Proverbs Chapter 23 | KJV & Biblical Hebrew

1

כִּֽי תֵשֵׁ֥ב לִלְח֗וֹם אֶת מוֹשֵׁ֑ל בִּ֝ין תָּבִ֗ין אֶת אֲשֶׁ֥ר לְפָנֶֽיךָ׃

KJVWhen thou sittest to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what is before thee:

When you sit down to eat with a ruler, observe carefully what is before you,

2

וְשַׂמְתָּ֣ שַׂ֭כִּין בְּלֹעֶ֑ךָ אִ֝֗ם בַּ֣עַל נֶ֥פֶשׁ אָֽתָּה׃

KJVAnd put a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man given to appetite.

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

3

אַל תִּתְאָ֥ו לְמַטְעַמּוֹתָ֑יו וְ֝ה֗וּא לֶ֣חֶם כְּזָבִֽים׃

KJVBe not desirous of his dainties: for they are deceitful meat.

Do not desire his delicacies, for they are deceptive food.

4

אַל תִּיגַ֥ע לְהַעֲשִׁ֑יר מִבִּ֝ינָתְךָ֗ חֲדָֽל׃

KJVLabour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom.

Do not toil to acquire wealth; be discerning enough to desist.

5

הֲתָעִ֣יף עֵ֭ינֶיךָ בּ֑וֹ וְ֝אֵינֶ֗נּוּ כִּ֤י עָשֹׂ֥ה יַעֲשֶׂה לּ֣וֹ כְנָפַ֣יִם כְּנֶ֣שֶׁר וָ֑עָף הַשָּׁמָֽיִם׃

KJVWilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.

When your eyes light on it, it is gone, for suddenly it sprouts wings, flying like an eagle toward heaven.

6

אַל תִּלְחַ֥ם אֶת לֶ֑חֶם רַ֥ע עָ֝יִן וְאַל תִּתְאָ֥ו לְמַטְעַמֹּתָֽיו׃

KJVEat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, neither desire thou his dainty meats:

Do not eat the bread of a man who is stingy; do not desire his delicacies,

7

כִּ֤י כְּמוֹ שָׁעַ֣ר בְּנַפְשׁ֣וֹ כֶּן ה֑וּא אֱכֹ֥ל וּשְׁתֵ֗ה יֹ֣אמַר לָ֗ךְ וְלִבּ֥וֹ בַל עִמָּֽךְ׃

KJVFor as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.

for he is like one who is inwardly calculating. Eat and drink! he says to you, but his heart is not with you.

8

פִּתְּךָ אָ֣כַלְתָּ תְקִיאֶ֑נָּה וְשִׁחַ֥תָּ דְ֝בָרֶ֗יךָ הַנְּעִימִֽים׃

KJVThe morsel which thou hast eaten shalt thou vomit up, and lose thy sweet words.

You will vomit up the morsels that you have eaten, and waste your pleasant words.

9

בְּאָזְנֵ֣י כְ֭סִיל אַל תְּדַבֵּ֑ר כִּ֝י יָב֗וּז לְשֵׂ֣כֶל מִלֶּֽיךָ׃

KJVSpeak not in the ears of a fool: for he will despise the wisdom of thy words.

Do not speak in the hearing of a fool, for he will despise the good sense of your words.

10

אַל תַּ֭סֵּג גְּב֣וּל עוֹלָ֑ם וּבִשְׂדֵ֥י יְ֝תוֹמִ֗ים אַל תָּבֹֽא׃

KJVRemove not the old landmark; and enter not into the fields of the fatherless:

Do not move an ancient landmark or enter the fields of the fatherless,

11

כִּ֤י גֹאֲלָ֣ם חָ֭זָק ה֣וּא יָרִ֣יב אֶת רִיבָ֑ם אִתָּֽךְ׃

KJVFor their redeemer is mighty; he shall plead their cause with thee.

for their Redeemer is strong; he will plead their cause against you.

