1 W hen you sit down to dine with a ruler, Consider carefully what is before you,

2 A nd put a knife to your throat If you are a man of great appetite.

3 D o not desire his delicacies, For it is deceptive food.

4 D o not weary yourself to gain wealth, Cease from your consideration of it.

5 W hen you set your eyes on it, it is gone. For wealth certainly makes itself wings Like an eagle that flies toward the heavens.

6 D o not eat the bread of a selfish man, Or desire his delicacies;

7 F or as he thinks within himself, so he is. He says to you, “Eat and drink!” But his heart is not with you.

8 Y ou will vomit up the morsel you have eaten, And waste your compliments.

9 D o not speak in the hearing of a fool, For he will despise the wisdom of your words.

10 D o not move the ancient boundary Or go into the fields of the fatherless,

11 F or their Redeemer is strong; He will plead their case against you.

12 A pply your heart to discipline And your ears to words of knowledge.

13 D o not hold back discipline from the child, Although you strike him with the rod, he will not die.

14 Y ou shall strike him with the rod And rescue his soul from Sheol.

15 M y son, if your heart is wise, My own heart also will be glad;

16 A nd my inmost being will rejoice When your lips speak what is right.

17 D o not let your heart envy sinners, But live in the fear of the Lord always.

18 S urely there is a future, And your hope will not be cut off.

19 L isten, my son, and be wise, And direct your heart in the way.

20 D o not be with heavy drinkers of wine, Or with gluttonous eaters of meat;

21 F or the heavy drinker and the glutton will come to poverty, And drowsiness will clothe one with rags.

22 L isten to your father who begot you, And do not despise your mother when she is old.

23 B uy truth, and do not sell it, Get wisdom and instruction and understanding.

24 T he father of the righteous will greatly rejoice, And he who sires a wise son will be glad in him.

25 L et your father and your mother be glad, And let her rejoice who gave birth to you.

26 G ive me your heart, my son, And let your eyes delight in my ways.

27 F or a harlot is a deep pit And an adulterous woman is a narrow well.

28 S urely she lurks as a robber, And increases the faithless among men.

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

30 T hose who linger long over wine, Those who go to taste mixed wine.

31 D o not look on the wine when it is red, When it sparkles in the cup, When it goes down smoothly;

32 A t the last it bites like a serpent And stings like a viper.

33 Y our eyes will see strange things And your mind will utter perverse things.

34 A nd you will be like one who lies down in the middle of the sea, Or like one who lies down on the top of a mast.

35 “ They struck me, but I did not become ill; They beat me, but I did not know it. When shall I awake? I will seek another drink.”