Proverbs 23 Parallel Bible Translations

Proverbs 23 ▼
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1 When you sit to eat with a ruler, || Diligently consider that which [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 you have put a knife to your throat, || If you [are] a man of 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 Have no desire to his delicacies, seeing it [is] lying food. Do not desire his delicacies, for they are deceptive food. Do not crave his delicacies, for that food is deceptive.
4 Do not labor to make wealth, || Cease from your own understanding, || Do you cause your eyes to fly on it? Then it is not. 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 For wealth makes wings to itself, || It flies to the heavens as an eagle. 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 an evil eye, || And have no desire to 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 as he has thought in his soul, so he [is]. “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 You vomit up your morsel you have eaten, || And have marred your words that [are] sweet. 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 treads on 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 border of ancient times, || And do not enter into 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 pleads 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 Bring your heart to instruction, || And your ear to sayings 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 youth, || When you strike him with a rod he does 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 a rod, || And you 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 has been wise, || My heart rejoices, 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 And my reins exult when your lips speak uprightly. 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 envious at sinners, || But—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 is there a posterity? Then your hope is not 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, my son, and be wise, || And make your heart blessed 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 Do not become drunk with wine, || Among gluttonous ones 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 glutton become poor, || And drowsiness clothes 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, who begot you, || And do not despise your mother when she has become 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 truth, and do not sell, || 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 rejoices greatly, || The begetter of the wise rejoices 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 Your father and your mother rejoice, || Indeed, she bearing you is joyful. 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 Give, my son, your heart to me, || And let your eyes watch 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 harlot [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, as catching prey, lies in wait, || And she increases the treacherous 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 complaint? 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 Those lingering by the wine, || Those going in to search out 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 Do not see wine when it shows itself red, || When it gives its color in the cup, || It goes up and down through the upright. 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 latter end—it bites as a serpent, || And it stings as a viper. 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 see strange women, || And your heart speaks 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 have been as one lying down in the heart of the sea, || And as 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 have not been sick, || They beat me, I have not known. When I awake—I 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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