12

הָבִ֣יאָה לַמּוּסָ֣ר לִבֶּ֑ךָ וְ֝אָזְנֶ֗ךָ לְאִמְרֵי דָֽעַת׃

KJVApply thine heart unto instruction, and thine ears to the words of knowledge.

Apply your heart to instruction and your ear to words of knowledge.

13

אַל תִּמְנַ֣ע מִנַּ֣עַר מוּסָ֑ר כִּֽי תַכֶּ֥נּוּ בַ֝שֵּׁ֗בֶט לֹ֣א יָמֽוּת׃

KJVWithhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die.

Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you strike him with a rod, he will not die.

14

אַ֭תָּה בַּשֵּׁ֣בֶט תַּכֶּ֑נּוּ וְ֝נַפְשׁ֗וֹ מִשְּׁא֥וֹל תַּצִּֽיל׃

KJVThou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell.

If you strike him with the rod, you will save his soul from Sheol.

15

בְּנִ֗י אִם חָכַ֣ם לִ֭בֶּךָ יִשְׂמַ֥ח לִבִּ֗י גַּם אָֽנִי׃

KJVMy son, if thine heart be wise, my heart shall rejoice, even mine.

My son, if your heart is wise, my heart too will be glad.

16

וְ֭תַעְלֹזְנָה כִּלְיוֹתָ֑י בְּדַבֵּ֥ר שְׂ֝פָתֶ֗יךָ מֵישָׁרִֽים׃

KJVYea, my reins shall rejoice, when thy lips speak right things.

My inmost being will exult when your lips speak what is right.

17

אַל יְקַנֵּ֣א לִ֭בְּךָ בַּחַטָּאִ֑ים כִּ֥י אִם בְּיִרְאַ֥ת יְ֝הוָ֗ה כָּל הַיּֽוֹם׃

KJVLet not thine heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the LORD all the day long.

Let not your heart envy sinners, but continue in the fear of the LORD all the day.

18

כִּ֥י אִם יֵ֑שׁ אַחֲרִ֥ית וְ֝תִקְוָתְךָ֗ לֹ֣א תִכָּרֵֽת׃

KJVFor surely there is an end; and thine expectation shall not be cut off.

Surely there is a future, and your hope will not be cut off.

19

שְׁמַ֣ע אַ֭תָּה בְנִ֣י וַחְכָ֑ם וְאַשֵּׁ֥ר בַּ֝דֶּ֗רֶךְ לִבֶּֽךָ׃

KJVHear thou, my son, and be wise, and guide thine heart in the way.

Hear, my son, and be wise, and direct your heart in the way.

20

אַל תְּהִ֥י בְסֹבְאֵי יָ֑יִן בְּזֹלֲלֵ֥י בָשָׂ֗ר לָֽמוֹ׃

KJVBe not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh:

Be not among drunkards or among gluttonous eaters of meat,

21

כִּי סֹבֵ֣א וְזֹלֵ֣ל יִוָּרֵ֑שׁ וּ֝קְרָעִ֗ים תַּלְבִּ֥ישׁ נוּמָֽה׃

KJVFor the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.

for the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty, and slumber will clothe them with rags.

22

שְׁמַ֣ע לְ֭אָבִיךָ זֶ֣ה יְלָדֶ֑ךָ וְאַל תָּ֝ב֗וּז כִּֽי זָקְנָ֥ה אִמֶּֽךָ׃

KJVHearken unto thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old.

Listen to your father who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old.

23

אֱמֶ֣ת קְ֭נֵה וְאַל תִּמְכֹּ֑ר חָכְמָ֥ה וּמוּסָ֗ר וּבִינָֽה׃

KJVBuy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.

Buy truth, and do not sell it; buy wisdom, instruction, and understanding.

24

גִּ֣ל יָ֭גִיל אֲבִ֣י צַדִּ֑יק וְי֖וֹלֵד חָכָ֣ם וְיִשְׂמַח בּֽוֹ׃

KJVThe father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice: and he that begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him.

