Loading…

Proverbs 23:19–28

19  Hear, my son, and xbe wise,

and ydirect your heart in the way.

20  Be not among zdrunkards5

or among agluttonous eaters of meat,

21  for the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty,

and bslumber will clothe them with rags.

22  cListen to your father who gave you life,

dand do not despise your mother when she is old.

23  eBuy truth, and do not sell it;

buy wisdom, instruction, and understanding.

24  fThe father of the righteous will greatly rejoice;

he who fathers a wise son will be glad in him.

25  fLet your father and mother be glad;

let gher who bore you rejoice.

26  My son, give me your heart,

and let your eyes observe6 my ways.

27  For a prostitute is ha deep pit;

ian adulteress7 is a narrow jwell.

28  kShe lies in wait like a robber

and increases the traitors among mankind.

Read more Explain verse



Proverbs 23:19–28 — The New International Version (NIV)

19 Listen, my son, and be wise,

and set your heart on the right path:

20 Do not join those who drink too much wine

or gorge themselves on meat,

21 for drunkards and gluttons become poor,

and drowsiness clothes them in rags.

22 Listen to your father, who gave you life,

and do not despise your mother when she is old.

23 Buy the truth and do not sell it—

wisdom, instruction and insight as well.

24 The father of a righteous child has great joy;

a man who fathers a wise son rejoices in him.

25 May your father and mother rejoice;

may she who gave you birth be joyful!

26 My son, give me your heart

and let your eyes delight in my ways,

27 for an adulterous woman is a deep pit,

and a wayward wife is a narrow well.

28 Like a bandit she lies in wait

and multiplies the unfaithful among men.

Proverbs 23:19–28 — King James Version (KJV 1900)

19 Hear thou, my son, and be wise,

And guide thine heart in the way.

20 Be not among winebibbers;

Among riotous eaters of flesh:

21 For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty:

And drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.

22 Hearken unto thy father that begat thee,

And despise not thy mother when she is old.

23 Buy the truth, and sell it not;

Also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.

24 The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice:

And he that begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him.

25 Thy father and thy mother shall be glad,

And she that bare thee shall rejoice.

26 My son, give me thine heart,

And let thine eyes observe my ways.

27 For a whore is a deep ditch;

And a strange woman is a narrow pit.

28 She also lieth in wait as for a prey,

And increaseth the transgressors among men.

Proverbs 23:19–28 — New Living Translation (NLT)

19 My child, listen and be wise:

Keep your heart on the right course.

20 Do not carouse with drunkards

or feast with gluttons,

21 for they are on their way to poverty,

and too much sleep clothes them in rags.

22 Listen to your father, who gave you life,

and don’t despise your mother when she is old.

23 Get the truth and never sell it;

also get wisdom, discipline, and good judgment.

24 The father of godly children has cause for joy.

What a pleasure to have children who are wise.

25 So give your father and mother joy!

May she who gave you birth be happy.

26 O my son, give me your heart.

May your eyes take delight in following my ways.

27 A prostitute is a dangerous trap;

a promiscuous woman is as dangerous as falling into a narrow well.

28 She hides and waits like a robber,

eager to make more men unfaithful.

Proverbs 23:19–28 — The New King James Version (NKJV)

19 Hear, my son, and be wise;

And guide your heart in the way.

20 Do not mix with winebibbers,

Or with gluttonous eaters of meat;

21 For the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty,

And drowsiness will clothe a man with rags.

22 Listen to your father who begot you,

And do not despise your mother when she is old.

23 Buy the truth, and do not sell it,

Also wisdom and instruction and understanding.

24 The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice,

And he who begets a wise child will delight in him.

25 Let your father and your mother be glad,

And let her who bore you rejoice.

26 My son, give me your heart,

And let your eyes observe my ways.

27 For a harlot is a deep pit,

And a seductress is a narrow well.

28 She also lies in wait as for a victim,

And increases the unfaithful among men.

Proverbs 23:19–28 — New Century Version (NCV)

19 Listen, my child, and be wise.

Keep your mind on what is right.

20 Don’t drink too much wine

or eat too much food.

21 Those who drink and eat too much become poor.

They sleep too much and end up wearing rags.

22 Listen to your father, who gave you life,

and do not forget your mother when she is old.

23 Learn the truth and never reject it.

Get wisdom, self-control, and understanding.

24 The father of a good child is very happy;

parents who have wise children are glad because of them.

25 Make your father and mother happy;

give your mother a reason to be glad.

26 My son, pay attention to me,

and watch closely what I do.

27 A prostitute is as dangerous as a deep pit,

and an unfaithful wife is like a narrow well.

28 They ambush you like robbers

and cause many men to be unfaithful to their wives.

Proverbs 23:19–28 — American Standard Version (ASV)

19 Hear thou, my son, and be wise,

And guide thy heart in the way.

20 Be not among winebibbers,

Among gluttonous eaters of flesh:

21 For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty;

And drowsiness will clothe a man with rags.

22 Hearken unto thy father that begat thee,

And despise not thy mother when she is old.

23 Buy the truth, and sell it not;

Yea, wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.

24 The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice;

And he that begetteth a wise child will have joy of him.

25 Let thy father and thy mother be glad,

And let her that bare thee rejoice.

