Proverbs
23* When you sit down to eat a meal with a ruler
you will take good notice what it is that is before you,
2 And you will set a knife to your chin
if you are a man of appetite.
3 Do not be greedy for his tidbits;
that is bread of false pretense.
5*** Your eyes fly to it and it is not there,
because riches take wing
like a vulture flying into the sky.
6 Do not take a meal with a stingy man
nor be greedy for his tidbits,
7 For he is just like one who has a storm in his soul:
“Eat and drink,” he will say to you,
but you do not have his heart with you.
8 You will be vomiting out the mouthful you have eaten
and will have thrown away your fine words.
9 Do not talk for a fool to hear,
because he will despise the judiciousness of your words.
10 Do not displace an old-time boundary-mark
nor go into an orphan’s land,
11 Because their Guardian is strong;
it will be he that will fight out their case with you.
12 Bring instruction your heart
and words of knowledge your ears.
13 Do not let a boy go without discipline;
because you strike him with a cudgel he will not die.
14 It will be you with the cudgel that are striking him,
and you will be delivering his life from the world below.
15 My son, if your heart is wise
my own heart will be glad;
16 And my breast will exult
when your lips speak by line and level.
17 Let your heart not be emulous of sinners
but of the fear of Jehovah all day;
20 Do not be among those
who drink wine and eat meat recklessly,
21 Because a reckless drinker and eater will lose everything he has
and sleepiness gives a coat of rags.
22 Listen to your father that brought you to birth,
and do not despise your mother when she grows old.
24* Jubilant will be a right-doer’s father,
and he who has brought to birth a wise man will be glad of him.
25 Let your father and mother be glad
and her who gave you birth jubilant.
26 Give me your attention, my son,
and have an eye to my courses,
28 She too lies in ambush as a highwayman does,
and adds to the amount of disloyalty among men.
29* Who has “ouch”? who has “ow”?
who has quarrels? who has complaining?
Who has wounds for nothing?
who has black eyes?
30 Those who sit late over wine,
those who go in to investigate mixed drinks.
32 The future of it will be that it bites like a snake
and stings like a cobra.
33 Your eyes will see abnormal things
and your lips will speak absurd things,
35 “They struck me, I was not hurt;
they pounded me, I did not know it;
When shall I wake up?
I will go after it over again.”