23 When you sit to dine with a ruler,
    note well what^[a] is before you,
² and put a knife to your throat
    if you are given to gluttony.
³ Do not crave his delicacies,^(A)
    for that food is deceptive.

⁴ Do not wear yourself out to get rich;
    do not trust your own cleverness.
⁵ Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone,^(B)
    for they will surely sprout wings
    and fly off to the sky like an eagle.^(C)

⁶ Do not eat the food of a begrudging host,
    do not crave his delicacies;^(D)
7 for he is the kind of person
    who is always thinking about the cost.^[b]
“Eat and drink,” he says to you,
    but his heart is not with you.
⁸ You will vomit up the little you have eaten
    and will have wasted your compliments.

⁹ Do not speak to fools,
    for they will scorn your prudent words.^(E)

¹⁰ Do not move an ancient boundary stone^(F)
    or encroach on the fields of the fatherless,
¹¹ for their Defender^(G) is strong;^(H)
    he will take up their case against you.^(I)

¹² Apply your heart to instruction^(J)
    and your ears to words of knowledge.

¹³ Do not withhold discipline from a child;
    if you punish them with the rod, they will not die.
¹⁴ Punish them with the rod
    and save them from death.^(K)

¹⁵ My son, if your heart is wise,
    then my heart will be glad indeed;
¹⁶ my inmost being will rejoice
    when your lips speak what is right.^(L)

¹⁷ Do not let your heart envy^(M) sinners,
    but always be zealous for the fear of the Lord.
¹⁸ There is surely a future hope for you,
    and your hope will not be cut off.^(N)

¹⁹ Listen, my son,^(O) and be wise,
    and set your heart on the right path:
²⁰ Do not join those who drink too much wine^(P)
    or gorge themselves on meat,
²¹ for drunkards and gluttons become poor,^(Q)
    and drowsiness clothes them in rags.

²² Listen to your father, who gave you life,
    and do not despise your mother when she is old.^(R)
23 Buy the truth and do not sell it—
    wisdom, instruction and insight as well.^(S)
24 The father of a righteous child has great joy;
    a man who fathers a wise son rejoices in him.^(T)
25 May your father and mother rejoice;
    may she who gave you birth be joyful!^(U)

²⁶ My son,^(V) give me your heart
    and let your eyes delight in my ways,^(W)
27 for an adulterous woman is a deep pit,^(X)
    and a wayward wife is a narrow well.
²⁸ Like a bandit she lies in wait^(Y)
    and multiplies the unfaithful among men.

²⁹ Who has woe? Who has sorrow?
    Who has strife? Who has complaints?
    Who has needless bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes?
³⁰ Those who linger over wine,^(Z)
    who go to sample bowls of mixed wine.
³¹ Do not gaze at wine when it is red,
    when it sparkles in the cup,
    when it goes down smoothly!
³² In the end it bites like a snake
    and poisons like a viper.
³³ Your eyes will see strange sights,
    and your mind will imagine confusing things.
³⁴ You will be like one sleeping on the high seas,
    lying on top of the rigging.
³⁵ “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?”^(AA)

55 “Come, all you who are thirsty,^(A)
    come to the waters;^(B)
and you who have no money,
    come, buy^(C) and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk^(D)
    without money and without cost.^(E)
2 Why spend money on what is not bread,
    and your labor on what does not satisfy?^(F)
Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good,^(G)
    and you will delight in the richest^(H) of fare.
³ Give ear and come to me;
    listen,^(I) that you may live.^(J)
I will make an everlasting covenant^(K) with you,
    my faithful love^(L) promised to David.^(M)
4 See, I have made him a witness^(N) to the peoples,
    a ruler and commander^(O) of the peoples.
⁵ Surely you will summon nations^(P) you know not,
    and nations you do not know will come running to you,^(Q)
because of the Lord your God,
    the Holy One^(R) of Israel,
    for he has endowed you with splendor.”^(S)

⁹ Come, all you beasts of the field,^(BS)
    come and devour, all you beasts of the forest!
¹⁰ Israel’s watchmen^(BT) are blind,
    they all lack knowledge;^(BU)
they are all mute dogs,
    they cannot bark;
they lie around and dream,
    they love to sleep.^(BV)
11 They are dogs with mighty appetites;
    they never have enough.
They are shepherds^(BW) who lack understanding;^(BX)
    they all turn to their own way,^(BY)
    they seek their own gain.^(BZ)
12 “Come,” each one cries, “let me get wine!^(CA)
    Let us drink our fill of beer!
And tomorrow will be like today,
    or even far better.”^(CB)