Proverbs 23:1-26

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

²For thou puttest a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man of a craving desire.

³Do not long for his savory meats; they are deceitful food.

⁴Fatigue thyself not to become rich; because thou hast understanding, forbear.

⁵When thou lettest merely thy eyes fly over it, it is no more: for it will ever make itself wings: like an eagle will it fly toward heaven.

⁶Eat not the bread of a man with an evil eye, and do not long for his savory meats;

⁷For as though there were a division in his soul, so doth he act: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.

⁸Thy morsel which thou hast eaten must thou spit out, and thou hast wasted thy pleasant words.

⁹Speak not before the ears of a fool; for he will despise the intelligence of thy words.

¹⁰Remove not the ancient landmark, and into the fields of the fatherless must thou not enter;

¹¹For their redeemer is strong; he will indeed plead their cause with thee.

¹²Apply thy heart unto instruction, and thy ears to the sayings of knowledge.

¹³Withhold not from a lad correction; for if thou beat him with the rod, he will not die.

¹⁴Thou wilt indeed beat him with the rod; but thou wilt deliver his soul from perdition.

¹⁵My son, If thy heart be wise, my heart shall rejoice, even mine.

¹⁶And my reins shall exult when thy lips speak what is equitable.

¹⁷Let not thy heart be envious against sinners; but remain in the fear of the lord all the time.

¹⁸For surely there is a future, and thy hope will not be cut off.

¹⁹Hear thou, my son, and become wise, and guide thy heart on the right way.

²⁰Be not among those that drink wine immoderately, among those that over-indulge in eating flesh:

²¹For the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty; and drowsiness clotheth a man in rags.

²²Hearken unto thy father that hath begotten thee, and despise not thy mother although she be old.

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

²⁴The father of the righteous will be greatly glad, and he that begetteth a wise child will have joy through him.

²⁵Let then thy father and thy mother rejoice, and let her that hath born thee be glad.

²⁶Give, my son, thy heart unto me, and let thy eyes watch my ways.