Proverbs 23:3-21

³desire not his provisions; For these belong to a false life.

⁴If thou art poor, measure not thyself with a rich man; But refrain thyself in thy wisdom.

⁵If thou shouldest fix thine eye upon him, he will disappear; For wings like an eagle’s are prepared for him, And he returns to the house of his master.

⁶Sup not with an envious man, Neither desire thou his meats:

⁷So he eats and drinks As if anyone should swallow a hair, And do not bring him in to thyself, nor eat thy morsel with him:

⁸For he will vomit it up, and spoil thy fair words.

⁹Say nothing in the ears of a fool, Lest at any time he sneer at thy wise words.

¹⁰Remove not the ancient landmarks; And enter not upon the possession of the fatherless:

¹¹For the Lord is their redeemer; He is mighty, and will plead their cause with thee.

¹²Apply thy heart to instruction, And prepare thine ears for words of discretion.

¹³Refrain not from chastening a child; For if thou beat him with the rod, he shall not die.

¹⁴For thou shalt beat him with the rod, And shalt deliver his soul from death.

¹⁵Son, if thy heart be wise, Thou shalt also gladden my heart;

¹⁶And thy lips shall converse with my lips, If they be right.

¹⁷Let not thy heart envy sinners: But be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day.

¹⁸For if thou shouldest keep these things, thou shalt have posterity; And thy hope shall not be removed.

¹⁹Hear, my son, and be wise, And rightly direct the thoughts of thy heart.

²⁰Be not a wine bibber, Neither continue long at feasts, and purchases of flesh:

²¹For every drunkard and whoremonger shall be poor; And every sluggard shall clothe himself with tatters and ragged garments.