Proverbs

Proverbs 23:1–5

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.

⁴Do not wear yourself out to get rich;

be wise enough to restrain yourself.

⁵When you glance at wealth, it disappears,

for it makes wings for itself

and flies like an eagle to the sky.

Footnotes

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.

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
When	כִּֽי־	kî-	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
you sit down	תֵ֭שֵׁב	ṯê·šêḇ	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular	H3427 sit, remain, dwell
to dine	לִלְח֣וֹם	lil·ḥō·wm	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H3898 fight, do battle
with	אֶת־	’eṯ-	Preposition	H854 with
a ruler	מוֹשֵׁ֑ל	mō·wō·šêl	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H4910 rule, have dominion, reign
consider carefully	בִּ֥ין	bîn	Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolute	H995 discern
what	אֲשֶׁ֥ר	’ă·šer	Pronoun - relative	H834 particle of relation
is set before you	לְפָנֶֽיךָ׃	lə·p̄ā·ne·ḵā	Preposition-l; Noun - common plural construct; second person masculine singular	H6440 face, before

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
and put	וְשַׂמְתָּ֣	wə·śam·tā	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular	H7760 put, place, set
a knife	שַׂכִּ֣ין	śak·kîn	Noun - masculine singular	H7915 knife
to your throat	בְּלֹעֶ֑ךָ	bə·lō·‘e·ḵā	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H3930 throat
if	אִם־	’im-	Conjunction	H518 if
you	אָֽתָּה׃	’āt·tāh	Pronoun - second person masculine singular	H859 thou
possess	בַּ֖עַל	ba·‘al	Noun - masculine singular construct	H1167 owner, lord
a	נֶ֣פֶשׁ	ne·p̄eš	Noun - feminine singular	H5315 soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Do not	אַל־	’al-	Adverb	H408 prohibition, do not . . ., let not . . .
crave	תִּ֭תְאָו	tiṯ·ʾå̄w	Verb - Hitpael - Imperfect Jussive - second person masculine singular	H8376 mark off, designate
his delicacies	לְמַטְעַמּוֹתָ֑יו	lə·maṭ·‘am·mō·w·ṯāw	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine plural construct; third person masculine singular	H4303 tasty or savoury food, dainties
for that	וְ֝ה֗וּא	wə·hū	Conjunctive waw; Pronoun - third person masculine singular	H1931 he, she
food	לֶ֣חֶם	le·ḥem	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3899 bread, food
is deceptive	כְּזָבִֽים׃	kə·zā·ḇîm	Noun - masculine plural	H3577 lie, falsehood, deceptive thing

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Do not	אַל־	’al-	Adverb	H408 prohibition, do not . . ., let not . . .
wear yourself out	תִּיגַ֥ע	tî·ḡa‘	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular	H3021 toil, grow or be weary
to get rich	לְֽהַעֲשִׁ֑יר	lə·ha·‘ă·šîr	Preposition-l; Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct	H6238 be or become rich
be wise enough	מִֽבִּינָתְךָ֥	mib·bî·nā·ṯə·ḵā	Preposition-m; Noun - feminine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H998 understanding
to restrain yourself	חֲדָֽל׃	ḥă·ḏāl	Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular	H2308 cease

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
When you glance	הֲתָעוּף	hă·ṯå̄·ʿūp̄	Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - second person masculine singular	H5774 fly
it disappears	וְֽאֵ֫ינֶ֥נּוּ	wə·’ê·nen·nū	Conjunctive waw; Adverb; third person masculine singular	H369 nothing, nought
for	כִּ֤י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
it makes	עָשֹׂ֣ה	‘ā·śōh	Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolute	H6213 do, make
wings for itself	כְנָפַ֑יִם	ḵə·nā·p̄a·yim	Noun - fd	H3671 wing, extremity
and flies	וְעָיֵף	wə·ʿå̄·yēp̄	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H5774 fly
like an eagle	כְּ֝נֶ֗שֶׁר	kə·ne·šer	Preposition-k; Noun - masculine singular	H5404 griffon-vulture, eagle
to the sky	הַשָּׁמָֽיִם׃פ	haš·šā·mā·yim	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H8064 sky, aloft