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World English Bible WEB
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, Consider diligently what is before you;
2 and put a knife to your throat if you are given to gluttony.
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Put a knife to your throat, If you are a man given to appetite.
3 Do not crave his delicacies, for that food is deceptive.
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Don't be desirous of his dainties, Seeing they are deceitful food.
4 Do not wear yourself out to get rich; do not trust your own cleverness.
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Don't weary yourself to be rich. In your wisdom, show restraint
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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Why do you set your eyes on that which is not? For it certainly sprouts wings like an eagle and flies in the sky.
6 Do not eat the food of a begrudging host, do not crave his delicacies;
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Don't eat the food of him who has a stingy eye, And don't crave 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 as he thinks about the cost, so he is. "Eat and drink!" he says to you, But his heart is not with you.
8 You will vomit up the little you have eaten and will have wasted your compliments.
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The morsel which you have eaten you shall vomit up, And lose your good words.
9 Do not speak to fools, for they will scorn your prudent words.
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Don't speak in the ears of a fool, 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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Don't move the ancient boundary stone. Don't encroach on the fields of the fatherless:
11 for their Defender is strong; he will take up their case against you.
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For their Defender is strong. He will plead their case 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 ears to the words 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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Don't withhold correction from a child. If you punish him with the rod, he will not die.
14 Punish them with the rod and save them from death.
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Punish him with the rod, And save his soul from Sheol
15 My son, if your heart is wise, then my heart will be glad indeed;
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My son, if your heart is wise, Then my heart will be glad, even mine:
16 my inmost being will rejoice when your lips speak what is right.
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Yes, my heart will rejoice, When your lips speak what is right.
17 Do not let your heart envy sinners, but always be zealous for the fear of the LORD.
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Don't let your heart envy sinners; But rather fear Yahweh all the day long.
18 There is surely a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off.
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Indeed surely there is a future hope, 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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Listen, my son, and be wise, And keep your heart on the right path
20 Do not join those who drink too much wine or gorge themselves on meat,
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Don't be among ones drinking too much wine, Or those who gorge themselves on meat:
21 for drunkards and gluttons become poor, and drowsiness clothes them in rags.
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For the drunkard and the glutton shall become poor; And drowsiness clothes them in rags
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 who gave you life, And don't 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 the truth, and don't sell it: Get wisdom, discipline, 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 has great joy. Whoever fathers a wise child delights in him.
25 May your father and mother rejoice; may she who gave you birth be joyful!
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Let your father and your mother be glad! Let her who bore you rejoice!
26 My son, give me your heart and let your eyes delight in my ways,
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My son, give me your heart; And let your eyes keep 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 prostitute is a deep pit; And a wayward wife is a narrow well.
28 Like a bandit she lies in wait and multiplies the unfaithful among men.
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Yes, she lies in wait like a robber, And increases the unfaithful among men.
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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Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has strife? Who has complaints? Who has needless bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes?
30 Those who linger over wine, who go to sample bowls of mixed wine.
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Those who stay long at the wine; Those who go to seek out 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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Don't look at the wine when it is red, When it sparkles in the cup, When it 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 snake, And poisons like a viper.
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 mind will imagine confusing things.
34 You will be like one sleeping on the high seas, lying on top of the rigging.
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Yes, you will be as he who lies down in the midst of the sea, Or as he who lies on top of the rigging:
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 hit me, and I was not hurt; They beat me, and I don't feel it! When will I wake up? I can do it again. I can find another."
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.
The World English Bible is in the public domain.