231 When you sit to eat with a ruler,
consider diligently what is before you; 2 put a knife to your throat,
if you are a man given to appetite. 3 Don’t be desirous of his dainties,
seeing they are deceitful food.

4 Don’t weary yourself to be rich.
In your wisdom, show restraint. 5 Why do you set your eyes on that which is not?
For it certainly sprouts wings like an eagle and flies in the sky.

6 Don’t eat the food of him who has a stingy eye,
and don’t crave his delicacies: 7 for as he thinks about the cost, so he is.
“Eat and drink!” he says to you,
but his heart is not with you. 8 The morsel which you have eaten you shall vomit up,
and lose your good words.

9 Don’t speak in the ears of a fool,
for he will despise the wisdom of your words.

10 Don’t move the ancient boundary stone.
Don’t encroach on the fields of the fatherless: 11 for their Defender is strong.
He will plead their case against you.

12 Apply your heart to instruction,
and your ears to the words of knowledge. 13 Don’t withhold correction from a child.
If you punish him with the rod, he will not die. 14 Punish him with the rod,
and save his soul from Sheol. 15 My son, if your heart is wise,
then my heart will be glad, even mine: 16 yes, my heart will rejoice,
when your lips speak what is right.

17 Don’t let your heart envy sinners;
but rather fear Yahweh all the day long. 18 Indeed surely there is a future hope,
and your hope will not be cut off.

19 Listen, my son, and be wise,
and keep your heart on the right path! 20 Don’t be among ones drinking too much wine,
or those who gorge themselves on meat: 21 for the drunkard and the glutton shall become poor;
and drowsiness clothes them in rags. 22 Listen to your father who gave you life,
and don’t despise your mother when she is old. 23 Buy the truth, and don’t sell it.
Get wisdom, discipline, and understanding. 24 The father of the righteous has great joy.
Whoever fathers a wise child delights in him. 25 Let your father and your mother be glad!
Let her who bore you rejoice! 26 My son, give me your heart;
and let your eyes keep in my ways. 27 For a prostitute is a deep pit;
and a wayward wife is a narrow well. 28 Yes, she lies in wait like a robber,
and increases the unfaithful among men.

29 Who has woe?
Who has sorrow?
Who has strife?
Who has complaints?
Who has needless bruises?
Who has bloodshot eyes? 30 Those who stay long at the wine;
those who go to seek out mixed wine. 31 Don’t look at the wine when it is red,
when it sparkles in the cup,
when it goes down smoothly. 32 In the end, it bites like a snake,
and poisons like a viper. 33 Your eyes will see strange things,
and your mind will imagine confusing things. 34 Yes, you will be as he who lies down in the midst of the sea,
or as he who lies on top of the rigging: 35 “They hit me, and I was not hurt!
They beat me, and I don’t feel it!
When will I wake up? I can do it again.
I can find another.”

Exhortations to Obedience

31 My son, don’t forget my teaching;
but let your heart keep my commandments: 2 for length of days, and years of life,
and peace, will they add to you. 3 Don’t let kindness and truth forsake you.
Bind them around your neck.
Write them on the tablet of your heart. 4 So you will find favor,
and good understanding in the sight of God and man. 5 Trust in Yahweh with all your heart,
and don’t lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make your paths straight.

7 Don’t be wise in your own eyes.
Fear Yahweh, and depart from evil. 8 It will be health to your body,
and nourishment to your bones. 9 Honor Yahweh with your substance,
with the first fruits of all your increase: 10 so your barns will be filled with plenty,
and your vats will overflow with new wine. 11 My son, don’t despise Yahweh’s discipline,
neither be weary of his reproof: 12 for whom Yahweh loves, he reproves;
even as a father reproves the son in whom he delights.

13 Happy is the man who finds wisdom,
the man who gets understanding. 14 For her good profit is better than getting silver,
and her return is better than fine gold. 15 She is more precious than rubies.
None of the things you can desire are to be compared to her. 16 Length of days is in her right hand.
In her left hand are riches and honor. 17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness.
All her paths are peace. 18 She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her.
Happy is everyone who retains her. 19 By wisdom Yahweh founded the earth.
By understanding, he established the heavens. 20 By his knowledge, the depths were broken up,
and the skies drop down the dew.

21 My son, let them not depart from your eyes.
Keep sound wisdom and discretion: 22 so they will be life to your soul,
and grace for your neck. 23 Then you shall walk in your way securely.
Your foot won’t stumble. 24 When you lie down, you will not be afraid.
Yes, you will lie down, and your sleep will be sweet. 25 Don’t be afraid of sudden fear,
neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it comes: 26 for Yahweh will be your confidence,
and will keep your foot from being taken.

27 Don’t withhold good from those to whom it is due,
when it is in the power of your hand to do it. 28 Don’t say to your neighbor, “Go, and come again;
tomorrow I will give it to you,”
when you have it by you. 29 Don’t devise evil against your neighbor,
seeing he dwells securely by you. 30 Don’t strive with a man without cause,
if he has done you no harm. 31 Don’t envy the man of violence.
Choose none of his ways. 32 For the perverse is an abomination to Yahweh,
but his friendship is with the upright. 33 Yahweh’s curse is in the house of the wicked,
but he blesses the habitation of the righteous. 34 Surely he mocks the mockers,
but he gives grace to the humble. 35 The wise will inherit glory,
but shame will be the promotion of fools.