New Living Translation

Christian Standard Bible

1While dining with a ruler, pay attention to what is put before you.

1When you sit down to dine with a ruler, consider carefully what is before you,

2If you are a big eater, put a knife to your throat;

2and put a knife to your throat if you have a big appetite;

3don’t desire all the delicacies, for he might be trying to trick you.

3don't desire his choice food, for that food is deceptive.

4Don’t wear yourself out trying to get rich. Be wise enough to know when to quit.

4Don't wear yourself out to get rich; because you know better, stop!

5In the blink of an eye wealth disappears, for it will sprout wings and fly away like an eagle.

5As soon as your eyes fly to it, it disappears, for it makes wings for itself and flies like an eagle to the sky.

6Don’t eat with people who are stingy; don’t desire their delicacies.

6Don't eat a stingy person's bread, and don't desire his choice food,

7They are always thinking about how much it costs. “Eat and drink,” they say, but they don’t mean it.

7for it's like someone calculating inwardly. "Eat and drink," he says to you, but his heart is not with you.

8You will throw up what little you’ve eaten, and your compliments will be wasted.

8You will vomit the little you've eaten and waste your pleasant words.

9Don’t waste your breath on fools, for they will despise the wisest advice.

9Don't speak to a fool, for he will despise the insight of your words.

10Don’t cheat your neighbor by moving the ancient boundary markers; don’t take the land of defenseless orphans.

10Don't move an ancient boundary marker, and don't encroach on the fields of the fatherless,

11For their Redeemer is strong; he himself will bring their charges against you.

11for their Redeemer is strong, and he will champion their cause against you.

12Commit yourself to instruction; listen carefully to words of knowledge.

12Apply yourself to discipline and listen to words of knowledge.

13Don’t fail to discipline your children. The rod of punishment won’t kill them.

13Don't withhold discipline from a youth; if you punish him with a rod, he will not die.

14Physical discipline may well save them from death.

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

15My child, if your heart is wise, my own heart will rejoice!

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

16Everything in me will celebrate when you speak what is right.

16My innermost being will celebrate when your lips say what is right.

17Don’t envy sinners, but always continue to fear the LORD.

17Don't let your heart envy sinners; instead, always fear the LORD.

18You will be rewarded for this; your hope will not be disappointed.

18For then you will have a future, and your hope will not be dashed.

19My child, listen and be wise: Keep your heart on the right course.

19Listen, my son, and be wise; keep your mind on the right course.

20Do not carouse with drunkards or feast with gluttons,

20Don't associate with those who drink too much wine or with those who gorge themselves on meat.

21for they are on their way to poverty, and too much sleep clothes them in rags.

21For the drunkard and the glutton will become poor, and grogginess 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 your father who gave you life, and don't despise your mother when she is old.

23Get the truth and never sell it; also get wisdom, discipline, and good judgment.

23Buy--and do not sell--truth, wisdom, instruction, and understanding.

24The father of godly children has cause for joy. What a pleasure to have children who are wise.

24The father of a righteous son will rejoice greatly, and one who fathers a wise son will delight in him.

25So give your father and mother joy! May she who gave you birth be happy.

25Let your father and mother have joy, and let her who gave birth to you rejoice.

26O my son, give me your heart. May your eyes take delight in following my ways.

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

27A prostitute is a dangerous trap; a promiscuous woman is as dangerous as falling into a narrow well.

27For a prostitute is a deep pit, and a wayward woman is a narrow well;

28She hides and waits like a robber, eager to make more men unfaithful.

28indeed, she sets an ambush like a robber and increases the number of unfaithful people.

29Who has anguish? Who has sorrow? Who is always fighting? Who is always complaining? Who has unnecessary bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes?

29Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has conflicts? Who has complaints? Who has wounds for no reason? Who has red eyes?

30It is the one who spends long hours in the taverns, trying out new drinks.

30Those who linger over wine; those who go looking for mixed wine.

31Don’t gaze at the wine, seeing how red it is, how it sparkles in the cup, how smoothly it goes down.

31Don't gaze at wine because it is red, because it gleams in the cup and goes down smoothly.

32For in the end it bites like a poisonous snake; it stings like a viper.

32In the end it bites like a snake and stings like a viper.

33You will see hallucinations, and you will say crazy things.

33Your eyes will see strange things, and you will say absurd things.

34You will stagger like a sailor tossed at sea, clinging to a swaying mast.

34You'll be like someone sleeping out at sea or lying down on the top of a ship's mast.

35And you will say, “They hit me, but I didn’t feel it. I didn’t even know it when they beat me up. When will I wake up so I can look for another drink?”

35"They 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."

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.