Proverbs 23
Solomon addresses his son with wisdom teachings on avoiding destructive behaviors including gluttony, drunkenness, and sexual immorality, while emphasizing the importance of discipline, respect for orphans, and obedience to parents.[1][2] The chapter warns that excessive wine and food lead to poverty and ruin, compares the seductress to a dangerous pit, and uses vivid imagery of intoxication to illustrate the consequences of abandoning wisdom.[1][2]
Interlinear Text
when you sit to eat with a ruler consider carefully what is before you
1
כִּֽי
𐤊𐤉
ki
when
HC
תֵ֭שֵׁב
𐤕𐤔𐤁
teshev
you sit
HVqi2ms
לִ/לְח֣וֹם
𐤋/𐤋𐤇𐤅𐤌
lilechom
to eat
HR/Vqc
אֶת
𐤀𐤕
et
with
HR
מוֹשֵׁ֑ל
𐤌𐤅𐤔𐤋
moshel
a ruler
HVqrmsa
בִּ֥ין
𐤁𐤉𐤍
bin
consider
HVqa
תָּ֝בִ֗ין
𐤕𐤁𐤉𐤍
tavin
carefully
HVqj2ms
אֶת
𐤀𐤕
et-2
what
HTo
אֲשֶׁ֥ר
𐤀𐤔𐤓
asher
is
HTr
לְ/פָנֶֽי/ךָ
𐤋/𐤐𐤍𐤉/𐤊
lefaneykha
before you
HR/Ncbpc/Sp2ms
and you shall put a knife to your throat if a master of appetite you are
do not desire his delicacies and-he bread of lies
do not weary yourself to get rich from your understanding cease
will your eyes fly do you make fly your eyes on it and it is not for making it makes for itself wings like an eagle and flies it will fly to the heavens
5
ה/תעוף
𐤄/𐤕𐤏𐤅𐤐
htvf
will your eyes fly
HTi/Vqi2ms
הֲ/תָ֤עִיף
𐤄/𐤕𐤏𐤉𐤐
hataif
do you make fly
HTi/Vhi2ms
עֵינֶ֥י/ךָ
𐤏𐤉𐤍𐤉/𐤊
eyneykha
your eyes
HNcbdc/Sp2ms
בּ֗/וֹ
𐤁/𐤅
bo
on it
HR/Sp3ms
וְֽ/אֵ֫ינֶ֥/נּוּ
𐤅/𐤀𐤉𐤍/𐤍𐤅
veeynenu
and it is not
HC/Tn/Sp3ms
כִּ֤י
𐤊𐤉
ki
for
HC
עָשֹׂ֣ה
𐤏𐤔𐤄
asoh
making
HVqa
יַעֲשֶׂה
𐤉𐤏𐤔𐤄
yaaseh
it makes
HVqi3ms
לּ֣/וֹ
𐤋/𐤅
lo
for itself
HR/Sp3ms
כְנָפַ֑יִם
𐤊𐤍𐤐𐤉𐤌
khenafayim
wings
HNcfda
כְּ֝/נֶ֗שֶׁר
𐤊/𐤍𐤔𐤓
kenesher
like an eagle
HR/Ncmsa
ו/עיף
𐤅/𐤏𐤉𐤐
vyf
and flies
HC/Vqq3ms
יָע֥וּף
𐤉𐤏𐤅𐤐
yauf
it will fly
HVqi3ms
הַ/שָּׁמָֽיִם
𐤄/𐤔𐤌𐤉𐤌
hashamayim
to the heavens
HTd/Ncmpa
do not eat - bread evil eye and do not desire his delicacies his delicacies
6
אַל
𐤀𐤋
al
do not
HTn
תִּלְחַ֗ם
𐤕𐤋𐤇𐤌
tilecham
