Proverbs 23:1-16 ▼

1 If thou shalt sit to eat with a ruler, understanding, thou shalt understand what is before thee.

2 And put a knife to thy swallow if thou the possessor of a soul.

3 Thou shalt not long for his dainties: and it is the bread of lies.

4 Thou shalt not labor to become rich: cease from thy wisdom.

5 Wilt thou cause thine eyes to fly upon it and it is not? for making, it will make to it wings; as an eagle and it flew to the heavens.

6 Thou shalt not eat the bread of an evil eye, and ye shall not long for its dainties:

7 Like him estimating evil in his soul, so is he: Eat and drink, he will say to thee; and his heart not with thee.

8 Thy morsel which thou didst eat thou shalt vomit forth and destroy thy pleasant words.

9 In the ears of the foolish thou shalt not speak, for he will despise for the understanding of thy words.

10 Thou shalt not remove the old bound; and into the field of the orphans thou shalt not come:

11 For he redeeming them, he is strong; he will contend their contention with thee.

12 Bring thy heart to instruction, and thine ears to the words of knowledge.

13 Thou shalt not withhold instruction from youth: if thou shalt strike him with a rod he shall not die.

14 Thou shalt strike him with the rod, and thou shalt deliver his soul from hades.

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

16 And my reins shall exult in the speaking of thy lips uprightnesses.