New International Version NIV
Lexham English Bible LEB
1 When you sit to dine with a ruler, note well what is before you,
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When you sit to eat with a ruler, you shall surely observe what [is] before you,
2 and put a knife to your throat if you are given to gluttony.
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and you shall put a knife to your throat if you have a {big appetite}.
3 Do not crave his delicacies, for that food is deceptive.
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Do not desire his delicacies, for it is food of deception.
4 Do not wear yourself out to get rich; do not trust your own cleverness.
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Do not tire [in order] to become rich; out of your understanding, [may you] desist
5 Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle.
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Your eyes will {alight} on it, but there is nothing [to] it, for suddenly it will make for itself wings like an eagle and it will be exhausted [in] the heavens.
6 Do not eat the food of a begrudging host, do not crave his delicacies;
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Do not eat the bread of {the stingy}, and do not desire his delicacies.
7 for he is the kind of person who is always thinking about the cost.“Eat and drink,” he says to you, but his heart is not with you.
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For, like hair in his {throat}, so it is. "Eat and drink!" he will say to you, but his heart will not be with you.
8 You will vomit up the little you have eaten and will have wasted your compliments.
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Your morsel you have eaten, you will vomit it up, and you will waste your pleasant words.
9 Do not speak to fools, for they will scorn your prudent words.
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In the ears of a fool do not speak, for he will despise the wisdom of your words.
10 Do not move an ancient boundary stone or encroach on the fields of the fatherless,
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Do not remove an ancient boundary marker, and on the fields of orphans do not encroach;
11 for their Defender is strong; he will take up their case against you.
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For their redeemer is strong, he himself will plead their cause against you.
12 Apply your heart to instruction and your ears to words of knowledge.
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Apply your heart to instruction, and your ear to sayings of knowledge.
13 Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you punish them with the rod, they will not die.
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Do not withhold discipline from a child, if you will beat him with the rod, he will not die.
14 Punish them with the rod and save them from death.
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As for you, with the rod you shall beat him, and his life you will save from Sheol.
15 My son, if your heart is wise, then my heart will be glad indeed;
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My child, if your heart is wise, my heart will be glad--even me!
16 my inmost being will rejoice when your lips speak what is right.
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And my {insides} will rejoice when your lips speak what is upright.
17 Do not let your heart envy sinners, but always be zealous for the fear of the LORD.
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May your heart not envy the sinners, but [live] in fear of Yahweh {all day}.
18 There is surely a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off.
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{Surely} there is a future, and your hope will not be cut off.
19 Listen, my son, and be wise, and set your heart on the right path:
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You, my child, hear and be wise, and direct your heart on the road
20 Do not join those who drink too much wine or gorge themselves on meat,
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Do not be among drinkers of wine, among gluttonous eaters of {their meat}.
21 for drunkards and gluttons become poor, and drowsiness clothes them in rags.
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For the drunkard and gluttonous, they will become poor, and [with] rags, drowsiness will clothe them
22 Listen to your father, who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old.
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Listen to your father--he who {gave you life}, and do not despise your mother when she is old.
23 Buy the truth and do not sell it— wisdom, instruction and insight as well.
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Buy truth and do not sell [it], wisdom and instruction and understanding.
24 The father of a righteous child has great joy; a man who fathers a wise son rejoices in him.
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The father of the righteous will surely rejoice; he who bears a wise person will be happy with him.
25 May your father and mother rejoice; may she who gave you birth be joyful!
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May your father and your mother be glad, and may she who bore you rejoice.
26 My son, give me your heart and let your eyes delight in my ways,
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My child, may you give your heart to me, and may your eyes delight in my ways.
27 for an adulterous woman is a deep pit, and a wayward wife is a narrow well.
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For a deep pit is a prostitute, and a narrow well is {an adulteress}.
28 Like a bandit she lies in wait and multiplies the unfaithful among men.
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She [is] also like a robber lying in wait, and the faithless among mankind she increases.
29 Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has strife? Who has complaints? Who has needless bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes?
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To whom [is] woe? To whom [is] sorrow? To whom [are] quarrels? To whom [is] complaint? To whom [are] wounds without cause? To whom [is] redness of [the] eyes?
30 Those who linger over wine, who go to sample bowls of mixed wine.
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To those who linger over wine, to those who come to try mixed wine.
31 Do not gaze at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goes down smoothly!
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Do not look at wine when it is red, when it {sparkles} on the cup, going down smoothly.
32 In the end it bites like a snake and poisons like a viper.
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{In the end}, it will bite like a serpent, and it will sting like an adder.
33 Your eyes will see strange sights, and your mind will imagine confusing things.
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Your eyes will see strange things, and your heart will speak perverse things.
34 You will be like one sleeping on the high seas, lying on top of the rigging.
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And you will be like him who lies down in the heart of the sea, and like him who lies down on top of a mast.
35 “They hit me,” you will say, “but I’m not hurt! They beat me, but I don’t feel it! When will I wake up so I can find another drink?”
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"They struck me; I was not hurt. They beat me; I did not know [it]. When I will awake, I will continue; I will seek it again."