Proverbs 23:1-35 CEB

[1] When you sit down to dine with a ruler, carefully consider what is in front of you. [2] Place a knife at your throat to control your appetite. [3] Don’t long for the ruler’s delicacies; the food misleads. [4] Don’t wear yourself out trying to get rich; be smart enough to stop. [5] When your eyes fly to wealth it is gone; it grows wings like an eagle and flies heavenward. [6] Don’t eat food with stingy people; don’t long for their delicacies, [7] because they are like a hair in the throat. They say to you, “Eat and drink!” but they don’t mean it. [8] You will eat scraps and vomit them out. You will waste your pleasant words. [9] Don’t speak in the ears of fools, for they will scorn your insightful words. [10] Don’t remove an ancient boundary marker; don’t invade the fields of orphans, [11] for their redeemer is strong. He will bring charges against you. [12] Bring your mind to instruction, your ear to knowledgeable sayings. [13] Don’t withhold instruction from children; if you strike them with a rod, they won’t die. [14] Strike them with a rod, and you will save their lives from the grave. [15] My child, if your heart is wise, then my heart too will be happy. [16] My inner being will rejoice when your lips speak with integrity. [17] Don’t let your heart envy sinners, but fear the LORD constantly; [18] then you will have a future, and your hope won’t be cut off. [19] Listen, my child, and be wise! Keep your mind straight on the path. [20] Don’t hang out with those who get drunk on wine or those who eat too much meat, [21] because drunks and gluttons will be impoverished; their stupor will clothe them in rags. [22] Listen to your father, who gave you life; don’t despise your elderly mother. [23] Buy truth and don’t sell it; buy wisdom, instruction, and understanding. [24] The father of the righteous will be very happy; the one who gives life to the wise will rejoice. [25] Your father and your mother will rejoice; she who gave you birth will be happy. [26] My child, give your mind to me and let your eyes keep to my path. [27] A prostitute is a deep pit, and a foreign woman is a narrow well. [28] Indeed, she ambushes like a robber and increases the number of the faithless. [29] Who is suffering? Who is uneasy? Who has arguments? Who has complaints? Who has unnecessary wounds? Who has glazed eyes?— [30] those who linger over wine; those who go looking for mixed wine. [31] Don’t look at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, going down smoothly. [32] In the end, it bites like a snake and poisons like a viper. [33] Your eyes will see strange things, and your heart will speak distorted words. [34] You will be like one who lies down while out on the sea or one who lies on top of a mast. [35] “Though hit, I feel no pain; though beaten up, I don’t know anything about it. When I wake up, I’ll look for wine again!”