Proverbs

Proverbs 23:1–3

1When you sit down to dine with a ruler,

consider carefully what is set before you,a

2and put a knife to your throat

if you possess a great appetite.

3Do not crave his delicacies,

for that food is deceptive.

Footnotes

  • a 23:1 Or who is before you

Read all of Proverbs 23

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Proverbs 23:1

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Whenכִּֽי־kî-ConjunctionH3588 burning, branding
you sit downתֵ֭שֵׁבṯê·šêḇVerb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singularH3427 sit, remain, dwell
to dineלִלְח֣וֹםlil·ḥō·wmPreposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructH3898 fight, do battle
withאֶת־’eṯ-PrepositionH854 with
a rulerמוֹשֵׁ֑לmō·wō·šêlVerb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularH4910 rule, have dominion, reign
consider carefullyבִּ֥יןbînVerb - Qal - Infinitive absoluteH995 discern
whatאֲשֶׁ֥ר’ă·šerPronoun - relativeH834 particle of relation
is set before youלְפָנֶֽיךָ׃lə·p̄ā·ne·ḵāPreposition-l; Noun - common plural construct; second person masculine singularH6440 face, before

Proverbs 23:2

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
and putוְשַׂמְתָּ֣wə·śam·tāConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singularH7760 put, place, set
a knifeשַׂכִּ֣יןśak·kînNoun - masculine singularH7915 knife
to your throatבְּלֹעֶ֑ךָbə·lō·‘e·ḵāPreposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singularH3930 throat
ifאִם־’im-ConjunctionH518 if
youאָֽתָּה׃’āt·tāhPronoun - second person masculine singularH859 thou
possessבַּ֖עַלba·‘alNoun - masculine singular constructH1167 owner, lord
aנֶ֣פֶשׁne·p̄ešNoun - feminine singularH5315 soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion

Proverbs 23:3

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Do notאַל־’al-AdverbH408 prohibition, do not . . ., let not . . .
craveתִּ֭תְאָוtiṯ·ʾå̄wVerb - Hitpael - Imperfect Jussive - second person masculine singularH8376 mark off, designate
his delicaciesלְמַטְעַמּוֹתָ֑יוlə·maṭ·‘am·mō·w·ṯāwPreposition-l; Noun - masculine plural construct; third person masculine singularH4303 tasty or savoury food, dainties
for thatוְ֝ה֗וּאwə·hūConjunctive waw; Pronoun - third person masculine singularH1931 he, she
foodלֶ֣חֶםle·ḥemNoun - masculine singular constructH3899 bread, food
is deceptiveכְּזָבִֽים׃kə·zā·ḇîmNoun - masculine pluralH3577 lie, falsehood, deceptive thing

Cross-references

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

Proverbs 23:2 Philippians 3:19 · Matthew 18:8–9 · 1 Corinthians 9:27

Proverbs 23:3 Proverbs 23:6 · Luke 21:34 · Psalm 141:4 · Daniel 1:8 · Ephesians 4:22

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.