1 ARST When you sit down to eat{ a meal} with someone who rules over others, pay attention to the food that is in front of you. BSB BSB: When you sit down to dine with a ruler, consider carefully what is set before you,
2 ARST Restrain yourself{ from eating too much} if you like eating a lot of food. BSB BSB: and put a knife to your throat if you possess a great appetite.
3 ARST Do not crave the{ expensive} food that the ruler has because that ruler is using that food to deceive you. BSB BSB: Do not crave his delicacies, for that food is deceptive.
4 ARST Do not work so much that you exhaust yourself in order to become rich. Be understanding enough to stop doing so. BSB BSB: Do not wear yourself out to get rich; be wise enough to restrain yourself.
5 ARST As soon as you look at that wealth, it will surely be gone!{ This is} because wealth certainly disappears quickly as if it had wings and flew off into the sky like a fast bird. BSB BSB: When you glance at wealth, it disappears, for it makes wings for itself and flies like an eagle to the sky.
6 ARST Do not eat food that stingy people{ give you}. Do not crave the expensive food that they have, BSB BSB: Do not eat the bread of a stingy man, and do not crave his delicacies;
7 ARST because stingy people are always thinking about how much the food costs them. They will tell you to eat and drink, but they do not mean what they say. BSB BSB: for he is keeping track, inwardly counting the cost. “Eat and drink,” he says to you, but his heart is not with you.
8 ARST { When you realize this,} you will want to vomit what little food you ate. You will have wasted the kind things you said{ to them}. BSB BSB: You will vomit up what little you have eaten and waste your pleasant words.
9 ARST Do not directly address foolish people because they will only despise the insightful things that you say. BSB BSB: Do not speak to a fool, for he will despise the wisdom of your words.
10 ARST Do not cheat people by moving the old stones that mark the boundaries of their land. Do not claim the land that belongs to{ defenseless} orphans, BSB BSB: Do not move an ancient boundary stone or encroach on the fields of the fatherless,
11 ARST because{ Yahweh is} the one who redeems them(and he} is powerful. He is the one who will defend them when they dispute with you. BSB BSB: for their Redeemer is strong; He will take up their case against you.
12 ARST Consider carefully{ what people say} when they correct you. Indeed, listen carefully to what people teach you. BSB BSB: Apply your heart to instruction and your ears to words of knowledge.
13 ARST Do not refuse to discipline your children. If you physically punish them, they will not die. BSB BSB: Do not withhold discipline from a child; although you strike him with a rod, he will not die.
14 ARST Physically punish your children, so that you may prevent them from dying. BSB BSB: Strike him with a rod, and you will deliver his soul from Sheol.
15 ARST My child, if you are wise, then surely I myself will be very happy, BSB BSB: My son, if your heart is wise, my own heart will indeed rejoice.
16 ARST and I will sincerely rejoice when you say what is right. BSB BSB: My inmost being will rejoice when your lips speak what is right.
17 ARST Do not envy sinful people; instead always reverently fear Yahweh. BSB BSB: Do not let your heart envy sinners, but always continue in the fear of the LORD.
18 ARST { If you do so, then} you will surely have a{ good} future, and what you hope will happen will indeed occur! BSB BSB: For surely there is a future, and your hope will not be cut off.
19 ARST My child, listen{ to me} so that you can become wise. Make yourself think about behaving rightly. BSB BSB: Listen, my son, and be wise, and guide your heart on the right course.
20 ARST Stay away from drunkards and gluttons, BSB BSB: Do not join those who drink too much wine or gorge themselves on meat.
21 ARST because drunkards and gluttons will become poor. They sleep so much that they will only have rags to wear. BSB BSB: For the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty, and drowsiness will clothe them in rags.
22 ARST Pay attention to your father, who enabled you to exist, and do not scorn your mother when she becomes old. BSB BSB: Listen to your father who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old.
23 ARST Learn what is true and remember it. Learn what is wise and instructive and what you should understand. BSB BSB: Invest in truth and never sell it—in wisdom and instruction and understanding.
24 ARST Fathers of righteous people are very joyful. Indeed, those who father wise people are happy because of them. BSB BSB: The father of a righteous man will greatly rejoice, and he who fathers a wise son will delight in him.
25 ARST So do what will make your parents happy! Do what will make your mother joyful! BSB BSB: May your father and mother be glad, and may she who gave you birth rejoice!
26 ARST My son, pay close attention to me! Carefully observe what I do! BSB BSB: My son, give me your heart, and let your eyes delight in my ways.
27 ARST { Do this} because prostitutes are as dangerous as a deep hole. Indeed, adulterous women are as dangerous as a well you cannot escape from. BSB BSB: For a prostitute is a deep pit, and an adulteress is a narrow well.
28 ARST These very women certainly wait{ for men to seduce} like robbers{ wait for people to rob}. They cause many men to become unfaithful. BSB BSB: Like a robber she lies in wait and multiplies the faithless among men.
29 ARST These are the kind of people who are woeful, sorrowful, and quarrelsome, who lament, get hurt for no reason, and have red eyes: BSB BSB: Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has contentions? Who has complaints? Who has needless wounds? Who has bloodshot eyes?
30 ARST those people who drink too much wine and are always looking around for wine{ to drink} that someone has prepared. BSB BSB: Those who linger over wine, who go to taste mixed drinks.
31 ARST Do not{ even} look with pleasure at wine, even though it is beautifully red, glistens in the cup, and goes down your throat smoothly. BSB BSB: Do not gaze at wine while it is red, when it sparkles in the cup and goes down smoothly.
32 ARST Afterward the wine{ only} harms you as if a poisonous snake had bitten you. BSB BSB: In the end it bites like a snake and stings like a viper.
33 ARST { When you are drunk,} you will hallucinate, and you will speak perversely. BSB BSB: Your eyes will see strange things, and your mind will utter perversities.
34 ARST You will feel{ dizzy} as if you were trying to sleep on a ship that the sea was tossing back and forth. Indeed, you will feel as if you were trying to sleep while swaying at the top of a ship’ s sails. BSB BSB: You will be like one sleeping on the high seas or lying on the top of a mast:
35 ARST { You will say,}“People hit me, but it did not hurt. People beat me, but I did not feel it. I wish I could be sober so that I could find even more wine{ to drink} again!” BSB BSB: “They struck me, but I feel no pain! They beat me, but I did not know it! When can I wake up to search for another drink?”
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.