Proverbs 23:20–34

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

Don’t join those who stuff themselves with meat.

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

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

16.

²²Listen to your father, who gave you life.

Don’t hate your mother when she is old.

²³Buy the truth. Don’t sell it.

Get wisdom, training and understanding.

²⁴The father of a godly child is very happy.

Anyone who has a wise child is glad.

²⁵May your father and mother be glad.

May the woman who gave birth to you be happy.

17.

²⁶My son, give me your heart.

Keep your eyes on the way I live.

²⁷A prostitute is like a deep pit.

A wife who commits adultery is like a narrow well.

²⁸She hides and waits like a thief.

She causes many men to sin.

18.

²⁹Who has trouble? Who has sorrow?

Who argues? Who has problems?

Who has wounds for no reason? Who has red eyes?

³⁰Those who spend too much time with wine.

Or those who like to taste wine that is mixed with spices.

³¹Don’t look at wine when it is red.

Don’t look at it when it bubbles in the cup.

And don’t look at it when it goes down smoothly.

³²In the end it bites like a snake.

It bites like a poisonous serpent.

³³Your eyes will see strange sights.

Your mind will imagine weird things.

³⁴You will feel like someone sleeping on the ocean.

You will think you are lying among the ropes in a boat.