Proverbs 22:17-23:14
New American Standard Bible 1995
17 (A)Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise,
And apply your mind to my knowledge;
18 For it will be (B)pleasant if you keep them within you,
[a]That they may be ready on your lips.
19 So that your (C)trust may be in the Lord,
I have [b]taught you today, even you.
20 Have I not written to you [c](D)excellent things
Of counsels and knowledge,
21 To make you (E)know the [d]certainty of the words of truth
That you may [e](F)correctly answer him who sent you?
22 (G)Do not rob the poor because he is poor,
Or (H)crush the afflicted at the gate;
23 For the Lord will (I)plead their case
And [f]take the life of those who rob them.
24 Do not associate with a man given to anger;
Or go with a (J)hot-tempered man,
25 Or you will (K)learn his ways
And [g]find a snare for yourself.
26 Do not be among those who (L)give [h]pledges,
Among those who become guarantors for debts.
27 If you have nothing with which to pay,
Why should he (M)take your bed from under you?
28 (N)Do not move the ancient boundary
Which your fathers have set.
29 Do you see a man skilled in his work?
He will (O)stand before kings;
He will not stand before obscure men.
On Life and Conduct
23 When you sit down to dine with a ruler,
Consider carefully [i]what is before you,
2 And put a knife to your throat
If you are a (P)man of great appetite.
3 Do not (Q)desire his delicacies,
For it is deceptive food.
4 (R)Do not weary yourself to gain wealth,
(S)Cease from your [j]consideration of it.
5 [k]When you set your eyes on it, it is gone.
For (T)wealth certainly makes itself wings
Like an eagle that flies toward the heavens.
6 (U)Do not eat the bread of [l]a (V)selfish man,
Or desire his delicacies;
7 For as he [m]thinks within himself, so he is.
He says to you, “Eat and drink!”
But (W)his heart is not with you.
8 You will (X)vomit up [n]the morsel you have eaten,
And waste your [o]compliments.
10 Do not move the ancient boundary
Or (AA)go into the fields of the fatherless,
11 For their (AB)Redeemer is strong;
(AC)He will plead their case against you.
12 Apply your heart to discipline
And your ears to words of knowledge.
13 (AD)Do not hold back discipline from the child,
Although you [q]strike him with the rod, he will not die.
14 You shall [r]strike him with the rod
And (AE)rescue his soul from Sheol.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 22:18 Lit They together
- Proverbs 22:19 Lit made you know
- Proverbs 22:20 Or previous
- Proverbs 22:21 Lit truth
- Proverbs 22:21 Lit return to words of truth
- Proverbs 22:23 Lit rob the soul
- Proverbs 22:25 Lit take
- Proverbs 22:26 Lit strike hands
- Proverbs 23:1 Or who
- Proverbs 23:4 Or understanding
- Proverbs 23:5 Lit Will your eyes fly upon it and it is not?
- Proverbs 23:6 Lit an evil eye
- Proverbs 23:7 Lit reckons in his soul
- Proverbs 23:8 Lit your
- Proverbs 23:8 Lit pleasant words
- Proverbs 23:9 Lit ears
- Proverbs 23:13 Lit smite
- Proverbs 23:14 Lit smite
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