eat
HVqj2ms
אֶת
𐤀𐤕
et
-
HTo
לֶ֭חֶם
𐤋𐤇𐤌
lechem
bread
HNcbsc
רַ֣ע
𐤓𐤏
ra
evil
HAamsc
עָ֑יִן
𐤏𐤉𐤍
ayin
eye
HNcbsa
וְ/אַל
𐤅/𐤀𐤋
veal
and do not
HC/Tn
תתאו
𐤕𐤕𐤀𐤅
ttv
desire
HVtj2ms
תִּ֝תְאָ֗יו
𐤕𐤕𐤀𐤉𐤅
titeayv
his delicacies
HVtj2ms
לְ/מַטְעַמֹּתָֽי/ו
𐤋/𐤌𐤈𐤏𐤌𐤕𐤉/𐤅
lemateamotayv
his delicacies
HR/Ncmpc/Sp3ms
for as he thinks within himself so he eat and drink he says to you his heart not with you
7
כִּ֤י
𐤊𐤉
ki
for
HC
כְּמוֹ
𐤊𐤌𐤅
kemo
as
HR
שָׁעַ֥ר
𐤔𐤏𐤓
shaar
he thinks
HVqp3ms
בְּ/נַפְשׁ֗/וֹ
𐤁/𐤍𐤐𐤔/𐤅
benafesho
within himself
HR/Ncbsc/Sp3ms
כֶּ֫ן
𐤊𐤍
ken
so
HD
ה֥וּא
𐤄𐤅𐤀
hu
he
HPp3ms
אֱכֹ֣ל
𐤀𐤊𐤋
ekhol
eat
HVqv2ms
וּ֭/שְׁתֵה
𐤅/𐤔𐤕𐤄
usheteh
and drink
HC/Vqv2ms
יֹ֣אמַר
𐤉𐤀𐤌𐤓
yomar
he says
HVqi3ms
לָ֑/ךְ
𐤋/𐤊
lakhe
to you
HR/Sp2fs
וְ֝/לִבּ֗/וֹ
𐤅/𐤋𐤁/𐤅
velibo
his heart
HC/Ncmsc/Sp3ms
בַּל
𐤁𐤋
bal
not
HTn
עִמָּֽ/ךְ
𐤏𐤌/𐤊
imakhe
with you
HR/Sp2fs
your morsel you have eaten you will vomit it up and you will waste your words pleasant
8
פִּֽתְּ/ךָ
𐤐𐤕/𐤊
pitekha
your morsel
HNcfsc/Sp2ms
אָכַ֥לְתָּ
𐤀𐤊𐤋𐤕
akhaleta
you have eaten
HVqp2ms
תְקִיאֶ֑/נָּה
𐤕𐤒𐤉𐤀/𐤍𐤄
teqienah
you will vomit it up
HVhi2ms/Sp3fs
וְ֝/שִׁחַ֗תָּ
𐤅/𐤔𐤇𐤕
veshichata
and you will waste
HC/Vpq2ms
דְּבָרֶ֥י/ךָ
𐤃𐤁𐤓𐤉/𐤊
devareykha
your words
HNcmpc/Sp2ms
הַ/נְּעִימִֽים
𐤄/𐤍𐤏𐤉𐤌𐤉𐤌
haneimim
pleasant
HTd/Aampa
in the ears of a fool do not speak for he will despise the wisdom of your words
9
בְּ/אָזְנֵ֣י
𐤁/𐤀𐤆𐤍𐤉
beazeney
in the ears of
HR/Ncfdc
כְ֭סִיל
𐤊𐤎𐤉𐤋
khesil
a fool
HAamsa
אַל
𐤀𐤋
al
do not
HTn
תְּדַבֵּ֑ר
𐤕𐤃𐤁𐤓
tedaber
speak
HVpj2ms
כִּֽי
𐤊𐤉
ki
for
HC
יָ֝ב֗וּז
𐤉𐤁𐤅𐤆
yavuz
he will despise
HVqi3ms
לְ/שֵׂ֣כֶל
𐤋/𐤔𐤊𐤋
lesekhel
the wisdom of
HR/Ncmsc
מִלֶּֽי/ךָ
𐤌𐤋𐤉/𐤊
mileykha
your words
HNcfpc/Sp2ms
do not remove boundary ancient or into the fields of orphans do not enter
for their Redeemer is strong he will plead [direct object marker] their cause against you
Apply to discipline your heart and your ears to words of knowledge
do not withhold from a child discipline for you strike him with the rod not he will die
