Various observations of moral virtues and their contrary vices.
1. When athou sittest to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what is before thee:
2. And bput a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man given to appetite.
3. cBe not desirous of his dainties: for they are deceitful *meat.
4. dLabour not to be rich: ecease from thine own wisdom.
5. 1Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that fwhich is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.
6. gEat thou not the bread of him that hath an hevil eye, neither desire thou his dainty *meats:
7. For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: iEat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.
8. The morsel which thou hast eaten shalt thou jvomit up, and klose thy sweet words.
9. lSpeak not in the ears of a fool: for he will despise the wisdom of thy words.
10. mRemove not the old 2landmark; and enter not into the fields of the fatherless:
11. For ntheir redeemer is mighty; he shall plead their cause with thee.
12. oApply thine heart unto instruction, and thine ears to the words of knowledge.
13. pWithhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die.
14. Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt qdeliver his soul from hell.
15. rMy son, if thine heart be wise, my heart shall rejoice, 3even mine.
16. Yea, smy *reins shall rejoice, twhen thy lips speak right things.
17. uLet not thine heart envy sinners: vbut be thou in the fear of the LORD all the day long.
18. For wsurely there is an 4end; and thine expectation shall not be cut off.
19. xHear thou, my son, and be wise, and guide thine heart in the way.
20. yBe not among winebibbers; among *riotous eaters 5of flesh:
21. For zthe drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.
22. aHearken unto thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old.
23. bBuy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.
24. The cfather of the righteous shall greatly rejoice: and he that begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him.
25. Thy father and thy mother shall be glad, and dshe that bare thee shall rejoice.
26. My son, egive me thine heart, and flet thine eyes observe my ways.
27. For ga whore is a deep ditch; and a *strange woman is a narrow pit.
28. She halso lieth in wait 6as for a prey, and increaseth the transgressors among men.
29. Who ihath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes?
30. They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine.
31. jLook not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright.
32. At kthe last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like 7an adder.
33. lThine eyes shall behold *strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things.
34. Yea, mthou shalt be as he that lieth down 8in the midst of the sea, or as he that lieth upon the top of a mast.
35. They nhave stricken me, shalt thou say, and I was not sick; they have beaten me, and 9I ofelt it not: when shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.
When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what is before thee: And put a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man given to appetite. Be not desirous of his dainties: for they are deceitful meat. Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom. Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven. Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, neither desire thou his dainty meats: For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee. The morsel which thou hast eaten shalt thou vomit up, and lose thy sweet words. Speak not in the ears of a fool: for he will despise the wisdom of thy words. Remove not the old landmark; and enter not into the fields of the fatherless: For their redeemer is mighty; he shall plead their cause with thee. Apply thine heart unto instruction, and thine ears to the words of knowledge. Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die. Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell. My son, if thine heart be wise, my heart shall rejoice, even mine. Yea, my reins shall rejoice, when thy lips speak right things. Let not thine heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the LORD all the day long. For surely there is an end; and thine expectation shall not be cut off. Hear thou, my son, and be wise, and guide thine heart in the way. Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh: For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags. Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old. Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding. The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice: and he that begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him. Thy father and thy mother shall be glad, and she that bare thee shall rejoice. My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways. For a whore is a deep ditch; and a strange woman is a narrow pit. She also lieth in wait as for a prey, and increaseth the transgressors among men. Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes? They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine. Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright. At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder. Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things. Yea, thou shalt be as he that lieth down in the midst of the sea, or as he that lieth upon the top of a mast. They have stricken me, shalt thou say, and I was not sick; they have beaten me, and I felt it not: when shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.