New King James Version (NKJV)
23 When you sit down to eat with a ruler, Consider carefully what is before you;
2 And put a knife to your throat If you are a man given to appetite.
3 Do not desire his delicacies, For they are deceptive food.
2 And put a knife to your throat If you are a man given to appetite.
3 Do not desire his delicacies, For they are deceptive food.
4 Do not overwork to be rich; Because of your own understanding, cease!
5 Will you set your eyes on that which is not? For riches certainly make themselves wings;
They fly away like an eagle toward heaven.
5 Will you set your eyes on that which is not? For riches certainly make themselves wings;
They fly away like an eagle toward heaven.
6 Do not eat the bread of a miser, Nor desire his delicacies;
7 For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. “Eat and drink!” he says to you, but his heart is not with you.
8 The morsel you have eaten, you will vomit up, And waste your pleasant words.
7 For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. “Eat and drink!” he says to you, but his heart is not with you.
8 The morsel you have eaten, you will vomit up, And waste your pleasant words.
9 Do not speak in the hearing of a fool, For he will despise the wisdom of your words.
10 Do not remove the ancient landmark, Nor enter the fields of the fatherless;
11 For their Redeemer is mighty; He will plead their cause against you.
11 For their Redeemer is mighty; He will plead their cause against you.
12 Apply your heart to instruction, And your ears to words of knowledge.
13 Do not withhold correction from a child, For if you beat him with a rod, he will not die.
14 You shall beat him with a rod, And deliver his soul from hell.
14 You shall beat him with a rod, And deliver his soul from hell.
15 My son, if your heart is wise, My heart will rejoice—indeed, I myself;
16 Yes, my inmost being will rejoice When your lips speak right things.
16 Yes, my inmost being will rejoice When your lips speak right things.
17 Do not let your heart envy sinners, But be zealous for the fear of the Lord all the day;
18 For surely there is a hereafter, And your hope will not be cut off.
18 For surely there is a hereafter, And your hope will not be cut off.
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.
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.
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.
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.
29 Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has contentions? Who has complaints? Who has wounds without cause? Who has redness of eyes?
30 Those who linger long at the wine, Those who go in search of mixed wine.
31 Do not look on the wine when it is red, When it sparkles in the cup, When it swirls around smoothly;
32 At the last it bites like a serpent, And stings like a viper.
33 Your eyes will see strange things, And your heart will utter perverse things.
34 Yes, you will be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea, Or like one who lies at the top of the mast, saying:
35 “They have struck me, but I was not hurt; They have beaten me, but I did not feel it.
When shall I awake, that I may seek another drink?”
30 Those who linger long at the wine, Those who go in search of mixed wine.
31 Do not look on the wine when it is red, When it sparkles in the cup, When it swirls around smoothly;
32 At the last it bites like a serpent, And stings like a viper.
33 Your eyes will see strange things, And your heart will utter perverse things.
34 Yes, you will be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea, Or like one who lies at the top of the mast, saying:
35 “They have struck me, but I was not hurt; They have beaten me, but I did not feel it.
When shall I awake, that I may seek another drink?”
Do not let your heart envy sinners, But be zealous for the fear of the Lord all the day. Try telling a kid not to be envious of a friend who has every single gadget and game and toy on the planet when your kid has just what he needs to get by. It isn't fun.
We live in a world where envy can become your best friend. There are so many distractions and so called celebraties who flaunt their wealth on television that makes for a sad day if you have none of it. Envy could easily creep in and overtake you.
Is it any wonder why there is so much murder and crime in the world today? Envy is at the root. God says not envy the sinners but be consumed by Him. He also said that when we put Him first and we have a desire to know Him all those things that the sinners have has to come to the christian who are seeking and searching and has a personal relationship with Him.
Just because you call yourself a christian doesn't mean you have a relationship with Him. He wants it all. He wants to be the first thing you think about when you wake and the last thing as you lay your head on the pillow. Did I mention the inbetween?
Did I mention how hard it is at times? It's hard but sooooooooooooo worth it. The sacrifices you make today, will determine your eternity. I would rather have eternity than the next gadget out there and I'll sit back and bide my time for the wealthy to give me their money. It's going to happen, watch and see!
God Bless.
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