19Hear, my son, and be wise,
and direct your mind in the way.
20Be not among winebibbers,
or among gluttonous eaters of meat;
21for the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty,
and drowsiness will clothe a man with rags.
22Hearken to your father who begot you,
and do not despise your mother when she is old.
23Buy truth, and do not sell it;
buy wisdom, instruction, and understanding.
24The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice;
he who begets a wise son will be glad in him.
25Let your father and mother be glad,
let her who bore you rejoice.
26My son, give me your heart,
and let your eyes observe my ways.
27For a harlot is a deep pit;
an adventuress is a narrow well.
28She lies in wait like a robber
and increases the faithless among men.
29Who has woe? Who has sorrow?
Who has strife? Who has complaining?
Who has wounds without cause? Who has redness of eyes?
30Those who tarry long over wine,
those who go to try mixed wine.
31Do not look at wine when it is red,
when it sparkles in the cup and goes down smoothly.
32At the last it bites like a serpent,
and stings like an adder.
33Your eyes will see strange things,
and your mind utter perverse things.
34You will be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea,
like one who lies on the top of a mast.
35"They struck me," you will say, "but I was not hurt;
they beat me, but I did not feel it.
When shall I awake? I will seek another drink."
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