13
אַל
𐤀𐤋
al
do not
HTn
תִּמְנַ֣ע
𐤕𐤌𐤍𐤏
timena
withhold
HVqj2ms
מִ/נַּ֣עַר
𐤌/𐤍𐤏𐤓
minaar
from a child
HR/Ncmsa
מוּסָ֑ר
𐤌𐤅𐤎𐤓
musar
discipline
HNcmsa
כִּֽי
𐤊𐤉
ki
for
HC
תַכֶּ֥/נּוּ
𐤕𐤊/𐤍𐤅
takenu
you strike him
HVhi2ms/Sp3ms
בַ֝/שֵּׁ֗בֶט
𐤁/𐤔𐤁𐤈
vashevet
with the rod
HRd/Ncmsa
לֹ֣א
𐤋𐤀
lo
not
HTn
יָמֽוּת
𐤉𐤌𐤅𐤕
yamut
he will die
HVqi3ms
you with-the-rod strike-him and-his-soul from-Sheol you-deliver
My son if is wise your heart will rejoice my heart also mine
and they will rejoice my kidneys in speaking your lips right things
Do not let envy your heart sinners for but in the fear of YHWH all the day
17
אַל
𐤀𐤋
al
Do not
HTn
יְקַנֵּ֣א
𐤉𐤒𐤍𐤀
yeqane
let envy
HVpj3ms
לִ֭בְּ/ךָ
𐤋𐤁/𐤊
libekha
your heart
HNcmsc/Sp2ms
בַּֽ/חַטָּאִ֑ים
𐤁/𐤇𐤈𐤀𐤉𐤌
bachataim
sinners
HRd/Aampa
כִּ֥י
𐤊𐤉
ki
for
HC
אִם
𐤀𐤌
im
but
HC
בְּ/יִרְאַת
𐤁/𐤉𐤓𐤀𐤕
beyireat
in the fear of
HR/Ncfsc
יְ֝הוָ֗ה
𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄
yehvah
Nyambe (Lozi)
YHWH
HNp
כָּל
𐤊𐤋
kal
all
HNcmsc
הַ/יּֽוֹם
𐤄/𐤉𐤅𐤌
hayom
the day
HTd/Ncmsa
for surely there is a future and your hope not will be cut off
Listen you my son and be wise and direct in the way your heart
19
שְׁמַע
𐤔𐤌𐤏
shema
Listen
HVqv2ms
אַתָּ֣ה
𐤀𐤕𐤄
atah
you
HPp2ms
בְנִ֣/י
𐤁𐤍/𐤉
veni
Bene (Bemba)
my son
HNcmsc/Sp1cs
וַ/חֲכָ֑ם
𐤅/𐤇𐤊𐤌
vachakham
and be wise
HC/Vqv2ms
וְ/אַשֵּׁ֖ר
𐤅/𐤀𐤔𐤓
veasher
and direct
HC/Vpv2ms
בַּ/דֶּ֣רֶךְ
𐤁/𐤃𐤓𐤊
baderekhe
in the way
HRd/Ncbsa
לִבֶּֽ/ךָ
𐤋𐤁/𐤊
libekha
your heart
HNcmsc/Sp2ms
not be among drunkards of wine among gluttons of meat to them
For the-drunkard and-the-glutton will-come-to-poverty with-rags will-clothe drowsiness
listen to your father who begot you and do not despise for she is old your mother
22
שְׁמַ֣ע
𐤔𐤌𐤏
shema
listen
HVqv2ms
לְ֭/אָבִי/ךָ
𐤋/𐤀𐤁𐤉/𐤊
leavikha
to your father
HR/Ncmsc/Sp2ms
זֶ֣ה
𐤆𐤄
zeh
who
HPdxms
יְלָדֶ֑/ךָ
𐤉𐤋𐤃/𐤊
yeladekha
begot you
HVqp3ms/Sp2ms
וְ/אַל
𐤅/𐤀𐤋
veal
and do not
HC/Tn
תָּ֝ב֗וּז
𐤕𐤁𐤅𐤆
tavuz
despise
HVqj2ms
