1 When you sit down to dine with a ruler, consider carefully what Or who is before you,2 and put a knife to your throat if you have a big Lit you are the master of an appetite;3 don’t desire his choice food, for that food is deceptive.4 Don’t wear yourself out to get rich; because you know better, stop!5 As soon as your eyes fly to it, it disappears, for it makes wings for itself and flies like an eagle to the sky.6 Don’t eat a stingy person’s bread, Lit eat bread of an evil eye and don’t desire his choice food,7 for it’s like someone calculating inwardly. LXX reads it is like someone swallowing a hair in the throat “Eat and drink,” he says to you, but his heart is not with you.8 You will vomit the little you’ve eaten and waste your pleasant words.9 Don’t speak to Lit in the ears of a fool, for he will despise the insight of your words.10 Don’t move an ancient boundary marker, and don’t encroach on the fields of the fatherless,11 for their Redeemer is strong, and he will champion their cause against you.12 Apply yourself to discipline and listen to words of knowledge.13 Don’t withhold discipline from a youth; if you punish him with a rod, he will not die.14 Punish him with a rod, and you will rescue his life from Sheol.15 My son, if your heart is wise, my heart will indeed rejoice.16 My innermost being will celebrate when your lips say what is right.17 Don’t let your heart envy sinners; instead, always fear the Lord .18 For then you will have a future, and your hope will not be dashed.19 Listen, my son, and be wise; keep your mind on the right course.20 Don’t associate with those who drink too much wine or with those who gorge themselves on meat.21 For the drunkard and the glutton will become poor, and grogginess will clothe them in rags.22 Listen to your father who gave you life, and don’t despise your mother when Or because she is old.23 Buy — and do not sell — truth, wisdom, instruction, and understanding.24 The father of a righteous son will rejoice greatly, and one who fathers a wise son will delight in him.25 Let your father and mother have joy, and let her who gave birth to you rejoice.26 My son, give me your heart, and let your eyes observe my ways.27 For a prostitute is a deep pit, and a wayward woman is a narrow well;28 indeed, she sets an ambush like a robber and increases the number of unfaithful people.29 Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has conflicts? Who has complaints? Who has wounds for no reason? Who has red eyes?30 Those who linger over wine; those who go looking for mixed wine.31 Don’t gaze at wine because it is red, because it gleams in the cup and goes down smoothly.32 In the end it bites like a snake and stings like a viper.33 Your eyes will see strange things, and you will say absurd things. Or will speak perversities, or inverted things 34 You’ll be like someone sleeping out at sea or lying down on the top of a ship’s mast.35 “They struck me, but LXX, Syr, Tg, Vg read me,” you will say, “but I feel no pain! They beat me, but I didn’t know it! When will I wake up? I’ll look for another drink.”