Proverbs 23:4-22

⁴Take no care to get wealth; let there be an end to your desire for money.

⁵Are your eyes lifted up to it? it is gone: for wealth takes to itself wings, like an eagle in flight up to heaven.

⁶Do not take the food of him who has an evil eye, or have any desire for his delicate meat:

⁷For as the thoughts of his heart are, so is he: Take food and drink, he says to you; but his heart is not with you.

⁸The food which you have taken will come up again, and your pleasing words will be wasted.

⁹Say nothing in the hearing of a foolish man, for he will put no value on the wisdom of your words.

¹⁰Do not let the landmark of the widow be moved, and do not go into the fields of those who have no father;

¹¹For their saviour is strong, and he will take up their cause against you.

¹²Give your heart to teaching, and your ears to the words of knowledge.

¹³Do not keep back training from the child: for even if you give him blows with the rod, it will not be death to him.

¹⁴Give him blows with the rod, and keep his soul safe from the underworld.

¹⁵My son, if your heart becomes wise, I, even I, will be glad in heart;

¹⁶And my thoughts in me will be full of joy when your lips say right things.

¹⁷Have no envy of sinners in your heart, but keep in the fear of the Lord all through the day;

¹⁸For without doubt there is a future, and your hope will not be cut off.

¹⁹Give ear, my son, and be wise, guiding your heart in the right way.

²⁰Do not be among those who give themselves to wine-drinking, or among those who make themselves full with meat:

²¹For those who take delight in drink and feasting will come to be in need; and through love of sleep a man will be poorly clothed.

²²Give ear to your father whose child you are, and do not keep honour from your mother when she is old.