New King James Version NKJV
Revised Standard Version RSV
1 When you sit down to eat with a ruler, Consider carefully what is before you;
1
When you sit down to eat with a ruler, observe carefully what is before you;
2 And put a knife to your throat If you are a man given to appetite.
2
and put a knife to your throat if you are a man given to appetite.
3 Do not desire his delicacies, For they are deceptive food.
3
Do not desire his delicacies, for they are deceptive food.
4 Do not overwork to be rich; Because of your own understanding, cease
4
Do not toil to acquire wealth; be wise enough to desist
5 Will you set your eyes on that which is not? For riches certainly make themselves wings; They fly away like an eagle toward heaven.
5
When your eyes light upon it, it is gone; for suddenly it takes to itself wings, flying like an eagle toward heaven.
6 Do not eat the bread of a miser, Nor desire his delicacies;
6
Do not eat the bread of a man who is stingy; do not desire his delicacies;
7 For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. "Eat and drink!" he says to you, But his heart is not with you.
7
for he is like one who is inwardly reckoning. "Eat and drink!" he says to you; but his heart is not with you.
8 The morsel you have eaten, you will vomit up, And waste your pleasant words.
8
You will vomit up the morsels which you have eaten, and waste your pleasant words.
9 Do not speak in the hearing of a fool, For he will despise the wisdom of your words.
9
Do not speak in the hearing of a fool, for he will despise the wisdom of your words.
10 Do not remove the ancient landmark, Nor enter the fields of the fatherless;
10
Do not remove an ancient landmark or enter the fields of the fatherless;
11 For their Redeemer is mighty; He will plead their cause against you.
11
for their Redeemer is strong; he will plead their cause against you.
12 Apply your heart to instruction, And your ears to words of knowledge.
12
Apply your mind to instruction and your ear to words of knowledge.
13 Do not withhold correction from a child, For if you beat him with a rod, he will not die.
13
Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you beat him with a rod, he will not die.
14 You shall beat him with a rod, And deliver his soul from hell.
14
If you beat him with the rod you will save his life from Sheol
15 My son, if your heart is wise, My heart will rejoice--indeed, I myself;
15
My son, if your heart is wise, my heart too will be glad.
16 Yes, my inmost being will rejoice When your lips speak right things.
16
My soul will rejoice when your lips speak what is right.
17 Do not let your heart envy sinners, But be zealous for the fear of the Lord all the day;
17
Let not your heart envy sinners, but continue in the fear of the LORD all the day.
18 For surely there is a hereafter, And your hope will not be cut off.
18
Surely there is a future, and your hope will not be cut off.
19 Hear, my son, and be wise; And guide your heart in the way
19
Hear, my son, and be wise, and direct your mind in the way
20 Do not mix with winebibbers, Or with gluttonous eaters of meat;
20
Be not among winebibbers, or among gluttonous eaters of meat;
21 For the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty, And drowsiness will clothe a man with rags
21
for the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty, and drowsiness will clothe a man with rags
22 Listen to your father who begot you, And do not despise your mother when she is old.
22
Hearken to your father who begot you, and do not despise your mother when she is old.
23 Buy the truth, and do not sell it, Also wisdom and instruction and understanding.
23
Buy truth, and do not sell it; buy wisdom, instruction, and understanding.
24 The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice, And he who begets a wise child will delight in him.
24
The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice; he who begets a wise son will be glad in him.
25 Let your father and your mother be glad, And let her who bore you rejoice.
25
Let your father and mother be glad, let her who bore you rejoice.
26 My son, give me your heart, And let your eyes observe my ways.
26
My son, give me your heart, and let your eyes observe my ways.
27 For a harlot is a deep pit, And a seductress is a narrow well.
27
For a harlot is a deep pit; an adventuress is a narrow well.
28 She also lies in wait as for a victim, And increases the unfaithful among men.
28
She lies in wait like a robber and increases the faithless among men.
29 Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has contentions? Who has complaints? Who has wounds without cause? Who has redness of eyes?
29
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 long at the wine, Those who go in search of mixed wine.
30
Those who tarry long over wine, those who go to try mixed wine.
31 Do not look on the wine when it is red, When it sparkles in the cup, When it swirls around smoothly;
31
Do not look at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup and goes down smoothly.
32 At the last it bites like a serpent, And stings like a viper.
32
At the last it bites like a serpent, and stings like an adder.
33 Your eyes will see strange things, And your heart will utter perverse things.
33
Your eyes will see strange things, and your mind utter perverse things.
34 Yes, you will be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea, Or like one who lies at the top of the mast, saying:
34
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 "They have struck me, but I was not hurt; They have beaten me, but I did not feel it. When shall I awake, that I may seek another drink?"
35
"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."
Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1952 [2nd edition, 1971] by the 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.