New King James Version

English Standard Version

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

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

2And put a knife to your throat If you are a man given to appetite.

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

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

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

4Do not overwork to be rich; Because of your own understanding, cease!

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

5Will you set your eyes on that which is not? For riches certainly make themselves wings; They fly away like an eagle toward heaven.

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

6Do not eat the bread of a miser, Nor desire his delicacies;

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

7For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. “Eat and drink!” he says to you, But his heart is not with you.

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

8The morsel you have eaten, you will vomit up, And waste your pleasant words.

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

9Do not speak in the hearing of a fool, For he will despise the wisdom of your words.

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

10Do not remove the ancient landmark, Nor enter the fields of the fatherless;

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

11For their Redeemer is mighty; He will plead their cause against you.

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

12Apply your heart to instruction, And your ears to words of knowledge.

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

13Do not withhold correction from a child, For if you beat him with a rod, he will not die.

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

14You shall beat him with a rod, And deliver his soul from hell.

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

15My son, if your heart is wise, My heart will rejoice—indeed, I myself;

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

16Yes, my inmost being will rejoice When your lips speak right things.

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

17Do not let your heart envy sinners, But be zealous for the fear of the LORD all the day;

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

18For surely there is a hereafter, And your hope will not be cut off.

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

19Hear, my son, and be wise; And guide your heart in the way.

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

20Do not mix with winebibbers, Or with gluttonous eaters of meat;

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

21For the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty, And drowsiness will clothe a man with rags.

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

22Listen to your father who begot you, And do not despise your mother when she is old.

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

23Buy the truth, and do not sell it, Also wisdom and instruction and understanding.

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

24The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice, And he who begets a wise child will delight in him.

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

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

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

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

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

27For a harlot is a deep pit, And a seductress is a narrow well.

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

28She also lies in wait as for a victim, And increases the unfaithful among men.

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

29Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has contentions? Who has complaints? Who has wounds without cause? Who has redness of eyes?

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

30Those who linger long at the wine, Those who go in search of mixed wine.

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

31Do not look on the wine when it is red, When it sparkles in the cup, When it swirls around smoothly;

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

32At the last it bites like a serpent, And stings like a viper.

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

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

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

34Yes, you will be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea, Or like one who lies at the top of the mast, saying:

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

35“They have struck me, but I was not hurt; They have beaten me, but I did not feel it. When shall I awake, that I may seek another drink?”

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.”

The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.

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.