כִּֽי
𐤊𐤉
ki
for
HC
זָקְנָ֥ה
𐤆𐤒𐤍𐤄
zaqenah
she is old
HVqp3fs
אִמֶּֽ/ךָ
𐤀𐤌/𐤊
imekha
your mother
HNcfsc/Sp2ms
truth buy and-do-not sell wisdom and-instruction and-understanding
rejoice greatly will rejoice greatly father righteous begets and he who begets wise and will rejoice he will rejoice in him
24
גול
𐤂𐤅𐤋
gvl
rejoice
HVqa
גִּ֣יל
𐤂𐤉𐤋
gil
greatly
HVqa
יגול
𐤉𐤂𐤅𐤋
ygvl
will rejoice
HVqi3ms
יָ֭גִיל
𐤉𐤂𐤉𐤋
yagil
greatly
HVqi3ms
אֲבִ֣י
𐤀𐤁𐤉
avi
father
HNcmsc
צַדִּ֑יק
𐤑𐤃𐤉𐤒
tsadiq
righteous
HAamsa
יולד
𐤉𐤅𐤋𐤃
yvld
begets
HVqrmsa
וְ/יוֹלֵ֥ד
𐤅/𐤉𐤅𐤋𐤃
veyoled
and he who begets
HC/Vqrmsa
חָ֝כָ֗ם
𐤇𐤊𐤌
chakham
wise
HAamsa
ו/ישמח
𐤅/𐤉𐤔𐤌𐤇
vyshmch
and will rejoice
HC/Vqi3ms
יִשְׂמַח
𐤉𐤔𐤌𐤇
yisemach
he will rejoice
HVqi3ms
בּֽ/וֹ
𐤁/𐤅
bo
in him
HR/Sp3ms
let-him-rejoice your father and your mother and let-her-rejoice she-who-gave-birth-to-you
give my son your heart to me and your eyes my ways may they delight may they keep
26
תְּנָֽ/ה
𐤕𐤍/𐤄
tenah
give
HVqv2ms/Sh
בְנִ֣/י
𐤁𐤍/𐤉
veni
Bene (Bemba)
my son
HNcmsc/Sp1cs
לִבְּ/ךָ֣
𐤋𐤁/𐤊
libekha
your heart
HNcmsc/Sp2ms
לִ֑/י
𐤋/𐤉
li
to me
HR/Sp1cs
וְ֝/עֵינֶ֗י/ךָ
𐤅/𐤏𐤉𐤍𐤉/𐤊
veeyneykha
and your eyes
HC/Ncbdc/Sp2ms
דְּרָכַ֥/י
𐤃𐤓𐤊/𐤉
derakhay
my ways
HNcbpc/Sp1cs
תרצנה
𐤕𐤓𐤑𐤍𐤄
trtsnh
may they delight
HVqj3fp
תִּצֹּֽרְנָה
𐤕𐤑𐤓𐤍𐤄
titsorenah
may they keep
HVqj3fp
For pit deep prostitute and well narrow woman
also she like a robber lies in wait the faithless among men increases
to whom woe to whom sorrow to whom contentions strivings to whom babbling to whom wounds without cause to whom redness of eyes
29
לְ/מִ֨י
𐤋/𐤌𐤉
lemi
to whom
HR/Ti
א֥וֹי
𐤀𐤅𐤉
oy
woe
HTj
לְ/מִ֪י
𐤋/𐤌𐤉
lemi-2
to whom
HR/Ti
אֲב֡וֹי
𐤀𐤁𐤅𐤉
avoy
sorrow
HTj
לְ/מִ֤י
𐤋/𐤌𐤉
lemi-3
to whom
HR/Ti
מדונים
𐤌𐤃𐤅𐤍𐤉𐤌
mdvnym
contentions
HNcmpa
מִדְיָנִ֨ים
𐤌𐤃𐤉𐤍𐤉𐤌
mideyanim
strivings
HNcmpa
לְ/מִ֥י
𐤋/𐤌𐤉
lemi-4
to whom
HR/Ti
שִׂ֗יחַ
𐤔𐤉𐤇
sicha
babbling
HNcmsa
לְ֭/מִי
𐤋/𐤌𐤉
lemi-5
to whom
HR/Ti
פְּצָעִ֣ים
𐤐𐤑𐤏𐤉𐤌
petsaim
wounds
HNcmpa
חִנָּ֑ם
𐤇𐤍𐤌
chinam
without cause
