When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what is before thee:
2你若是胃口大的人， 就当拿刀放在喉咙上。And put a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man given to appetite.
3不可贪恋长官的美食， 因为那是欺哄人的食物。Be not desirous of his dainties: for they are deceitful meat.
4不要劳碌求富， 要有聪明来节制。Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom.
5你定睛在财富，它就消失， 因为它必长翅膀，如鹰向天飞去。Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.
6守财奴☛“守财奴”：原文直译“眼目邪恶的人”。的饭，你不要吃， 也不要贪恋他的美味；Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, neither desire thou his dainty meats:
7因为他的心怎样算计☛“心怎样算计”：原文另译“喉咙有头发”。， 他为人就是这样。 他虽对你说：请吃，请喝， 他的心却与你相背。For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.
8你所吃的那点食物必吐出来， 你恭维的话语也必落空。The morsel which thou hast eaten shalt thou vomit up, and lose thy sweet words.
9不要说话给愚昧人听， 因他必藐视你智慧的言语。Speak not in the ears of a fool: for he will despise the wisdom of thy words.
10不可挪移古时的地界， 也不可侵占孤儿的田地，Remove not the old landmark; and enter not into the fields of the fatherless:
11因他们的救赎者☛“救赎者”或译“赎业至亲”。大有能力， 他必向你为他们辩护。For their redeemer is mighty; he shall plead their cause with thee.
12你要留心领受训诲， 侧耳听从知识的言语。Apply thine heart unto instruction, and thine ears to the words of knowledge.
13不可不管教孩童， 因为你用杖打他，他不会死。Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die.
14你用杖打他， 就可以救他的性命免下阴间。Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell.
15我儿啊，你若心存智慧， 我的心就甚欢喜。My son, if thine heart be wise, my heart shall rejoice, even mine.
16你的嘴唇若说正直话， 我的心肠也必快乐。Yea, my reins shall rejoice, when thy lips speak right things.
17你的心不要羡慕罪人， 却要羡慕常常敬畏耶和华的人，Let not thine heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the LORD all the day long.
18因为你必有前途， 你的指望也不致断绝。For surely there is an end; and thine expectation shall not be cut off.
19我儿啊，你当听，当存智慧， 好在正道上引导你的心。Hear thou, my son, and be wise, and guide thine heart in the way.
20不可与好饮酒的人在一起， 也不要跟贪吃肉的人来往，Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh:
21因为贪食好酒的，必致贫穷， 爱睡觉的，必穿破烂衣服。For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.
22你要听从生你的父亲； 不可因母亲年老而轻看她。Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old.
23你当获得真理，不可出卖， 智慧、训诲和聪明也是一样。Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.
24义人的父亲必大大快乐， 生智慧儿子的，必因他欢喜。The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice: and he that begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him.
25愿你的父母欢喜， 愿那生你的母亲快乐。Thy father and thy mother shall be glad, and she that bare thee shall rejoice.
26我儿啊，要将你的心归我， 你的眼目也要喜爱☛“喜爱”：原文另译“谨守”。我的道路。My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways.
27妓女是深坑， 外邦女子是窄井。For a whore is a deep ditch; and a strange woman is a narrow pit.
28她像强盗埋伏， 她使奸诈的人增多。She also lieth in wait as for a prey, and increaseth the transgressors among men.
29谁有祸患？谁有灾难？ 谁有纷争？谁有焦虑？ 谁无故受伤？谁的眼目红赤？Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes?
30就是那流连饮酒的人， 常去寻找调和的酒。They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine.
31酒发红，在杯中闪烁时， 你不可观看； 虽下咽舒畅， 终究它必咬你如蛇，刺你如毒蛇。Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright.
32你的眼睛必看见怪异的事， 你的心必发出乖谬的话。At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder.
33你必像躺在深海中， 或卧在桅杆顶上，Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things.
34说：“人击打我，但我未受伤， 重击我，我不觉得。 我几时清醒， 还要再去寻酒。”Yea, thou shalt be as he that lieth down in the midst of the sea, or as he that lieth upon the top of a mast.