Proverbs 23:17-28

New American Standard Bible

^17 (A)Do not let your heart envy sinners,
But live in ^[a]the ^(B)fear of the Lord ^[b]always.
¹⁸ Certainly there is a ^[c](C)future,
And your ^(D)hope will not be cut off.
¹⁹ Listen, my son, and ^(E)be wise,
And ^(F)direct your heart in the way.
²⁰ Do not be with ^(G)heavy drinkers of wine,
Or with ^(H)gluttonous eaters of meat;
²¹ For the ^(I)heavy drinker and the glutton will come to poverty,
And ^(J)drowsiness will clothe one with rags.

^22 (K)Listen to your father, who fathered you,
And ^(L)do not despise your mother when she is old.
^23 (M)Buy truth, and do not sell it,
Get wisdom, instruction, and understanding.

²⁴ The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice,
And ^(N)he who fathers a wise son will be glad in him.
²⁵ Let your ^(O)father and your mother be glad,
And let her rejoice who gave birth to you.

^26 (P)Give me your heart, my son,
And let your eyes ^[d](Q)delight in my ways.
²⁷ For a prostitute is a ^(R)deep pit,
And a ^[e](S)strange woman is a narrow well.
²⁸ Certainly she ^(T)lurks as a robber,
And increases the treacherous among mankind.