The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice; he who fathers a wise son will be glad in him.

25

יִשְׂמַ֣ח אָבִ֣יךָ וְאִמֶּ֑ךָ וְ֝תָגֵ֗ל יֹלַדְתֶּֽךָ׃

KJVThy father and thy mother shall be glad, and she that bare thee shall rejoice.

Let your father and mother be glad; let her who bore you rejoice.

26

תְּנָה בְנִ֣י לִבְּךָ֣ לִ֑י וְעֵינֶ֥יךָ דְ֝רָכַ֗י תִּרְצֹֽנָּה׃

KJVMy son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways.

My son, give me your heart, and let your eyes observe my ways.

27

כִּ֤י שׁוּחָ֣ה עֲמֻקָּ֣ה זוֹנָ֑ה וּ֝בְאֵ֗ר צָרָ֥ה נָכְרִיָּֽה׃

KJVFor a whore is a deep ditch; and a strange woman is a narrow pit.

For a prostitute is a deep pit; an adulteress is a narrow well.

28

אַף הִ֭יא כְּחֶ֣תֶף תֶּאֱרֹ֑ב וּבְ֝בוֹגְדִ֗ים תּוֹסִ֥יף בֹּגְדִֽים׃

KJVShe also lieth in wait as for a prey, and increaseth the transgressors among men.

She lies in wait like a robber and increases the traitors among mankind.

29

לְמִ֤י א֥וֹי לְמִ֪י אֲב֡וֹי לְמִ֤י מִדְיָנִ֨ים ׀ לְמִ֥י שִׂ֗יחַ לְמִ֥י פְצָעִ֥ים חִנָּ֑ם לְמִ֥י חַ֝כְלִ֗ילוּת עֵינָֽיִם׃

KJVWho hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes?

Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has strife? Who has complaining? Who has wounds without cause? Who has redness of eyes?

30

לַ֭מְאַחֲרִים עַל הַיָּ֑יִן לַ֝בָּאִ֗ים לַחְקֹ֥ר מִמְסָֽךְ׃

KJVThey that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine.

Those who tarry long over wine; those who go to try mixed wine.

31

אַל תֵּ֗רֶא יַ֫יִן כִּ֥י יִתְאַדָּ֑ם כִּֽי יִתֵּ֥ן בַּ֝כּ֗וֹס עֵינ֥וֹ יִתְהַלֵּ֥ךְ בְּמֵישָׁרִֽים׃

KJVLook not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright.

Do not look at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup and goes down smoothly.

32

אַחֲרִית֗וֹ כְּנָחָ֥שׁ יִשָּׁ֑ך וּ֝כְצִפְעֹנִ֗י יַפְרִֽשׁ׃

KJVAt the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder.

In the end it bites like a serpent and stings like an adder.

33

עֵ֭ינֶיךָ יִרְא֣וּ זָר֑וֹת וְ֝לִבְּךָ֗ יְדַבֵּ֥ר תַּהְפֻּכֽוֹת׃

KJVThine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things.

Your eyes will see strange things, and your heart utter perverse things.

34

וְ֭הָיִיתָ כְּשֹׁכֵ֣ב בְּלֶב יָ֑ם וּ֝כְשֹׁכֵ֗ב בְּרֹ֣אשׁ חִבֵּֽל׃

KJVYea, 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.

You will be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea, like one who lies on the top of a mast.

35

הִכּ֥וּנִי בַל חָלִ֑יתִי הֲלָמ֥וּנִי בַ֝ל יָדַ֗עְתִּי מָתַ֥י אָקִ֑יץ א֝וֹסִ֗יף אֲבַקְשֶׂ֥נּוּ עֽוֹד׃

KJVThey 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.

They struck me, you will say, but I was not hurt; they beat me, but I did not feel it. When shall I awake? I must have another drink.

Proverbs — Chapter 23