Proverbs 23:22-35

English Standard Version Anglicised

^22 (A)Listen to your father who gave you life,
    ^(B)and do not despise your mother when she is old.
^23 (C)Buy truth, and do not sell it;
    buy wisdom, instruction, and understanding.
^24 (D)The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice;
    he who fathers a wise son will be glad in him.
^25 (E)Let your father and mother be glad;
    let ^(F)her who bore you rejoice.
²⁶ My son, give me your heart,
    and let your eyes observe^[a] my ways.
²⁷ For a prostitute is ^(G)a deep pit;
    ^(H)an adulteress^[b] is a narrow ^(I)well.
^28 (J)She lies in wait like a robber
    and increases the traitors among mankind.
^29 (K)Who has woe? Who has sorrow?
    Who has strife? Who has complaining?
Who has ^(L)wounds without cause?
    Who has ^(M)redness of eyes?
³⁰ Those who ^(N)tarry long over wine;
    those who go to try ^(O)mixed wine.
³¹ Do not look at wine when it is red,
    when it sparkles in the cup
    and goes down smoothly.
³² In the end it ^(P)bites like a serpent
    and stings like an adder.
³³ Your eyes will see strange things,
    and your heart utter ^(Q)perverse things.
³⁴ You will be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea,
    like one who lies on the top of a mast.^[c]
35 “They ^(R)struck me,” you will say,^[d] “but I was not hurt;
    they beat me, but I did not feel it.
When shall I awake?
    I ^(S)must have another drink.”