Proverbs 23 Parallel Bible Translations

Proverbs 23 ▼
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Brenton Septuagint Translation
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English Standard Version
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1 If thou sit to sup at the table of a prince, consider attentively the things set 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 apply thine hand, knowing that it behoves thee to prepare such meats : but if thou art very insatiable, 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 desire not his provisions; for these belong to a false life. Do not desire his delicacies, for they are deceptive food. Do not crave his delicacies, for that food is deceptive.
4 If thou art poor, measure not thyself with a rich man; but refrain thyself in thy 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 If thou shouldest fix thine eye upon him, he will disappear; for wings like an eagle's are prepared for him, and he returns to the house of his master. 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 Sup not with an envious man, neither desire thou his 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 so he eats and drinks as if any one should swallow a hair, and do not bring him in to thyself, nor eat thy morsel with him: 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 for he will vomit it up, and spoil thy fair 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 Say nothing in the ears of a fool, lest at any time he sneer at thy wise 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 ancient landmarks; and enter not upon the possession 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 the Lord is their redeemer; he is mighty, and will plead their cause with 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 prepare thine ears for words of discretion. 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 Refrain not from chastening a child; for if thou 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 For thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from death. 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 Son, if thy heart be wise, thou shalt also gladden my heart; 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 thy lips shall converse with my lips, if they be right. 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 envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the Lord 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 if thou shouldest keep these things, thou shalt have posterity; and thine hope shall not be removed. 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 rightly direct the thoughts of thine heart. 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 a wine-bibber, neither continue long at feasts, and purchases 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 every drunkard and whoremonger shall be poor; and every sluggard shall clothe himself with tatters and ragged garments. 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 Hearken, my son, to thy father which begot thee, and despise not thy mother because she is grown 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 it; buy wisdom, instruction, and understanding. Buy the truth and do not sell it— wisdom, instruction and insight as well.
24 A righteous father brings up his children well; and his soul rejoices over a wise son. 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 thy father and thy mother rejoice over thee, and let her that bore thee be glad. 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 thine heart, and let thine 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 strange house is a vessel full of holes; and a strange well is narrow. 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 For such a one shall perish suddenly; and every transgressor shall be cut off. 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 trouble? who has quarrels? and who vexations and disputes? who has bruises without a cause? whose eyes are livid? 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 Are not those of them that stay long at wine? are not those of them that haunt the places where banquets are? Be not drunk with wine; but converse with just men, and converse with them openly. 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 For if thou shouldest set thine eyes on bowls and cups, thou shalt afterwards go more naked than a pestle. 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 But at last such a one stretches himself out as one smitten by a serpent, and venom is diffused through him as by a horned serpent. 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 Whenever thine eyes shall behold a strange woman, then thy mouth shall 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 thou shalt lie as in the midst of the sea, and as a pilot in a great storm. 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 And thou shalt say, They smote me, and I was not pained; and they mocked me, and I knew it not: when will it be morning, that I may go and seek those with whom I may go in company? “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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