1When you sit down to dine with a ruler, consider carefully what is set before you,
2and put a knife to your throat if you possess a great appetite.
3Do 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
Whenכִּֽי־H3588Conjunctionyou sit downתֵ֭שֵׁבH3427Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singularto dineלִלְח֣וֹםH3898Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructwithאֶת־H854Prepositiona rulerמוֹשֵׁ֑לH4910Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularconsider carefullyבִּ֥יןH995Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolute. . .תָּ֝בִ֗יןH995Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markerwhatאֲשֶׁ֥רH834Pronoun - relativeis set before youלְפָנֶֽיךָ׃H6440Preposition-l | Noun - common plural construct | second person masculine singular
BSB notes
- Or who is before you
Verse 2
Cross-references
Original words
and putוְשַׂמְתָּ֣H7760Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singulara knifeשַׂכִּ֣יןH7915Noun - masculine singularto your throatבְּלֹעֶ֑ךָH3930Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singularifאִם־H518Conjunctionyouאָֽתָּה׃H859Pronoun - second person masculine singularpossessבַּ֖עַלH1167Noun - masculine singular constructa [great] appetiteנֶ֣פֶשׁH5315Noun - feminine singular
Verse 3
Cross-references
Original words
Do notאַל־H408Adverbcraveתִּ֭תְאָוH8376Verb - Hitpael - Imperfect Jussive - second person masculine singularhis delicaciesלְמַטְעַמּוֹתָ֑יוH4303Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singularfor thatוְ֝ה֗וּאH1931Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - third person masculine singularfoodלֶ֣חֶםH3899Noun - masculine singular constructis deceptiveכְּזָבִֽים׃H3577Noun - masculine plural