Common English Bible CEB
English Standard Version ESV
1 When you sit down to dine with a ruler, carefully consider what is in front of you.
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When you sit down to eat with a ruler, observe carefully what is before you,
2 Place a knife at your throat to control your appetite.
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and put a knife to your throat if you are given to appetite.
3 Don't long for the ruler's delicacies; the food misleads.
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Do not desire his delicacies, for they are deceptive food.
4 Don't wear yourself out trying to get rich; be smart enough to stop.
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Do not toil to acquire wealth; be discerning enough to desist.
5 When your eyes fly to wealth it is gone; it grows wings like an eagle and flies heavenward.
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When your eyes light on it, it is gone, for suddenly it sprouts wings, flying like an eagle toward heaven.
6 Don't eat food with stingy people; don't long for their delicacies,
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Do not eat the bread of a man who is stingy; do not desire his delicacies,
7 because they are like a hair in the throat. They say to you, "Eat and drink!" but they don't mean it.
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for he is like one who is inwardly calculating. “Eat and drink! ” he says to you, but his heart is not with you.
8 You will eat scraps and vomit them out. You will waste your pleasant words.
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You will vomit up the morsels that you have eaten, and waste your pleasant words.
9 Don't speak in the ears of fools, for they will scorn your insightful words.
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Do not speak in the hearing of a fool, for he will despise the good sense of your words.
10 Don't remove an ancient boundary marker; don't invade the fields of orphans,
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Do not move an ancient landmark or enter the fields of the fatherless,
11 for their redeemer is strong. He will bring charges against you.
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for their Redeemer is strong; he will plead their cause against you.
12 Bring your mind to instruction, your ear to knowledgeable sayings.
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Apply your heart to instruction and your ear to words of knowledge.
13 Don't withhold instruction from children; if you strike them with a rod, they won't die.
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Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you strike him with a rod, he will not die.
14 Strike them with a rod, and you will save their lives from the grave.
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If you strike him with the rod, you will save his soul from Sheol.
15 My child, if your heart is wise, then my heart too will be happy.
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My son, if your heart is wise, my heart too will be glad.
16 My inner being will rejoice when your lips speak with integrity.
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My inmost being will exult when your lips speak what is right.
17 Don't let your heart envy sinners, but fear the LORD constantly;
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Let not your heart envy sinners, but continue in the fear of the Lord all the day.
18 then you will have a future, and your hope won't be cut off.
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Surely there is a future, and your hope will not be cut off.
19 Listen, my child, and be wise! Keep your mind straight on the path.
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Hear, my son, and be wise, and direct your heart in the way.
20 Don't hang out with those who get drunk on wine or those who eat too much meat,
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Be not among drunkards or among gluttonous eaters of meat,
21 because drunks and gluttons will be impoverished; their stupor will clothe them in rags.
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for the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty, and slumber will clothe them with rags.
22 Listen to your father, who gave you life; don't despise your elderly mother.
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Listen to your father who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old.
23 Buy truth and don't sell it; buy wisdom, instruction, and understanding.
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Buy truth, and do not 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.
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The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice; he who fathers a wise son will be glad in him.
25 Your father and your mother will rejoice; she who gave you birth will be happy.
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Let your father and mother be glad; let her who bore you rejoice.
26 My child, give your mind to me and let your eyes keep to my path.
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My son, give me your heart, and let your eyes observe my ways.
27 A prostitute is a deep pit, and a foreign woman is a narrow well.
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For a prostitute is a deep pit; an adulteress is a narrow well.
28 Indeed, she ambushes like a robber and increases the number of the faithless.
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She lies in wait like a robber and increases the traitors among mankind.
29 Who is suffering? Who is uneasy? Who has arguments? Who has complaints? Who has unnecessary wounds? Who has glazed eyes?—
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Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has strife? Who has complaining? Who has wounds without cause? Who has redness of eyes?
30 those who linger over wine; those who go looking for mixed wine.
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Those who tarry long over wine; those who go to try mixed wine.
31 Don't look at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, going down smoothly.
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Do not look at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup and goes down smoothly.
32 In the end, it bites like a snake and poisons like a viper.
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In the end it bites like a serpent and stings like an adder.
33 Your eyes will see strange things, and your heart will speak distorted words.
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Your eyes will see strange things, and your heart utter perverse things.
34 You will be like one who lies down while out on the sea or one who lies on top of a mast.
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You will be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea, like one who lies on the 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!"
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“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. ”