1 W hen thou sittest to eat with a ruler, Consider diligently him that is before thee;

When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what is before thee:

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

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

3 B e not desirous of his dainties; Seeing they are deceitful food.

Be not desirous of his dainties: for they are deceitful meat.

4 W eary not thyself to be rich; Cease from thine own wisdom.

Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom.

5 W ilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? For riches certainly make themselves wings, Like an eagle that flieth toward heaven.

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

6 E at thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, Neither desire thou his dainties:

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

7 F or as he thinketh within himself, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; But his heart is not with thee.

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

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

The morsel which thou hast eaten shalt thou vomit up, and lose thy sweet words.

9 S peak not in the hearing of a fool; For he will despise the wisdom of thy words.

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

10 R emove not the ancient landmark; And enter not into the fields of the fatherless:

Remove not the old landmark; and enter not into the fields of the fatherless:

11 F or their Redeemer is strong; He will plead their cause against thee.

for their redeemer is mighty; he shall plead their cause with thee.

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

Apply thine heart unto instruction, and thine ears to the words of knowledge.

13 W ithhold not correction from the child; For if thou beat him with the rod, he will not die.

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

14 T hou shalt beat him with the rod, And shalt deliver his soul from Sheol.

Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell.

15 M y son, if thy heart be wise, My heart will be glad, even mine:

My son, if thine heart be wise, my heart shall rejoice, even mine.

16 Y ea, my heart will rejoice, When thy lips speak right things.

Yea, my reins shall rejoice, when thy lips speak right things.

17 L et not thy heart envy sinners; But be thou in the fear of Jehovah all the day long:

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

18 F or surely there is a reward; And thy hope shall not be cut off.

For surely there is an end; and thine expectation shall not be cut off.

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

Hear thou, my son, and be wise, and guide thine heart in the way.

20 B e not among winebibbers, Among gluttonous eaters of flesh:

Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh:

21 F or the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty; And drowsiness will clothe a man with rags.

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

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

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

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

Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.

24 T he father of the righteous will greatly rejoice; And he that begetteth a wise child will have joy of him.

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

25 L et thy father and thy mother be glad, And let her that bare thee rejoice.

Thy father and thy mother shall be glad, and she that bare thee shall rejoice.

26 M y son, give me thy heart; And let thine eyes delight in my ways.

My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways.

27 F or a harlot is a deep ditch; And a foreign woman is a narrow pit.

For a whore is a deep ditch; and a strange woman is a narrow pit.

28 Y ea, she lieth in wait as a robber, And increaseth the treacherous among men.

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

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

Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes?

30 T hey that tarry long at the wine; They that go to seek out mixed wine.

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

31 L ook not thou upon the wine when it is red, When it sparkleth in the cup, When it goeth down smoothly:

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

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

At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder.

33 T hine eyes shall behold strange things, And thy heart shall utter perverse things.

Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse 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.

Yea, 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.

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

They 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.