Proverbs 23 Parallel Bible Translations

Proverbs 23 ▼
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GENEVA
Geneva Bible of 1587
ESV
English Standard Version
NIV
New International Version
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1 When thou sittest to eate with a ruler, consider diligently what is before thee, 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 the knife to thy throte, if thou be a man giuen to the 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 deintie meates: for it is a deceiuable meate. Do not desire his delicacies, for they are deceptive food. Do not crave his delicacies, for that food is deceptive.
4 Trauaile not too much to be rich: but cease from thy wisdome. 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 Wilt thou cast thine eyes vpon it, which is nothing? For riches taketh her to her wings, as an eagle, and flyeth into the heauen. 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 Eate thou not the bread of him that hath an euil eye, neither desire his deintie meates. 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 though he thought it in his heart, so will hee say vnto thee, Eate and drinke: but his heart is not with thee. 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 Thou shalt vomit thy morsels that thou hast eaten, and thou shalt lose thy sweete wordes. 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 Speake not in the eares of a foole: for hee will despise the wisdome of thy wordes. 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 Remooue not the ancient boundes, and enter not into the fieldes of the fatherlesse. 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 he that redeemeth them, is mightie: he will defend their cause against thee. 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 thine heart to instruction, and thine eares to the wordes 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 childe: if thou smite him with the rodde, 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 Thou shalt smite him with the rodde, and shalt deliuer his soule 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 sonne, if thine heart be wise, mine heart shall reioyce, and I also. 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 reynes shall reioyce, when thy lips speake righteous 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 thine heart bee enuious against sinners: but let it bee in the feare of the Lorde continually. 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 ende, and thy hope 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 O thou my sonne, heare, and bee wise, and guide thine 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 Keepe not company with drunkards, nor with gluttons. 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 bee poore, and the sleeper shalbe clothed with ragges. 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 Obey thy father that hath begotten thee, and despise not thy mother when she is olde. 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 Bye the trueth, but sell it not: likewise wisdome, and instruction, and vnderstanding. 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 shal greatly reioyce, and hee that begetteth a wise childe, shall haue ioy 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 Thy father and thy mother shall be glad, and she that bare thee shall reioyce. 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 sonne, giue mee thine heart, and let thine eyes delite in my wayes. 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 as a deepe ditche, and a strange woman is as a narrowe pitte. 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 Also she lyeth in wait as for a praye, and she increaseth the transgressers 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 whome is woe? to whome is sorowe? to whom is strife? to whom is murmuring? to whom are woundes without cause? and to whome is the rednesse of the 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 Euen to them that tarie long at the wine, to them that goe, and seeke mixt 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 Looke not thou vpon the wine, when it is red, and when it sheweth his colour in the cup, or goeth downe pleasantly. 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 In the ende thereof it will bite like a serpent, and hurt like a cockatrise. 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 Thine eyes shall looke vpon strange women, and thine heart shall speake lewde 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 thou shalt bee as one that sleepeth in the middes of the sea, and as hee that sleepeth in the toppe of the maste. 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 haue stricken mee, shalt thou say, but I was not sicke: they haue beaten mee, but I knew not, when I awoke: therefore will I seeke it yet still. “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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