those being gluttons of flesh to themelves. 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 will be dispossessed, and drowsiness will clothe them in 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, this one begot you, 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. Listen to your father, who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old.
23 Acquire truth and do not sell it—wisdom, and discipline, and discernment. 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 a righteous one will greatly rejoice, and the one begetting a wise son will be glad in 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 Let your father and your mother be glad, and let she who bore you 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 your heart to me, and let your eyes delight in 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 prostitute is a deep pit, and a strange woman is a narrow well. 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, like a robber, lies in wait, and she increases the treacherous ones 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 To whom is woe? To whom is sorrow? To whom are quarrels? To whom is complaining? To whom are wounds without cause? To whom is dullness 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 To those lingering over the wine, to those going in search of mixed drink! 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 Do not look at the wine when it is red, when it gives forth its eye in the cup—it goes down with smoothness! 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 Its end is like a serpent—it bites, and like a viper it stings. 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 will see strange things, and your heart will speak 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 And you will become like one lying down in the heart of the sea, and like one lying down 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 struck me; I did not become weak. They beat me; I did not know it. When I awake, I will add to seek it 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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