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1 When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what is before thee:
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2 And put a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man given to appetite.
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3 Be not desirous of his dainties: for they are deceitful meat.
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4 Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom.
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5 Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.
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6 Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, neither desire thou his dainty meats:
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7 For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.
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8 The morsel which thou hast eaten shalt thou vomit up, and lose thy sweet words.
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9 Speak not in the ears of a fool: for he will despise the wisdom of thy words.
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10 Remove not the old landmark; and enter not into the fields of the fatherless:
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11 For their redeemer is mighty; he shall plead their cause with thee.
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12 Apply thine heart unto instruction, and thine ears to the words of knowledge.
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13 Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die.
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14 Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell.
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15 My son, if thine heart be wise, my heart shall rejoice, even mine.
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16 Yea, my reins shall rejoice, when thy lips speak right things.
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17 Let not thine heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the LORD all the day long.
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18 For surely there is an end; and thine expectation shall not be cut off.
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19 Hear thou, my son, and be wise, and guide thine heart in the way.
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20 Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh:
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21 For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.
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22 Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old.
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23 Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.
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24 The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice: and he that begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him.
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25 Thy father and thy mother shall be glad, and she that bare thee shall rejoice.
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26 My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways.
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27 For a whore is a deep ditch; and a strange woman is a narrow pit.
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28 She also lieth in wait as for a prey, and increaseth the transgressors among men.
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29 Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes?
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30 They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine.
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31 Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright.
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32 At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder.
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33 Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things.
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34 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.
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35 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.
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- 1 When you sit down to dine with a ruler, Consider carefully what is before you,
- 2 And put a knife to your throat If you are a man of great appetite.
- 3 Do not desire his delicacies, For it is deceptive food.
- 4 Do not weary yourself to gain wealth, Cease from your consideration of it.
- 5 When you set your eyes on it, it is gone. For wealth certainly makes itself wings Like an eagle that flies toward the heavens.
- 6 Do not eat the bread of a selfish man, Or desire his delicacies;
- 7 For as he thinks within himself, so he is. He says to you, “Eat and drink!” But his heart is not with you.
- 8 You will vomit up the morsel you have eaten, And waste your compliments.
- 9 Do not speak in the hearing of a fool, For he will despise the wisdom of your words.
- 10 Do not move the ancient boundary Or go into the fields of the fatherless,
- 11 For their Redeemer is strong; He will plead their case against you.
- 12 Apply your heart to discipline And your ears to words of knowledge.
- 13 Do not hold back discipline from the child, Although you strike him with the rod, he will not die.
- 14 You shall strike him with the rod And rescue his soul from Sheol.
- 15 My son, if your heart is wise, My own heart also will be glad;
- 16 And my inmost being will rejoice When your lips speak what is right.
- 17 Do not let your heart envy sinners, But live in the fear of the LORD always.
- 18 Surely there is a future, And your hope will not be cut off.
- 19 Listen, my son, and be wise, And direct your heart in the way.
- 20 Do not be with heavy drinkers of wine, Or with gluttonous eaters of meat;
- 21 For the heavy drinker and the glutton will come to poverty, And drowsiness will clothe one with rags.
- 22 Listen to your father who begot you, And do not despise your mother when she is old.
- 23 Buy truth, and do not sell it, Get wisdom and instruction and understanding.
- 24 The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice, And he who sires a wise son will be glad in him.
- 25 Let your father and your mother be glad, And let her rejoice who gave birth to you.
- 26 Give me your heart, my son, And let your eyes delight in my ways.
- 27 For a harlot is a deep pit And an adulterous woman is a narrow well.
- 28 Surely she lurks as a robber, And increases the faithless among men.
- 29 Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has contentions? Who has complaining? Who has wounds without cause? Who has redness of eyes?
- 30 Those who linger long over wine, Those who go to taste mixed wine.
- 31 Do not look on the wine when it is red, When it sparkles in the cup, When it goes down smoothly;
- 32 At the last it bites like a serpent And stings like a viper.
- 33 Your eyes will see strange things And your mind will utter perverse things.
- 34 And 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.”
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