Proverbs 23
Study sheet, King James Version, with the original-language words this chapter turns on.
The text
1When 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.
4Labour 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.
6Eat 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.
9Speak not in the ears of a fool: for he will despise the wisdom of thy words.
10Remove 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.
12Apply 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.
17Let 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.
19Hear 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.
29Who 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.
Words in this chapter
Definitions are Strong's own wording from his Exhaustive Concordance (1890). Counts are how often each word appears in this chapter, from the tagged text.
- כִּיkîyH358813× in this chapter
(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed
- אַלʼalH40813× in this chapter
not (the qualified negation, used as a deprecative); once (Job 24:25) as a noun, nothing
- לֵבlêbH38209× in this chapter
the heart; also used (figuratively) very widely for the feelings, the will and even the intellect; likewise for the centre of anything
- מִיmîyH43106× in this chapter
who? (occasionally, by a peculiar idiom, of things); also (indefinitely) whoever; often used in oblique construction with prefix or suffix
- עַיִןʻayinH58696× in this chapter
an eye (literally or figuratively); by analogy, a fountain (as the eye of the landscape)
- הוּאhûwʼH19314× in this chapter
he (she or it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also (intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same; sometimes (as demonstrative) this or that; occasionally (instead of copula) as or are
- אִםʼimH5184× in this chapter
used very widely as demonstrative, lo!; interrogative, whether?; or conditional, if, although; also Oh that!, when; hence, as a negative, not
- שָׂמַחsâmachH80554× in this chapter
probably to brighten up, i.e. (figuratively) be (causatively, make) blithe or gleesome
- אָבʼâbH13× in this chapter
father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote application
- בַּלbalH10773× in this chapter
properly, a failure; by implication nothing; usually (adverb) not at all; also lest
- בֵּןbênH11213× in this chapter
a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)
- גִּילgîylH15233× in this chapter
properly, to spin round (under the influence of any violent emotion), i.e. usually rejoice, or (as cringing) fear
- דָבַרdâbarH16963× in this chapter
perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a destructive sense) to subdue
- יַיִןyayinH31963× in this chapter
wine (as fermented); by implication, intoxication
- יָלַדyâladH32053× in this chapter
to bear young; causatively, to beget; medically, to act as midwife; specifically, to show lineage
- מוּסָרmûwçârH41483× in this chapter
properly, chastisement; figuratively, reproof, warning or instruction; also restraint
- נָכָהnâkâhH52213× in this chapter
to strike (lightly or severely, literally or figuratively)
- נֶפֶשׁnepheshH53153× in this chapter
properly, a breathing creature, i.e. animal of (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in a literal, accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or mental)
- אֵתʼêthH8533× in this chapter
properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)
- אַתָּהʼattâhH8593× in this chapter
thou and thee, or (plural) ye and you
- בּוֹאbôwʼH9353× in this chapter
to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)
- אָוָהʼâvâhH1832× in this chapter
to wish for
- דֶּרֶךְderekH18702× in this chapter
a road (as trodden); figuratively, a course of life or mode of action, often adverb
- הָיָהhâyâhH19612× in this chapter
to exist, i.e. be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)
- זָלַלzâlalH21512× in this chapter
to shake (as in the wind), i.e. to quake; figuratively, to be loose morally, worthless or prodigal
- אֹזֶןʼôzenH2412× in this chapter
broadness. i.e. (concrete) the ear (from its form in man)
- חָכַםchâkamH24492× in this chapter
to be wise (in mind, word or act)
- אַחֲרִיתʼachărîythH3192× in this chapter
the last or end, hence, the future; also posterity
- יָסַףyâçaphH32542× in this chapter
to add or augment (often adverbial, to continue to do a thing)
- לֹאlôʼH38082× in this chapter
not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles
- לָחַםlâchamH38982× in this chapter
to feed on; figuratively, to consume; by implication, to battle (as destruction)
- לֶחֶםlechemH38992× in this chapter
food (for man or beast), especially bread, or grain (for making it)
- אָכַלʼâkalH3982× in this chapter
to eat (literally or figuratively)
- מַטְעַםmaṭʻamH43032× in this chapter
a delicacy
- מֵישָׁרmêyshârH43392× in this chapter
evenness, i.e. (figuratively) prosperity or concord; also straightness, i.e. (figuratively) rectitude (only in plural with singular sense; often adverbially)
- אֵםʼêmH5172× in this chapter
a mother (as the bond of the family); in a wide sense (both literally and figuratively (like father))
- נָתַןnâthanH54142× in this chapter
to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.)
- סָבָאçâbâʼH54332× in this chapter
to quaff to satiety, i.e. become tipsy
- עוּףʻûwphH57742× in this chapter
to fly; also (by implication of dimness) to faint (from the darkness of swooning)
- עָשָׂהʻâsâhH62132× in this chapter
to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application