HD
לְ֝/מִ֗י
𐤋/𐤌𐤉
lemi-6
to whom
HR/Ti
חַכְלִל֥וּת
𐤇𐤊𐤋𐤋𐤅𐤕
chakhelilut
redness
HNcfsc
עֵינָֽיִם
𐤏𐤉𐤍𐤉𐤌
eynayim
of eyes
HNcbda
those who linger long over the wine those who go to try mixed wine
Do not look on the wine when it is red when it gives in the cup in the cup its color when it goes down smoothly smoothly
31
אַל
𐤀𐤋
al
Do not
HTn
תֵּ֥רֶא
𐤕𐤓𐤀
tere
look
HVqj2ms
יַיִן֮
𐤉𐤉𐤍
yayin
on the wine
HNcmsa
כִּ֪י
𐤊𐤉
ki
when
HC
יִתְאַ֫דָּ֥ם
𐤉𐤕𐤀𐤃𐤌
yiteadam
it is red
HVti3ms
כִּֽי
𐤊𐤉
ki-2
when
HC
יִתֵּ֣ן
𐤉𐤕𐤍
yiten
it gives
HVqi3ms
ב/כיס
𐤁/𐤊𐤉𐤎
vkhys
in the cup
HRd/Ncmsa
בַּ/כּ֣וֹס
𐤁/𐤊𐤅𐤎
bakos
in the cup
HRd/Ncfsa
עֵינ֑/וֹ
𐤏𐤉𐤍/𐤅
eyno
its color
HNcbsc/Sp3ms
יִ֝תְהַלֵּ֗ךְ
𐤉𐤕𐤄𐤋𐤊
yitehalekhe
when it goes down smoothly
HVti3ms
בְּ/מֵישָׁרִֽים
𐤁/𐤌𐤉𐤔𐤓𐤉𐤌
bemeysharim
smoothly
HR/Ncmpa
its end like a serpent it bites and like a viper it stings
your eyes will see strange things and your heart will utter perverse things
and you will be like one lying down in the heart of the sea or like one lying down on the top of a mast
34
וְ֭/הָיִיתָ
𐤅/𐤄𐤉𐤉𐤕
vehayita
and you will be
HC/Vqq2ms
כְּ/שֹׁכֵ֣ב
𐤊/𐤔𐤊𐤁
keshokhev
like one lying down
HR/Vqrmsa
בְּ/לֶב
𐤁/𐤋𐤁
belev
in the heart of
HR/Ncmsc
יָ֑ם
𐤉𐤌
yam
the sea
HNcmsa
וּ֝/כְ/שֹׁכֵ֗ב
𐤅/𐤊/𐤔𐤊𐤁
ukheshokhev
or like one lying down
HC/R/Vqrmsa
בְּ/רֹ֣אשׁ
𐤁/𐤓𐤀𐤔
berosh
on the top of
HR/Ncmsc
חִבֵּֽל
𐤇𐤁𐤋
chibel
a mast
HNcmsa
They have struck me but I was not hurt They have beaten me but I did not feel it When shall I awake I will seek it yet again
35
הִכּ֥וּ/נִי
𐤄𐤊𐤅/𐤍𐤉
hikuni
They have struck me
HVhp3cp/Sp1cs
בַל
𐤁𐤋
val
but
HTn
חָלִיתִי֮
𐤇𐤋𐤉𐤕𐤉
chaliti
I was not hurt
HVqp1cs
הֲלָמ֗וּ/נִי
𐤄𐤋𐤌𐤅/𐤍𐤉
halamuni
They have beaten me
HVqp3cp/Sp1cs
בַּל
𐤁𐤋
bal
but
HTn
יָ֫דָ֥עְתִּי
𐤉𐤃𐤏𐤕𐤉
yadaeti
I did not feel it
HVqp1cs
מָתַ֥י
𐤌𐤕𐤉
matay
When
HTi
אָקִ֑יץ
𐤀𐤒𐤉𐤑
aqits
shall I awake
HVhi1cs
א֝וֹסִ֗יף
𐤀𐤅𐤎𐤉𐤐
osif
I will seek
HVhi1cs
אֲבַקְשֶׁ֥/נּוּ
𐤀𐤁𐤒𐤔/𐤍𐤅
avaqeshenu
it
HVpi1cs/Sp3ms
עֽוֹד
𐤏𐤅𐤃
od
yet again
HD