1 When you sit down to dine with a ruler, consider carefully what is set before you,
2 and put a knife to your throat if you possess a great appetite.
3 Do not crave his delicacies, for that food is deceptive.
Focused Passage
Proverbs 23:1-3
Guarded Desire, Wise Discipline, the Fear of the LORD, and Warnings Against Envy, Gluttony, Lust, and Drunkenness
The chapter moves through warnings about appetite and wealth, discernment at corrupt tables, protection of boundaries and the fatherless, heart-applied instruction and discipline, parental joy, fear of the LORD over envy, warnings against gluttony and drunkenness, honoring parents, buying truth, sexual purity, and a final extended portrait of wine's deceptive destruction.
Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources
Study Helps
References and Original Words
Verse 1
Cross-references
Original words
When כִּֽי־ H3588 Conjunction you sit down תֵ֭שֵׁב H3427 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular to dine לִלְח֣וֹם H3898 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct with אֶת־ H854 Preposition a ruler מוֹשֵׁ֑ל H4910 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular consider carefully בִּ֥ין H995 Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolute . . . תָּ֝בִ֗ין H995 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker what אֲשֶׁ֥ר H834 Pronoun - relative is set before you לְפָנֶֽיךָ׃ H6440 Preposition-l | Noun - common plural construct | second person masculine singular
BSB notes
- Or who is before you
Verse 2
Cross-references
Original words
and put וְשַׂמְתָּ֣ H7760 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular a knife שַׂכִּ֣ין H7915 Noun - masculine singular to your throat בְּלֹעֶ֑ךָ H3930 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular if אִם־ H518 Conjunction you אָֽתָּה׃ H859 Pronoun - second person masculine singular possess בַּ֖עַל H1167 Noun - masculine singular construct a [great] appetite נֶ֣פֶשׁ H5315 Noun - feminine singular
Verse 3
Cross-references
Original words
Do not אַל־ H408 Adverb crave תִּ֭תְאָו H8376 Verb - Hitpael - Imperfect Jussive - second person masculine singular his delicacies לְמַטְעַמּוֹתָ֑יו H4303 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular for that וְ֝ה֗וּא H1931 Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - third person masculine singular food לֶ֣חֶם H3899 Noun - masculine singular construct is deceptive כְּזָבִֽים׃ H3577 Noun - masculine plural