Common English Bible CEB
New Revised Standard NRS
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 have a big appetite.
3 Don't long for the ruler's delicacies; the food misleads.
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Do not desire the ruler's 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 wear yourself out to get rich; be wise 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 upon it, it is gone; for suddenly it takes wings to itself, 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 the stingy; do not desire 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.
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for like a hair in the throat, so are they. "Eat and drink!" they say to you; but they do not mean it.
8 You will eat scraps and vomit them out. You will waste your pleasant words.
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You will vomit up the little you have eaten, and you will 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, who will only despise the wisdom of your words.
10 Don't remove an ancient boundary marker; don't invade the fields of orphans,
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Do not remove an ancient landmark or encroach on the fields of orphans,
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 mind 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 your children; if you beat them with a rod, they will not die.
14 Strike them with a rod, and you will save their lives from the grave.
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If you beat them with the rod, you will save their lives from Sheol
15 My child, if your heart is wise, then my heart too will be happy.
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My child, 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 soul will rejoice when your lips speak what is right.
17 Don't let your heart envy sinners, but fear the LORD constantly;
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Do not let your heart envy sinners, but always continue in the fear of the Lord.
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 child, and be wise, and direct your mind 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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Do not be among winebibbers, 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 drowsiness 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 begot you, 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 begets 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 child, 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 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?—
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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 linger late over wine, those who keep trying mixed wines.
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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At the last 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 mind 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 will seek another drink."
Copyright © 2011 Common English Bible
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.