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Proverbs 23
New Life Version
Proverbs 23
New Life Version
23 When you sit down to eat with a ruler, think about what is in front of you. 2 Put a knife to your neck if you are a man who is given to much eating. 3 Do not desire his special foods, for they are put there for no good reason.
4 Do not work hard to be rich. Stop trying to get things for yourself. 5 When you set your eyes upon it, it is gone. For sure, riches make themselves wings like an eagle that flies toward the heavens.
6 Do not eat the bread of a man who thinks only about himself. Do not have a desire for his fine food. 7 For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. He says to you, “Eat and drink!” But his heart is not with you. 8 You will spit up the piece of food you have eaten, and waste your good words.
9 Do not speak in the hearing of a fool, for he will hate the wisdom of your words.
10 Do not take away the old land-mark, or go into the fields of those without a father. 11 For the One Who saves them is strong. He will stand by them and give them help against you. 12 Open your heart to teaching, and your ears to words of much learning.
13 Do not keep from punishing the child if he needs it. If you beat him with the stick, he will not die. 14 Beat him with the stick, and save his soul from hell.
15 My son, if your heart is wise, my own heart will be glad also. 16 My heart will be full of joy when your lips speak what is right.
17 Do not let your heart be jealous of sinners, but live in the fear of the Lord always. 18 For sure there is a future and your hope will not be cut off. 19 Listen, my son, and be wise. Lead your heart in the way. 20 Do not be with those who drink too much wine or eat too much meat. 21 For the man who drinks too much or eats too much will become poor, and much sleep will dress a man in torn clothes.
22 Listen to your father who gave you life, and do not hate your mother when she is old. 23 Buy truth, and do not sell it. Get wisdom and teaching and understanding.
24 The father of one who is right with God will have much joy. He who has a wise son will be glad in him. 25 Let your father and mother be glad, and let her who gave birth to you be full of joy.
26 Give me your heart, my son. Let your eyes find joy in my ways. 27 For a woman who sells the use of her body is like a deep hole. A sinful woman is a narrow well. 28 She lies in wait as a robber, and makes many more men not faithful.
29 Who has trouble? Who has sorrow? Who is fighting? Who is complaining? Who is hurt without a reason? Who has eyes that have become red? 30 Those who stay a long time over wine. Those who go to taste mixed wine. 31 Do not look at wine when it is red, when it shines in the cup, when it is smooth in going down. 32 In the end it bites like a snake. It stings like the bite of a snake with poison. 33 Your eyes will see strange things. Your mind will say the wrong things. 34 And you will be like one who lies down in the center of the sea, or like one who lies above a ship’s sail. 35 “They hit me, but I was not hurt. They beat me, but I did not know it. When will I wake up? I will look for another drink.”
Proverbs 23
New International Version
Proverbs 23
New International Version
Saying 7
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.
Saying 8
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)
Saying 9
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.
Saying 10
9 Do not speak to fools,
for they will scorn your prudent words.(E)
Saying 11
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)
Saying 12
12 Apply your heart to instruction(J)
and your ears to words of knowledge.
Saying 13
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)
Saying 14
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)
Saying 15
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)
Saying 16
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.
Saying 17
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)
Saying 18
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.
Saying 19
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)
Footnotes
- Proverbs 23:1 Or who
- Proverbs 23:7 Or for as he thinks within himself, / so he is; or for as he puts on a feast, / so he is
New Life Version (NLV)
Copyright © 1969, 2003 by Barbour Publishing, Inc.
New International Version (NIV) 
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.