Proverbs 23

1 When you sit down to dine with a ruler, carefully consider what is in front of you.

2 Place a knife at your throat to control your appetite.

3 Don't long for the ruler's delicacies; the food misleads.

4 Don't wear yourself out trying to get rich; be smart enough to stop

5 When your eyes fly to wealth it is gone; it grows wings like an eagle and flies heavenward.

6 Don't eat food with stingy people; don't long for their delicacies,

7 because they are like a hair in the throat. They say to you, "Eat and drink!" but they don't mean it.

8 You will eat scraps and vomit them out. You will waste your pleasant words.

9 Don't speak in the ears of fools, for they will scorn your insightful words.

10 Don't remove an ancient boundary marker; don't invade the fields of orphans,

11 for their redeemer is strong. He will bring charges against you.

12 Bring your mind to instruction, your ear to knowledgeable sayings.

13 Don't withhold instruction from children; if you strike them with a rod, they won't die.

14 Strike them with a rod, and you will save their lives from the grave.^[a]

15 My child, if your heart is wise, then my heart too will be happy.

16 My inner being will rejoice when your lips speak with integrity.

17 Don't let your heart envy sinners, but fear the LORD constantly;

18 then you will have a future, and your hope won't be cut off.

19 Listen, my child, and be wise! Keep your mind straight on the path

20 Don't hang out with those who get drunk on wine or those who eat too much meat,

21 because drunks and gluttons will be impoverished; their stupor will clothe them in rags

22 Listen to your father, who gave you life; don't despise your elderly mother.

23 Buy truth and don't sell it; buy wisdom, instruction, and understanding.

24 The father of the righteous will be very happy; the one who gives life to the wise will rejoice.

25 Your father and your mother will rejoice; she who gave you birth will be happy.

26 My child, give your mind to me and let your eyes keep to my path.

27 A prostitute is a deep pit, and a foreign woman is a narrow well.

28 Indeed, she ambushes like a robber and increases the number of the faithless.

29 Who is suffering? Who is uneasy? Who has arguments? Who has complaints? Who has unnecessary wounds? Who has glazed eyes?—

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

31 Don't look at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, going 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 heart will speak distorted words.

34 You will be like one who lies down while out on the sea or one who lies on top of a mast.

35 "Though hit, I feel no pain; though beaten up, I don't know anything about it. When I wake up, I'll look for wine again!"

Proverbs 23 Commentary

Chapter 23

Verses 1-3 God's restraints of the appetite only say, Do thyself no ( proverbs 23:4-5 ) this world are not happiness and a portion for a soul; those that hold them ever so fast, cannot hold them always, cannot hold them long. ( 6-8 ) . Do not make thyself burdensome to any, especially those not sincere. When we are called by God to his feast, and to let our souls delight themselves, Isa. 25:6 Isa. 55:2 |, we may safely partake of the Bread of life. Verse 9 . It is our duty to take all fit occasions to speak of Divine things; but if what a wise man says will not be heard, let him hold his ( proverbs 23:10-11 ) protection. He is their Redeemer, who will take their part; and he is mighty, almighty.

Verses 12-16 Here is a parent instructing his child to give his mind to the Scriptures. Here is a parent correcting his child: accompanied with prayer, and blessed of God, it may prove a means of preventing his destruction. Here is a parent encouraging his child, telling him what would be for his good. And what a comfort it would be, if herein he answered his ( proverbs 23:17-18 ) disappointed; the end of his trials, and of the sinner's prosperity, is at hand.

Verses 19-28 The gracious Saviour who purchased pardon and peace for his people, with all the affection of a tender parent, counsels us to hear and be wise, and is ready to guide our hearts in his way. Here we have an earnest call to young people, to attend to the advice of their godly parents. If the heart be guided, the steps will be guided. Buy the truth, and sell it not; be willing to part with any thing for it. Do not part with it for pleasures, honours, riches, or any thing in this world. The heart is what the great God requires. We must not think to divide the heart between God and the world; he will have all or none. Look to the rule of God's word, the conduct of his providence, and the good examples of his people. Particular cautions are given against sins most destructive to wisdom and grace in the soul. It is really a shame to make a god of the belly. Drunkenness stupifies men, and then all goes to ruin. Licentiousness takes away the heart that should be given to God. Take heed of any approaches toward this sin, it is very hard to retreat from it. It bewitches men to their ruin.

Verses 29-35 Solomon warns against drunkenness. Those that would be kept from sin, must keep from all the beginnings of it, and fear coming within reach of its allurements. Foresee the punishment, what it will at last end in, if repentance prevent not. It makes men quarrel. Drunkards wilfully make woe and sorrow for themselves. It makes men impure and insolent. The tongue grows unruly; the heart utters things contrary to reason, religion, and common civility. It stupifies and besots men. They are in danger of death, of damnation; as much exposed as if they slept upon the top of a mast, yet feel secure. They fear no peril when the terrors of the Lord are before them; they feel no pain when the judgments of God are actually upon them. So lost is a drunkard to virtue and honour, so wretchedly is his conscience seared, that he is not ashamed to say, I will seek it again. With good reason we were bid to stop before the beginning. Who that has common sense would contract a habit, or sell himself to a sin, which tends to such guilt and misery, and exposes a man every day to the danger of dying insensible, and awaking in hell? Wisdom seems in these chapters to take up the discourse as at the beginning of the book. They must be considered as the words of Christ to the sinner.

Footnotes

• [a]. LXX; Heb uncertain
• [b]. Heb Sheol
• [c]. Or in the heart of the sea

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO 1 KINGS 11

This chapter relates the false steps Solomon took, notwithstanding all his wisdom, in marrying strange wives, and worshipping other gods, 1Ki 11:1-8 upon which the Lord threatens him to rend the kingdom in his son's time, 1Ki 11:9-13 and he raised up adversaries against him, Hadad, Rezon, and Jeroboam, 1Ki 11:14-26 of which last an account is given, and of his being assured by Ahijah the prophet of his having ten of the tribes of Israel given to him; which Solomon having notice of sought to slay him, 1Ki 11:27-40 and the chapter is concluded with an account of Solomon's death and burial, 1Ki 11:41-43.