Proverbs 23

King James Version

Full text for Proverbs Chapter 23

1¶ When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what [is] before thee:

2And put a knife to thy throat, if thou [be] a man given to appetite.

3Be not desirous of his dainties: for they [are] deceitful meat.

4¶ Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom.

5Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for [riches] certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.

6¶ Eat thou not the bread of [him that hath] an evil eye, neither desire thou his dainty meats:

7For as he thinketh in his heart, so [is] he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart [is] not with thee.

8The morsel [which] thou hast eaten shalt thou vomit up, and lose thy sweet words.

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

10¶ Remove not the old landmark; and enter not into the fields of the fatherless:

11For their redeemer [is] mighty; he shall plead their cause with thee.

12¶ Apply thine heart unto instruction, and thine ears to the words of knowledge.

13Withhold not correction from the child: for [if] thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die.

14Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell.

15My son, if thine heart be wise, my heart shall rejoice, even mine.

16Yea, my reins shall rejoice, when thy lips speak right things.

17¶ Let not thine heart envy sinners: but [be thou] in the fear of the LORD all the day long.

18For surely there is an end; and thine expectation shall not be cut off.

19¶ Hear thou, my son, and be wise, and guide thine heart in the way.

20Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh:

21For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe [a man] with rags.

22Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old.

23Buy the truth, and sell [it] not; [also] wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.

24The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice: and he that begetteth a wise [child] shall have joy of him.

25Thy father and thy mother shall be glad, and she that bare thee shall rejoice.

26My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways.

27For a whore [is] a deep ditch; and a strange woman [is] a narrow pit.

28She also lieth in wait as [for] a prey, and increaseth the transgressors among men.

29¶ Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes?

30They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine.

31Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, [when] it moveth itself aright.

32At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder.

33Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things.

34Yea, 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.

35They 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.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

Proverbs 23 offers counsel on self-control and wisdom in various life situations. It warns against gluttony, the pursuit of fleeting riches, and the dangers of associating with insincere individuals and fools. The chapter emphasizes the importance of parental discipline, honoring one's parents, and diligently seeking truth and understanding, while strongly cautioning against the destructive paths of drunkenness and immorality.

Medium Summary

Proverbs 23 provides a collection of wisdom teachings, beginning with advice on conduct when dining with a ruler, urging self-restraint and caution regarding deceitful hospitality. It warns against the futility of striving for wealth, as riches are transient, and advises against accepting hospitality from those with an “evil eye” whose hearts are insincere. The chapter stresses the importance of not speaking wisdom to fools and upholding the rights of the vulnerable, particularly the fatherless, whose divine redeemer is mighty. It encourages applying one's heart to instruction, including the necessary discipline of children for their spiritual well-being, bringing joy to parents. Furthermore, it cautions against envying sinners and associating with winebibbers and gluttons, detailing the poverty and ruin that follow such indulgence. The chapter concludes with a vivid depiction of the physical, mental, and spiritual degradation caused by excessive drinking and the perils of immorality.

Long Summary

Proverbs 23 opens with practical wisdom concerning conduct when one dines with a ruler, advising diligent consideration and self-control, particularly for those prone to appetite, warning against the deceitful nature of such dainties. The text then shifts to counsel against the relentless pursuit of wealth, illustrating how riches are impermanent and vanish like an eagle. It further warns against accepting hospitality from individuals with an “evil eye,” whose outward invitation belies an insincere heart, leading to regret. The chapter advises against sharing wisdom with a fool, as it will be despised, and strongly condemns removing ancient landmarks or exploiting the fatherless, emphasizing God's role as their powerful redeemer. A significant portion encourages the diligent application of one's heart to instruction and knowledge, advocating for the necessary discipline of children with the rod, asserting that such correction delivers their soul from destruction and brings profound joy to parents. The wise son's righteous speech is a source of parental rejoicing. The text then admonishes against envying sinners, instead promoting a continuous fear of the Lord, assuring that the expectation of the righteous will not be cut off. It strongly advises against association with winebibbers and gluttons, detailing how such indulgence leads to poverty and destitution. The chapter underscores the importance of honoring and hearkening to one's parents, and urges the acquisition of truth, wisdom, instruction, and understanding, which bring joy to parents. Finally, Proverbs 23 delivers a stark warning against sexual immorality, likening a harlot to a dangerous pit that ensnares men and increases transgression. The chapter culminates in a powerful, detailed description of the physical, emotional, and spiritual ruin caused by chronic drunkenness, including woe, sorrow, contentions, wounds, perverse speech, and a dangerous state of delusion and addiction, likening its ultimate effect to a serpent's bite.

Core Concepts

  • Self-Control and PrudenceThe chapter repeatedly advises caution and restraint, particularly in dining with rulers, avoiding gluttony, and managing desires for wealth and pleasure. This theme underscores the importance of thoughtful conduct in social interactions and personal habits.
  • Fleeting RichesProverbs 23 warns against laboring excessively to be rich, stating that wealth is impermanent and can vanish quickly, likening it to an eagle flying away. This highlights the transient nature of material possessions.
  • Parental Instruction and DisciplineThe text strongly advocates for disciplining children with the rod, asserting that it delivers their soul and brings joy to parents. It emphasizes the importance of hearkening to parental wisdom and instruction.
  • Dangers of DrunkennessA significant portion of the chapter vividly describes the severe consequences of excessive wine consumption, including woe, sorrow, contentions, physical harm, perverse speech, and a state of addiction and delusion. This serves as a strong warning against intemperance.
  • Honoring Parents and Seeking WisdomThe chapter encourages hearkening to one's father and not despising one's mother in old age, linking this respect to the acquisition of truth, wisdom, and understanding. The wisdom of a child brings joy to their parents.
  • Protection of the VulnerableThe chapter warns against removing old landmarks and entering the fields of the fatherless, emphasizing that their redeemer is mighty and will plead their cause. This highlights a divine concern for justice for the unprotected.
  • Avoiding ImmoralityThe chapter explicitly warns against the dangers of a harlot or strange woman, likening her to a deep ditch or narrow pit that ensnares men and increases transgression. This serves as a caution against sexual sin.