New Living Translation NLT
Common English Bible CEB
1 While dining with a ruler, pay attention to what is put before you.
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When you sit down to dine with a ruler, carefully consider what is in front of you.
2 If you are a big eater, put a knife to your throat;
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Place a knife at your throat to control your appetite.
3 don’t desire all the delicacies, for he might be trying to trick you.
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Don't long for the ruler's delicacies; the food misleads.
4 Don’t wear yourself out trying to get rich. Be wise enough to know when to quit.
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Don't wear yourself out trying to get rich; be smart enough to stop.
5 In the blink of an eye wealth disappears, for it will sprout wings and fly away like an eagle.
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When your eyes fly to wealth it is gone; it grows wings like an eagle and flies heavenward.
6 Don’t eat with people who are stingy; don’t desire their delicacies.
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Don't eat food with stingy people; don't long for their delicacies,
7 They are always thinking about how much it costs. “Eat and drink,” they say, but they don’t mean it.
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because they are like a hair in the throat. They say to you, "Eat and drink!" but they don't mean it.
8 You will throw up what little you’ve eaten, and your compliments will be wasted.
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You will eat scraps and vomit them out. You will waste your pleasant words.
9 Don’t waste your breath on fools, for they will despise the wisest advice.
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Don't speak in the ears of fools, for they will scorn your insightful words.
10 Don’t cheat your neighbor by moving the ancient boundary markers; don’t take the land of defenseless orphans.
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Don't remove an ancient boundary marker; don't invade the fields of orphans,
11 For their Redeemer is strong; he himself will bring their charges against you.
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for their redeemer is strong. He will bring charges against you.
12 Commit yourself to instruction; listen carefully to words of knowledge.
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Bring your mind to instruction, your ear to knowledgeable sayings.
13 Don’t fail to discipline your children. The rod of punishment won’t kill them.
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Don't withhold instruction from children; if you strike them with a rod, they won't die.
14 Physical discipline may well save them from death.
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Strike them with a rod, and you will save their lives from the grave.
15 My child, if your heart is wise, my own heart will rejoice!
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My child, if your heart is wise, then my heart too will be happy.
16 Everything in me will celebrate when you speak what is right.
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My inner being will rejoice when your lips speak with integrity.
17 Don’t envy sinners, but always continue to fear the LORD .
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Don't let your heart envy sinners, but fear the LORD constantly;
18 You will be rewarded for this; your hope will not be disappointed.
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then you will have a future, and your hope won't be cut off.
19 My child, listen and be wise: Keep your heart on the right course.
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Listen, my child, and be wise! Keep your mind straight on the path.
20 Do not carouse with drunkards or feast with gluttons,
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Don't hang out with those who get drunk on wine or those who eat too much meat,
21 for they are on their way to poverty, and too much sleep clothes them in rags.
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because drunks and gluttons will be impoverished; their stupor will clothe them in rags.
22 Listen to your father, who gave you life, and don’t despise your mother when she is old.
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Listen to your father, who gave you life; don't despise your elderly mother.
23 Get the truth and never sell it; also get wisdom, discipline, and good judgment.
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Buy truth and don't sell it; buy wisdom, instruction, and understanding.
24 The father of godly children has cause for joy. What a pleasure to have children who are wise.
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The father of the righteous will be very happy; the one who gives life to the wise will rejoice.
25 So give your father and mother joy! May she who gave you birth be happy.
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Your father and your mother will rejoice; she who gave you birth will be happy.
26 O my son, give me your heart. May your eyes take delight in following my ways.
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My child, give your mind to me and let your eyes keep to my path.
27 A prostitute is a dangerous trap; a promiscuous woman is as dangerous as falling into a narrow well.
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A prostitute is a deep pit, and a foreign woman is a narrow well.
28 She hides and waits like a robber, eager to make more men unfaithful.
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Indeed, she ambushes like a robber and increases the number of the faithless.
29 Who has anguish? Who has sorrow? Who is always fighting? Who is always complaining? Who has unnecessary bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes?
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Who is suffering? Who is uneasy? Who has arguments? Who has complaints? Who has unnecessary wounds? Who has glazed eyes?—
30 It is the one who spends long hours in the taverns, trying out new drinks.
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those who linger over wine; those who go looking for mixed wine.
31 Don’t gaze at the wine, seeing how red it is, how it sparkles in the cup, how smoothly it goes down.
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Don't look at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, going down smoothly.
32 For in the end it bites like a poisonous snake; it stings like a viper.
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In the end, it bites like a snake and poisons like a viper.
33 You will see hallucinations, and you will say crazy things.
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Your eyes will see strange things, and your heart will speak distorted words.
34 You will stagger like a sailor tossed at sea, clinging to a swaying mast.
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You will be like one who lies down while out on the sea or one who lies on top of a mast.
35 And you will say, “They hit me, but I didn’t feel it. I didn’t even know it when they beat me up. When will I wake up so I can look for another drink?”
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"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!"
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by
Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 2011 Common English Bible