26 My son, give me thy heart;

And let thine eyes delight in my ways.

27 For a harlot is a deep ditch;

And a foreign woman is a narrow pit.

28 Yea, she lieth in wait as a robber,

And increaseth the treacherous among men.

Proverbs 23:19–28 — 1890 Darby Bible (DARBY)

19 Thou, my son, hear and be wise, and direct thy heart in the way. 20 Be not among winebibbers, among riotous eaters of flesh. 21 For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty; and drowsiness clotheth with rags. 22 Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old. 23 Buy the truth, and sell it not; wisdom, and instruction, and intelligence. 24 The father of a righteous man shall greatly rejoice, and he that begetteth a wise son shall have joy of him: 25 let thy father and thy mother have joy, and let her that bore thee rejoice. 26 My son, give me thy heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways. 27 For a whore is a deep ditch; and a strange woman is a narrow pit. 28 She also lieth in wait as a robber, and increaseth the treacherous among men.

Proverbs 23:19–28 — GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)

19 My son, 

listen, be wise, 

and keep your mind going in the right direction. 

20 Do not associate with those who drink too much wine, 

with those who eat too much meat, 

21 because both a drunk and a glutton will become poor. 

Drowsiness will dress a person in rags. 

22 Listen to your father since you are his son, 

and do not despise your mother because she is old. 

23 Buy truth (and do not sell it), 

⸤that is,⸥ buy wisdom, discipline, and understanding. 

24 A righteous person’s father will certainly rejoice. 

Someone who has a wise son will enjoy him. 

25 May your father and your mother be glad. 

May she who gave birth to you rejoice. 

26 My son, 

give me your heart. 

Let your eyes find happiness in my ways. 

27 A prostitute is a deep pit. 

A loose woman is a narrow well. 

28 She is like a robber, lying in ambush. 

She spreads unfaithfulness throughout society. 

Proverbs 23:19–28 — The Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

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 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 stranger is a narrow well;

28 indeed, she sets an ambush like a robber

and increases those among men who are unfaithful.

Proverbs 23:19–28 — The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

19 Hear, my child, and be wise,

and direct your mind in the way.

20 Do not be among winebibbers,

or among gluttonous eaters of meat;

21 for the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty,

and drowsiness will clothe them with rags.

22 Listen to your father who begot you,

and do not despise your mother when she is old.

23 Buy truth, and do not sell it;

buy wisdom, instruction, and understanding.

24 The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice;

he who begets a wise son will be glad in him.

25 Let your father and mother be glad;

let her who bore you rejoice.

26 My child, give me your heart,

and let your eyes observe my ways.

27 For a prostitute is a deep pit;

an adulteress is a narrow well.

28 She lies in wait like a robber

and increases the number of the faithless.

Proverbs 23:19–28 — The Lexham English Bible (LEB)

19 You, my child, hear and be wise,

and direct your heart on the road.

20 Do not be among drinkers of wine,

among gluttonous eaters of their meat.

21 For the drunkard and gluttonous, they will become poor,

and with rags, drowsiness will clothe them.

22 Listen to your father—he who gave you life,

and do not despise your mother when she is old.

23 Buy truth and do not sell it,

wisdom and instruction and understanding.

24 The father of the righteous will surely rejoice;

he who bears a wise person will be happy with him.

25 May your father and your mother be glad,

and may she who bore you rejoice.

26 My child, may you give your heart to me,

and may your eyes delight in my ways.

27 For a deep pit is a prostitute,

and a narrow well is an adulteress.

28 She is also like a robber lying in wait,

and the faithless among mankind she increases.

Proverbs 23:19–28 — New International Reader’s Version (1998) (NIrV)

19 My child, listen and be wise.

Keep your heart on the right path.

20 Don’t join those who drink too much wine.

Don’t join those who stuff themselves with meat.

21 Those who drink or eat too much will become poor.

If they sleep too much, they’ll have to wear rags.

22 Listen to your father, who gave you life.

Don’t hate your mother when she is old.

23 Buy the truth. Don’t sell it.

Get wisdom, training and understanding.

24 The father of a godly child is very happy.

Anyone who has a wise child is glad.

25 May your father and mother be glad.

May the woman who gave birth to you be happy.

26 My son, give me your heart.

Keep your eyes on the way I live.

27 A prostitute is like a deep pit.

A wife who commits adultery is like a narrow well.

28 She hides and waits like a thief.

She causes many men to sin.

Proverbs 23:19–28 — New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (NASB95)

19 Listen, my son, and be wise,

And direct your heart in the way.

20 Do not be with heavy drinkers of wine,

Or with gluttonous eaters of meat;

21 For the heavy drinker and the glutton will come to poverty,

And drowsiness will clothe one with rags.

22 Listen to your father who begot you,

And do not despise your mother when she is old.

23 Buy truth, and do not sell it,

Get wisdom and instruction and understanding.

24 The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice,

And he who sires a wise son will be glad in him.

25 Let your father and your mother be glad,

And let her rejoice who gave birth to you.

26 Give me your heart, my son,

And let your eyes delight in my ways.

27 For a harlot is a deep pit

And an adulterous woman is a narrow well.

28 Surely she lurks as a robber,

And increases the faithless among men.


A service of Logos Bible Software