23 ¹ When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, ^[a]consider diligently what is before thee,

^2 [b]And put thy knife to thy throat, if thou be a man given to the appetite.

³ Be not desirous of his dainty meats: ^[c]for it is a deceivable meat.

⁶ Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an ^[a]evil eye, neither desire his dainty meats.

⁷ For as though he thought it in his heart: so will he say unto thee, Eat and drink: but his heart is not with thee.

⁸ Thou shalt vomit thy ^[b]morsel that thou hast eaten, and thou shalt lose thy sweet words.

⁹ Speak not in the ears of a fool: for he will despise the wisdom of thy words.

⁶ He that sendeth a message by the hand of a fool, is as he that cutteth off ^[a]the feet, ^[b]and drinketh iniquity.

^10 [a]The Excellent that formed all things, both rewardeth the fool, and rewardeth the transgressors.

²⁴ He that hateth, will counterfeit with his lips, but in his heart he layeth up deceit.

²⁵ Though he speak favorably, believe him not: for there are ^[a]seven abominations in his heart.

²⁶ Hatred may be covered by deceit: but the malice thereof shall be discovered in the ^[b]congregation.

^27 (A)He that diggeth a pit shall fall therein, and he that rolleth a stone, it shall return unto him.

²⁸ A false tongue hateth the afflicted, and a flattering mouth causeth ruin.

⁶ The wounds of a lover are faithful, and the kisses of an enemy are ^[a]pleasant.

⁵ A man that flattereth his neighbor, ^[a]spreadeth a net for his steps.