English Standard Version

International Standard Version

1When you sit down to eat with a ruler, observe carefully what is before you,

1Whenever you sit down to dine with a ruler, carefully think about what is before you.

2and put a knife to your throat if you are given to appetite.

2Put a knife to your own throat, if you have a big appetite.

3Do not desire his delicacies, for they are deceptive food.

3Don't crave his delicacies, because the meal is deceptive.

4Do not toil to acquire wealth; be discerning enough to desist.

4Don't exhaust yourself acquiring wealth; be smart enough to stop.

5When your eyes light on it, it is gone, for suddenly it sprouts wings, flying like an eagle toward heaven.

5When you fix your gaze on it, it's gone, for it sprouts wings for itself and flies to the sky like an eagle.

6Do not eat the bread of a man who is stingy; do not desire his delicacies,

6Don't consume food provided by a miserly person, and don't desire his delicacies,

7for he is like one who is inwardly calculating. “Eat and drink!” he says to you, but his heart is not with you.

7for as he thinks within himself, so he is. "Eat and drink!" he'll say to you, but his heart won't be with you.

8You will vomit up the morsels that you have eaten, and waste your pleasant words.

8You'll vomit up what little you've eaten, and your compliments will have been wasted.

9Do not speak in the hearing of a fool, for he will despise the good sense of your words.

9Don't speak when a fool is listening, because he'll despise your wise words.

10Do not move an ancient landmark or enter the fields of the fatherless,

10Don't move ancient boundaries or invade fields belonging to orphans;

11for their Redeemer is strong; he will plead their cause against you.

11for strong is their Redeemer who will take up their case against you.

12Apply your heart to instruction and your ear to words of knowledge.

12Learn diligently, and listen to words of knowledge.

13Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you strike him with a rod, he will not die.

13Don't withhold discipline from a child; if you punish him with a rod, he won't die.

14If you strike him with the rod, you will save his soul from Sheol.

14Punish him with a rod, and you will rescue his soul from Sheol.

15My son, if your heart is wise, my heart too will be glad.

15My son, if your heart is wise, my own heart will greatly rejoice.

16My inmost being will exult when your lips speak what is right.

16My innermost being will be glad when your lips speak what is right.

17Let not your heart envy sinners, but continue in the fear of the LORD all the day.

17Never let yourself envy sinners; instead, remain in fear of the LORD every day,

18Surely there is a future, and your hope will not be cut off.

18for there is surely a future life, and what you hope for will not be cut off.

19Hear, my son, and be wise, and direct your heart in the way.

19Listen, my son, and be wise, commit yourself to live God's way.

20Be not among drunkards or among gluttonous eaters of meat,

20Don't associate with heavy drinkers or dine with gluttons,

21for the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty, and slumber will clothe them with rags.

21because drunks and gluttons tend to become poor, and drowsiness will clothe them in rags.

22Listen to your father who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old.

22Listen to the one who fathered you, and don't despise your mother in her old age.

23Buy truth, and do not sell it; buy wisdom, instruction, and understanding.

23Purchase truth, but don't sell it; store up wisdom, instruction, and understanding.

24The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice; he who fathers a wise son will be glad in him.

24The father of a righteous person will greatly rejoice; whoever fathers a wise son will be glad because of him.

25Let your father and mother be glad; let her who bore you rejoice.

25Let your father and mother rejoice; make the one who gave birth to you happy.

26My son, give me your heart, and let your eyes observe my ways.

26Give me your heart, my son, and keep your eyes fixed on my ways,

27For a prostitute is a deep pit; an adulteress is a narrow well.

27because a prostitute is a deep pit, and the adulterous woman a narrow well.

28She lies in wait like a robber and increases the traitors among mankind.

28Surely she lies in wait like a bandit, increasing those who are faithless among mankind.

29Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has strife? Who has complaining? Who has wounds without cause? Who has redness of eyes?

29Who has woe? Who has grief? Who has contention? Who has complaints? Who has wounds without cause? Who has bloodshot eyes?

30Those who tarry long over wine; those who go to try mixed wine.

30Those who linger over their wine, who consume mixed drinks.

31Do not look at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup and goes down smoothly.

31Don't stare into red wine, when it sparkles in the cup and goes down smoothly.

32In the end it bites like a serpent and stings like an adder.

32Eventually it will bite like a snake and sting like a serpent.

33Your eyes will see strange things, and your heart utter perverse things.

33Your eyes will see strange things, and with slurred words you'll speak what you really believe.

34You will be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea, like one who lies on the top of a mast.

34You will be like someone who lies down in the sea, or like someone who sleeps on top of a mast.

35“They struck me,” you will say, “but I was not hurt; they beat me, but I did not feel it. When shall I awake? I must have another drink.”

35"They struck me," you will say, "but I never felt it. They beat me, but I never knew it When will I wake up? I want another drink."

ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.

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