231 When you sit down to dine with a ruler , Consider carefully what is before you, 2 And put a knife to your throat If you are a man of great appetite . 3 Do not desire his delicacies , For it is deceptive food .
4 Do not weary yourself to gain wealth , Cease from your consideration of it 5 When you set your eyes on it, it is gone . For wealth certainly makes itself wings Like an eagle that flies toward the heavens .
6 Do not eat the bread of a selfish e man , Or desire his delicacies ; 7 For as he thinks within himself , so he is. He says to you, "Eat and drink !" But his heart is not with you. 8 You will vomit up the morsel you have eaten , And waste your compliments .
9 Do not speak in the hearing of a fool , For he will despise the wisdom of your words .
10 Do not move the ancient boundary Or go into the fields of the fatherless , 11 For their Redeemer is strong ; He will plead their case against you.
12 Apply your heart to discipline And your ears to words of knowledge . 13 Do not hold back discipline from the child , although you strike him with the rod , he will not die . 14 You shall strike him with the rod and rescue his soul from Sheol 15 My son , if your heart is wise , My own heart also will be glad ; 16 And my inmost being will rejoice When your lips speak what is right .
17 Do not let your heart envy sinners , But live in the fear of the Lord always e . 18 Surely e there is a future , And your hope will not be cut off .
19 Listen , my son , and be wise , And direct your heart in the way 20 Do not be with heavy drinkers of wine , Or with gluttonous eaters of meat ; 21 For the heavy drinker and the glutton will come to poverty , And drowsiness will clothe one with rags 22 Listen to your father who begot you, And do not despise your mother when she is old . 23 Buy truth , and do not sell it, Get wisdom and instruction and understanding . 24 The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice , And he who sires a wise son will be glad in him. 25 Let your father and your mother be glad , And let her rejoice who gave birth to you. 26 Give me your heart , my son , And let your eyes delight in my ways . 27 For a harlot is a deep pit And an adulterous woman is a narrow well . 28 Surely she lurks as a robber , And increases the faithless among men .
29 Who has woe ? Who has sorrow ? Who has contentions ? Who has complaining ? Who has wounds without cause ? Who has redness of eyes ? 30 Those who linger long over wine , Those who go to taste mixed wine . 31 Do not look on the wine when it is red , When it sparkles e in the cup , When it goes down smoothly ; 32 At the last it bites like a serpent And stings like a viper . 33 Your eyes will see strange things And your mind will utter perverse things . 34 And you will be like one who lies down in the middle of the sea , Or like one who lies down on the top of a mast . 35 "They struck me, but I did not become ill ; They beat me, but I did not know it. When shall I awake ? I will seek another e drink."
31 My son , do not forget my teaching , But let your heart keep my commandments ; 2 For length of days and years of life And peace they will add to you. 3 Do not let kindness and truth leave you; Bind them around your neck , Write them on the tablet of your heart . 4 So you will find favor and good repute In the sight of God and man . 5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding . 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight .
7 Do not be wise in your own eyes ; Fear the Lord and turn away from evil . 8 It will be healing to your body And refreshment to your bones . 9 Honor the Lord from your wealth And from the first of all your produce ; 10 So your barns will be filled with plenty And your vats will overflow with new wine . 11 My son , do not reject the discipline of the Lord Or loathe His reproof , 12 For whom the Lord loves He reproves , Even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights .
13 How blessed is the man who finds wisdom And the man who gains understanding . 14 For her profit is better than the profit of silver And her gain better than fine gold . 15 She is more precious than jewels ; And nothing e you desire compares with her. 16 Long life is in her right hand ; In her left hand are riches and honor . 17 Her ways are pleasant ways And all her paths are peace . 18 She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her, And happy are all who hold her fast . 19 The Lord by wisdom founded the earth , By understanding He established the heavens . 20 By His knowledge the deeps were broken up And the skies drip with dew .
21 My son , let them not vanish from your sight ; Keep sound wisdom and discretion , 22 So they will be life to your soul And adornment to your neck . 23 Then you will walk in your way securely And your foot will not stumble . 24 When you lie down , you will not be afraid ; When you lie down , your sleep will be sweet . 25 Do not be afraid of sudden fear Nor of the onslaught of the wicked when it comes ; 26 For the Lord will be your confidence And will keep your foot from being caught .
27 Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due , When it is in your power to do it. 28 Do not say to your neighbor , "Go , and come back , And tomorrow I will give it," When you have it with you. 29 Do not devise harm against your neighbor , While he lives securely beside you. 30 Do not contend with a man without cause , If he has done you no harm . 31 Do not envy a man of violence And do not choose any of his ways . 32 For the devious are an abomination to the Lord ; But He is intimate with the upright . 33 The curse of the Lord is on the house of the wicked , But He blesses the dwelling of the righteous . 34 Though He scoffs at the scoffers , Yet He gives grace to the afflicted . 35 The wise will inherit honor , But fools display dishonor .
