When you sit
down
to dine
with a ruler
, Consider
carefully
1what
is before
you,
And put a knife
to your throat
If
you are a aman
of great appetite
.
Do not adesire his delicacies
, For it is deceptive
food
.
aDo not weary yourself to gain
wealth
, bCease
from your 1consideration
of it.
1When you set your eyes
on it, it is gone
. For awealth certainly
makes
itself wings
Like an eagle
that flies
toward the heavens
.
aDo not eat the bread
of 1a bselfish
man
, Or desire
his delicacies
;
For as he 1thinks within himself
, so
he is. He says
to you, "Eat
and drink
!" But ahis heart
is not with you.
You will avomit up 1the morsel
you have eaten
, And waste
your 2compliments
.
aDo not speak in the 1hearing
of a fool
, For he will bdespise
the wisdom
of your words
.
Do not move the ancient
boundary
Or ago
into the fields
of the fatherless
,
For their aRedeemer is strong
; bHe will plead
their case
against
you.
Apply your heart
to discipline
And your ears
to words
of knowledge
.
aDo not hold back
discipline
from the child
, Although
you 1strike
him with the rod
, he will not die
.
You shall 1strike him with the rod
And arescue
his soul
from Sheol
.
My son, if
your heart
is awise
, My own heart
also
will be glad
;
And my 1inmost being
will rejoice
When your lips
speak
awhat
is right
.
aDo not let your heart envy
sinners
, But live in the 1 bfear
of the LORD
2always
.
Surely there
is a 1 afuture
, And your bhope
will not be cut
off
.
Listen, my son
, and abe wise
, And bdirect
your heart
in the way
.
Do not be with aheavy drinkers
of wine
, Or with bgluttonous
eaters
of meat
;
For the aheavy drinker
and the glutton
will come
to poverty
, And bdrowsiness
will clothe
one with rags
.
aListen to your father
who begot
you, And bdo not despise
your mother
when
she is old
.
aBuy truth
, and do not sell
it, Get wisdom
and instruction
and understanding
.
The father of the righteous
will greatly
rejoice
, And ahe who sires
a wise
son
will be glad
in him.
Let your afather and your mother
be glad
, And let her rejoice
who gave
birth
to you.
aGive me your heart
, my son
, And let your eyes
1 bdelight
in my ways
.
For a harlot is a adeep
pit
And an 1 badulterous
woman
is a narrow
well
.
Surely she alurks
as a robber
, And increases
the 1faithless
among men
.
Who has awoe
? Who
has sorrow
? Who
has contentions
? Who
has complaining
? Who
has wounds
without
cause
? Who
has redness
of eyes
?
Those who alinger long over
wine
, Those who go
to 1taste
bmixed
wine
.
Do not look on the wine
when
it is red
, When
it 1sparkles
in the cup
, When it agoes
down
smoothly
;
At the last it abites
like a serpent
And stings
like a bviper
.
Your eyes will see
strange
things
And your 1mind
will autter
perverse
things
.
And you will be like one who lies down
in the 1middle
of the sea
, Or like one who lies
down
on the top
of a 2mast
.
"They astruck me, but I did not become
1ill
; They beat
me, but I did not know
it. When
shall I awake
? I will bseek
2another
drink."