Proverbs 23:15-35

15My son, if your heart is wise, My heart will also be glad;

16Yes, my heart will rejoice When your lips speak right things.

17Do not let your heart envy sinners [who live godless lives and have no hope of salvation], But [continue to] live in the [reverent, worshipful] fear of the Lord day by day.

18Surely there is a future [and a reward], And your hope and expectation will not be cut off.

19Listen, my son, and be wise, And direct your heart in the way [of the Lord].

20Do not associate with heavy drinkers of wine, Or with gluttonous eaters of meat,

21For the heavy drinker and the glutton will come to poverty, And the drowsiness [of overindulgence] will clothe one with rags.

22Listen to your father, who sired you, And do not despise your mother when she is old.

23Buy truth, and do not sell it; Get wisdom and instruction and understanding.

24The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice, And he who sires a wise child will have joy in him.

25Let your father and your mother be glad, And let her who gave birth to you rejoice [in your wise and godly choices].

26My son, give me your heart And let your eyes delight in my ways,

27For a prostitute is a deep pit, And an immoral woman is a narrow well.

28She lurks and lies in wait like a robber [who waits for prey], And she increases the faithless among men.

29Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has strife? Who has complaining? Who has wounds without cause? Whose eyes are red and dim?

30Those who linger long over wine, Those who go to taste mixed wine.

31Do not look at wine when it is red, When it sparkles in the glass, When it goes down smoothly.

32At the last it bites like a serpent And stings like a viper.

33Your [drunken] eyes will see strange things And your mind will utter perverse things [untrue things, twisted things].

34And you will be [as unsteady] as one who lies down in the middle of the sea, And [as vulnerable to disaster] as one who lies down on the top of a ship’s mast, saying,

35“They struck me, but I was not hurt! They beat me, but I did not feel it! When will I wake up? I will seek more wine.”