| Holman Christian Standard Bible | International Standard Version |
| 1When you sit down to dine with a ruler, consider 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 have a big appetite; | 2Put a knife to your own throat, if you have a big appetite. |
| 3don't desire his choice food, for that food is deceptive. | 3Don't crave his delicacies, because the meal is deceptive. |
| 4Don't wear yourself out to get rich; stop giving your attention to it. | 4Don't exhaust yourself acquiring wealth; be smart enough to stop. |
| 5As soon as your eyes fly to it, it disappears, for it makes wings for itself and flies like an eagle to the sky. | 5When you fix your gaze on it, it's gone, for it sprouts wings for itself and flies to the sky like an eagle. |
| 6Don't eat a stingy person's bread, and don't desire his choice food, | 6Don't consume food provided by a miserly person, and don't desire his delicacies, |
| 7for it's like someone calculating inwardly." 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 the little you've eaten and waste your pleasant words. | 8You'll vomit up what little you've eaten, and your compliments will have been wasted. |
| 9Don't speak to a fool, for he will despise the insight of your words. | 9Don't speak when a fool is listening, because he'll despise your wise words. |
| 10Don't move an ancient boundary marker, and don't encroach on the fields of the fatherless, | 10Don't move ancient boundaries or invade fields belonging to orphans; |
| 11for their Redeemer is strong, and He will take up their case against you. | 11for strong is their Redeemer who will take up their case against you. |
| 12Apply yourself to discipline and listen to words of knowledge. | 12Learn diligently, and listen to words of knowledge. |
| 13Don't withhold discipline from a youth; if you beat 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. |
| 14Strike him with a rod, and you will rescue his life from Sheol. | 14Punish him with a rod, and you will rescue his soul from Sheol. |
| 15My son, if your heart is wise, my heart will indeed rejoice. | 15My son, if your heart is wise, my own heart will greatly rejoice. |
| 16My innermost being will cheer when your lips say what is right. | 16My innermost being will be glad when your lips speak what is right. |
| 17Don't let your heart envy sinners; instead, always fear the LORD. | 17Never let yourself envy sinners; instead, remain in fear of the LORD every day, |
| 18For then you will have a future, and your hope will never fade. | 18for there is surely a future life, and what you hope for will not be cut off. |
| 19Listen, my son, and be wise; keep your mind on the right course. | 19Listen, my son, and be wise, commit yourself to live God's way. |
| 20Don't associate with those who drink too much wine or with those who gorge themselves on meat. | 20Don't associate with heavy drinkers or dine with gluttons, |
| 21For the drunkard and the glutton will become poor, and grogginess will clothe them in 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 don't 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--and do not sell--truth, wisdom, instruction, and understanding. | 23Purchase truth, but don't sell it; store up wisdom, instruction, and understanding. |
| 24The father of a righteous son will rejoice greatly, and one who fathers a wise son will delight 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 have joy, and let her who gave birth to 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, and a stranger is a narrow well; | 27because a prostitute is a deep pit, and the adulterous woman a narrow well. |
| 28indeed, she sets an ambush like a robber and increases those among men who are unfaithful. | 28Surely she lies in wait like a bandit, increasing those who are faithless among mankind. |
| 29Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has conflicts? Who has complaints? Who has wounds for no reason? Who has red eyes? | 29Who has woe? Who has grief? Who has contention? Who has complaints? Who has wounds without cause? Who has bloodshot eyes? |
| 30Those who linger over wine, those who go looking for mixed wine. | 30Those who linger over their wine, who consume mixed drinks. |
| 31Don't gaze at wine because it is red, when it gleams 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 snake and stings like a viper. | 32Eventually it will bite like a snake and sting like a serpent. |
| 33Your eyes will see strange things, and you will say absurd things. | 33Your eyes will see strange things, and with slurred words you'll speak what you really believe. |
| 34You'll be like someone sleeping out at sea or lying down on the top of a ship's mast." | 34You will be like someone who lies down in the sea, or like someone who sleeps on top of a mast. |
| 35They struck me, but I feel no pain! They beat me, but I didn't know it! When will I wake up? I'll look for 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." |
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