¹ When you sit to dine with a ruler,
note well what is before you,

² and put a knife to your throat
if you are given to gluttony.

³ Do not crave his delicacies,
for that food is deceptive.

Saying 8

⁴ Do not wear yourself out to get rich;
do not trust your own cleverness.
⁵ Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone,
for they will surely sprout wings
and fly off to the sky like an eagle.

Saying 9

⁶ Do not eat the food of a begrudging host,
do not crave his delicacies;
⁷ for he is the kind of person
who is always thinking about the cost.
“Eat and drink,” he says to you,
but his heart is not with you.
⁸ You will vomit up the little you have eaten
and will have wasted your compliments.

Saying 10

⁹ Do not speak to fools,
for they will scorn your prudent words.

Saying 11

¹⁰ Do not move an ancient boundary stone
or encroach on the fields of the fatherless,
¹¹ for their Defender is strong;
he will take up their case against you.

Saying 12

¹² Apply your heart to instruction
and your ears to words of knowledge.

Saying 13

¹³ Do not withhold discipline from a child;
if you punish them with the rod, they will not die.
¹⁴ Punish them with the rod
and save them from death.

Saying 14

¹⁵ My son, if your heart is wise,
then my heart will be glad indeed;
16my inmost being will rejoice
when your lips speak what is right.

Saying 15

¹⁷ Do not let your heart envy sinners,
but always be zealous for the fear of the Lord.
¹⁸ There is surely a future hope for you,
and your hope will not be cut off.

Saying 16

¹⁹ Listen, my son, and be wise,
and set your heart on the right path:
²⁰ Do not join those who drink too much wine
or gorge themselves on meat,
²¹ for drunkards and gluttons become poor,
and drowsiness clothes them in rags.

Saying 17

²² Listen to your father, who gave you life,
and do not despise your mother when she is old.
²³ Buy the truth and do not sell it—
wisdom, instruction and insight as well.
²⁴ The father of a righteous child has great joy;
a man who fathers a wise son rejoices in him.
²⁵ May your father and mother rejoice;
may she who gave you birth be joyful!

Saying 18

²⁶ My son, give me your heart
and let your eyes delight in my ways,
²⁷ for an adulterous woman is a deep pit,
and a wayward wife is a narrow well.
²⁸ Like a bandit she lies in wait
and multiplies the unfaithful among men.

Saying 19

²⁹ Who has woe? Who has sorrow?
Who has strife? Who has complaints?
Who has needless bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes?
³⁰ Those who linger over wine,
who go to sample bowls of mixed wine.
³¹ Do not gaze at wine when it is red,
when it sparkles in the cup,
when it goes down smoothly!
³² In the end it bites like a snake
and poisons like a viper.
³³ Your eyes will see strange sights,
and your mind will imagine confusing things.
³⁴ You will be like one sleeping on the high seas,
lying on top of the rigging.
³⁵ “They hit me,” you will say, “but I’m not hurt!
They beat me, but I don’t feel it!
When will I wake up
so I can find another drink?”