1 W hen thou sittest to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what is before thee:

When you sit down to eat with a ruler, think about what is in front of you.

2 a nd put a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man given to appetite.

Put a knife to your neck if you are a man who is given to much eating.

3 B e not desirous of his dainties: for they are deceitful meat.

Do not desire his special foods, for they are put there for no good reason.

4 L abour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom.

Do not work hard to be rich. Stop trying to get things for yourself.

5 W ilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.

When you set your eyes upon it, it is gone. For sure, riches make themselves wings like an eagle that flies toward the heavens.

6 E at thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, neither desire thou his dainty meats:

Do not eat the bread of a man who thinks only about himself. Do not have a desire for his fine food.

7 f or as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.

For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. He says to you, “Eat and drink!” But his heart is not with you.

8 T he morsel which thou hast eaten shalt thou vomit up, and lose thy sweet words.

You will spit up the piece of food you have eaten, and waste your good words.

9 S peak not in the ears of a fool: for he will despise the wisdom of thy words.

Do not speak in the hearing of a fool, for he will hate the wisdom of your words.

10 R emove not the old landmark; and enter not into the fields of the fatherless:

Do not take away the old land-mark, or go into the fields of those without a father.

11 f or their redeemer is mighty; he shall plead their cause with thee.

For the One Who saves them is strong. He will stand by them and give them help against you.

12 A pply thine heart unto instruction, and thine ears to the words of knowledge.

Open your heart to teaching, and your ears to words of much learning.

13 W ithhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die.

Do not keep from punishing the child if he needs it. If you beat him with the stick, he will not die.

14 T hou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell.

Beat him with the stick, and save his soul from hell.

15 M y son, if thine heart be wise, my heart shall rejoice, even mine.

My son, if your heart is wise, my own heart will be glad also.

16 Y ea, my reins shall rejoice, when thy lips speak right things.

My heart will be full of joy when your lips speak what is right.

17 L et not thine heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long.

Do not let your heart be jealous of sinners, but live in the fear of the Lord always.

18 F or surely there is an end; and thine expectation shall not be cut off.

For sure there is a future and your hope will not be cut off.

19 H ear thou, my son, and be wise, and guide thine heart in the way.

Listen, my son, and be wise. Lead your heart in the way.

20 B e not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh:

Do not be with those who drink too much wine or eat too much meat.

21 f or the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.

For the man who drinks too much or eats too much will become poor, and much sleep will dress a man in torn clothes.

22 H earken unto thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old.

Listen to your father who gave you life, and do not hate your mother when she is old.

23 B uy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.

Buy truth, and do not sell it. Get wisdom and teaching and understanding.

24 T he father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice: and he that begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him.

The father of one who is right with God will have much joy. He who has a wise son will be glad in him.

25 T hy father and thy mother shall be glad, and she that bare thee shall rejoice.

Let your father and mother be glad, and let her who gave birth to you be full of joy.

26 M y son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways.

Give me your heart, my son. Let your eyes find joy in my ways.

27 F or a whore is a deep ditch; and a strange woman is a narrow pit.

For a woman who sells the use of her body is like a deep hole. A sinful woman is a narrow well.

28 S he also lieth in wait as for a prey, and increaseth the transgressors among men.

She lies in wait as a robber, and makes many more men not faithful.

29 W ho hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes?

Who has trouble? Who has sorrow? Who is fighting? Who is complaining? Who is hurt without a reason? Who has eyes that have become red?

30 t hey that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine.

Those who stay a long time over wine. Those who go to taste mixed wine.

31 L ook not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright.

Do not look at wine when it is red, when it shines in the cup, when it is smooth in going down.

32 A t the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder.

In the end it bites like a snake. It stings like the bite of a snake with poison.

33 T hine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things.

Your eyes will see strange things. Your mind will say the wrong things.

34 Y ea, thou shalt be as he that lieth down in the midst of the sea, or as he that lieth upon the top of a mast.

And you will be like one who lies down in the center of the sea, or like one who lies above a ship’s sail.

35 T hey have stricken me, shalt thou say, and I was not sick; they have beaten me, and I felt it not: when shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.

“They hit me, but I was not hurt. They beat me, but I did not know it. When will I wake up? I will look for another drink.”