Proverbs 23

Tree of Life Version

⁴ Do not wear yourself out to get rich.
Be wise enough to restrain yourself.
⁵ When you cast your eyes on riches, it is gone;
for it surely sprouts wings and flies off into the sky like an eagle.

⁶ Do not eat the food of a stingy person,
or desire his delicacies.
⁷ For as he thinks within himself, so is he.
    “Eat and drink”, he says to you,
    but his heart is not with you.
⁸ You will vomit up the morsel you ate,
and will waste your pleasant words.
⁹ Do not speak in the ears of a fool,
for he will disdain the wisdom of your words.

¹⁰ Do not move an ancient boundary stone,
or encroach on 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 withhold correction from a child.
If you strike him with a rod, he will not die.
¹⁴ Punish him with a rod,
and deliver his soul from Sheol.

¹⁷ Do not let your heart envy sinners,
but always be in the fear of Adonai.
¹⁸ For surely there is a future,
and your hope will never be cut off.
¹⁹ Listen, my son, and be wise,
and guide your heart in the right way.

²⁰ Do not join those drinking too much wine
or gorging on meat,
²¹ for both drunkards and gluttons will be impoverished—
grogginess will clothe them with rags.

²² Listen to your father who begot you
and do not despise your mother when she is old.
²³ Acquire truth and do not sell it,
acquire wisdom, instruction and understanding.
²⁴ The father of a righteous one rejoices greatly.
Whoever fathers a wise child delights in him.
²⁵ Let your father and your mother be glad,
let she who bore you rejoice!
²⁶ My son, give your heart to me,
and let your eyes observe my ways.
²⁷ For a prostitute is a deep pit,
an adulterous woman is a narrow pit.
²⁸ Indeed, she lies in wait like a robber,
and increases the unfaithful among men.