24 The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice,
And (A)he who fathers a wise son will be glad in him.
25 Let your (B)father and your mother be glad,
And let her rejoice who gave birth to you.

26 (C)Give me your heart, my son,
And let your eyes [a](D)delight in my ways.
27 For a prostitute is a (E)deep pit,
And a [b](F)strange woman is a narrow well.
28 Certainly she (G)lurks as a robber,
And increases the treacherous among mankind.

29 Who has (H)woe? Who has sorrow?
Who has contentions? Who has complaining?
Who has wounds without cause?
Who has red eyes?
30 Those who (I)linger long over wine,
Those who go to [c]taste (J)mixed wine.
31 Do not look at wine when it is red,
When it [d]sparkles in the cup,
When it (K)goes down smoothly;
32 In the end it (L)bites like a snake
And stings like a (M)viper.
33 Your eyes will see strange things
And your [e]mind will (N)say perverse things.
34 And you will be like one who lies down in the [f]middle of the sea,
Or like one who lies down on the top of a [g]mast.
35 “They (O)struck me, but I did not become [h]ill;
They beat me, but I did not know it.
When will I awake?
I will (P)seek [i]another drink.”

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 23:26 Another reading is observe
  2. Proverbs 23:27 Lit foreign
  3. Proverbs 23:30 Or search out
  4. Proverbs 23:31 Lit gives its eye
  5. Proverbs 23:33 Lit heart
  6. Proverbs 23:34 Lit heart
  7. Proverbs 23:34 Or lookout
  8. Proverbs 23:35 I.e., from the effect of wounds
  9. Proverbs 23:35 Lit it yet again

24 The father of a righteous child has great joy;
    a man who fathers a wise son rejoices in him.(A)
25 May your father and mother rejoice;
    may she who gave you birth be joyful!(B)

Saying 18

26 My son,(C) give me your heart
    and let your eyes delight in my ways,(D)
27 for an adulterous woman is a deep pit,(E)
    and a wayward wife is a narrow well.
28 Like a bandit she lies in wait(F)
    and multiplies the unfaithful among men.

Saying 19

29 Who has woe? Who has sorrow?
    Who has strife? Who has complaints?
    Who has needless bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes?
30 Those who linger over wine,(G)
    who go to sample bowls of mixed wine.
31 Do not gaze at wine when it is red,
    when it sparkles in the cup,
    when it goes down smoothly!
32 In the end it bites like a snake
    and poisons like a viper.
33 Your eyes will see strange sights,
    and your mind will imagine confusing things.
34 You will be like one sleeping on the high seas,
    lying on top of the rigging.
35 “They hit me,” you will say, “but I’m not hurt!
    They beat me, but I don’t feel it!
When will I wake up
    so I can find another drink?”(H)

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11 (A)Be wise, my son, and make my heart glad,
So that I may (B)reply to one who taunts me.

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11 Be wise, my son, and bring joy to my heart;(A)
    then I can answer anyone who treats me with contempt.(B)

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A man who (A)loves wisdom makes his father glad,
But he who (B)involves himself with prostitutes wastes his wealth.

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A man who loves wisdom brings joy to his father,(A)
    but a companion of prostitutes squanders his wealth.(B)

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