Proverbs 23 1 When dining with a ruler, pay attention to what is put before you. 2If you are a big eater, put a knife to your throat, 3and don't desire all the delicacies--deception may be involved.
4Don't weary yourself trying to get rich. Why waste your time? 5For riches can disappear as though they had the wings of a bird!
6Don't eat with people who are stingy; don't desire their delicacies. 7"Eat and drink," they say, but they don't mean it. They are always thinking about how much it costs. 8You will vomit up the delicious food they serve, and you will have to take back your words of appreciation for their "kindness."
9Don't waste your breath on fools, for they will despise the wisest advice.
10Don't steal the land of defenseless orphans by moving the ancient boundary markers, 11for their Redeemer is strong. He himself will bring their charges against you.
12Commit yourself to instruction; attune your ears to hear words of knowledge.
13Don't fail to correct your children. They won't die if you spank them. 14Physical discipline may well save them from death.[a]
15My child,[b] how I will rejoice if you become wise. 16Yes, my heart will thrill when you speak what is right and just.
17Don't envy sinners, but always continue to fear the LORD. 18For surely you have a future ahead of you; your hope will not be disappointed.
19My child, listen and be wise. Keep your heart on the right course. 20Do not carouse with drunkards and gluttons, 21for they are on their way to poverty. Too much sleep clothes a person with rags.
22Listen to your father, who gave you life, and don't despise your mother's experience when she is old. 23Get the truth and don't ever sell it; also get wisdom, discipline, and discernment. 24The father of godly children has cause for joy. What a pleasure it is to have wise children.[c] 25So give your parents joy! May she who gave you birth be happy.
26O my son, give me your heart. May your eyes delight in my ways of wisdom. 27A prostitute is a deep pit; an adulterous woman is treacherous.[d] 28She hides and waits like a robber, looking for another victim who will be unfaithful to his wife.
29Who has anguish? Who has sorrow? Who is always fighting? Who is always complaining? Who has unnecessary bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes? 30It is the one who spends long hours in the taverns, trying out new drinks. 31Don't let the sparkle and smooth taste of wine deceive you. 32For in the end it bites like a poisonous serpent; it stings like a viper. 33You will see hallucinations, and you will say crazy things. 34You will stagger like a sailor tossed at sea, clinging to a swaying mast. 35And you will say, "They hit me, but I didn't feel it. I didn't even know it when they beat me up. When will I wake up so I can have another drink?"
Footnotes:
a. Proverbs 23:14 Hebrew from Sheol.
b. Proverbs 23:15 Hebrew My son; also in 23:19.
c. Proverbs 23:24 Hebrew a wise son.
d. Proverbs 23:27 Hebrew is a narrow well.
4 comments:
Very intersting, Solomon that is!
12Commit yourself to instruction; attune your ears to hear words of knowledge.
and
23Get the truth and don't ever sell it; also get wisdom, discipline, and discernment.
Sounds like a plan. No doubt this chapter is speaking to me as well. I have certainly redirected many of my conversations as of late thinking of verses we have read over the past several weeks.
Father, help me move beyond just reading these verses. Help me become fully devoted. I know that even if I could reach 99.9%, that is still not good enough. Thank You for the insight these guys bring and I pray for each one and the trials they face. Watch over KHS and the kids.
In Christ,
cas
13Don't fail to correct your children. They won't die if you spank them.
Laughed out loud at this verse.
24The father of godly children has cause for joy. What a pleasure it is to have wise children.
Indeed. It's hard to imagine a more satifying gift than a wise and godly child.
Father, may you bless us each with just a touch of Your wisdom and the gift of teaching to pass it on to our kids. Amen.
tba
Prov 23
Amen on the joy of god honoring children!!!!!
6Don't eat with people who are stingy; don't desire their delicacies.
I thought of our township when I read this verse. the priorities around us are so out of wack, and truthfully the inhabitants are certainly wealthier than I, or appear to be so. I am not sure envy is a struggle, but I like their cars better than mine! ;-)
What is God's wisdom here? Is it that we don't come too close? "Be in the world but not of it".
To witness we need to draw close.
It is intertesting how in Proverbs it appears that God desires for us to have and share wealth, but in the midst of all the discussion of what will and won't make a man profitable, are serious cautions about the love of money and a focus on it.
Lord - we live in a rich world. We are also so blessed that we don't even know how blessed we are, and we certainly don't understand poverty and need. Rather, we are tempted by and drawn to the riches of the world. Help us to seek you wisdom and priorities that we might live in this world and not be distracted by it.
Prov 23
I really liked this one. Lots of new wisdom compared to previous chapters.
Sounds like this one is coming from Jesus Himself:
15My child,[b] how I will rejoice if you become wise. 16Yes, my heart will thrill when you speak what is right and just.
17Don't envy sinners, but always continue to fear the LORD. 18For surely you have a future ahead of you; your hope will not be disappointed.
What a delight it will be to finally get it all pulled together and make God smile. Long way to go for me. :) I also enjoyed the comments about raising children right. I wish someone could put that on TV. I recognize that there is a line that is crossed in some cases, and its not an objective line, but I've met so many successful and Godly people in my life who've started off a conversation with "If I would have done that, my dad would've whupped me good." I don't hear that from the kids who are screwing up and giving my wife a hard time at the local high school.
Father, please help us to continue to learn and be disciplined by You so that we can continue to be shaped in Your Son's image. Watch over these men and keep us all motivated and posting, but most of all praying and reading Your word. Also keep AAB, KHS and all the wives healthy and happy, and give us the energy, wisdom, discipline to be the best husbands we can be. In Jesus' name,
Amen
crb
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