23:4 Do not wear yourself out to become rich; be wise enough to restrain yourself. 23:5 When you gaze upon riches, they are gone, for they surely make wings for themselves, and fly off into the sky like an eagle!
The 6th saying warns one against attending a feast where the host’s true motive is to butter up the guest.
23:4 Do not wear yourself out to become rich; be wise enough to restrain yourself. 23:5 When you gaze upon riches, they are gone, for they surely make wings for themselves, and fly off into the sky like an eagle!
The 7th saying warns against one working himself too hard to become wealthy. This proverb is not warning against hard work, but against consuming oneself with his work. Today, materialism is driving men to neglect the study and application of Bible doctrine and concentrate more on making wealth. The metaphor is that if one causes his eyes to fly after wealth, then wealth will fly away like an eagle.
23:6 Do not eat the food of a stingy person, do not crave his delicacies; 23:7 for he is like someone calculating the cost in his mind. “Eat and drink,” he says to you, but his heart is not with you; 23:8 you will vomit up the little bit you have eaten, and will have wasted your pleasant words.
The 8th saying warns against eating food served by a stingy man. When a guest realizes that his greedy host is thinking only of the cost of the food while hypocritically feigning to be a generous host, then the guest is appalled. He wants to vomit up the food, since it was not served honestly. His compliments will have been wasted.
23:9 Do not speak in the ears of a fool, for he will despise the wisdom of your words.
The 9th saying warns against trying to teach a fool Bible doctrine. He will despise the wisdom of the Word of God. Instead, the fool will value his own opinion above the Word of God.
23:10 Do not move an ancient boundary stone, or take over the fields of the fatherless, 23:11 for their Protector is strong; he will plead their case against you.
The 10th saying warns against stealing land from a neighbor by moving his boundary stone. It also warns against taking away the land of orphans and widows. Orphans and widows are protected by God Himself.
23:12 Apply your heart to instruction and your ears to the words of knowledge.
Solomon is reminding his readers to study Bible doctrine at the deepest level.
23:13 Do not withhold discipline from a child; even if you strike him with the rod, he will not die. 23:14 If you strike him with the rod, you will deliver him from death.
The 11th saying warns that children need corporal punishment to keep them from committing the sin unto death.
23:15 My child, if your heart is wise, then my heart also will be glad; 23:16 my soul will rejoice when your lips speak what is right.
The 12th saying teaches that a father is happy when his child learns and applies strong Bible doctrine.
23:17 Do not let your heart envy sinners, but rather be zealous in fearing the Lord all the time. 23:18 For surely there is a future, and your hope will not be cut off.
The 13th saying warns children to not desire to be like sinners. Instead, children should desire to be zealous for the Lord. Those who are zealous for the Lord will have a bright future. Those who envy sinners will die and burn in the Lake of Fire forever or commit the sin unto death.
23:19 Listen, my child, and be wise, and guide your heart on the right way. 23:20 Do not spend time among drunkards, among those who eat too much meat, 23:21 because drunkards and gluttons become impoverished, and drowsiness clothes them with rags.
The 14th saying warns children to listen to the advice of their fathers. They are to become wise with Bible doctrine so that they are able to find and walk on the right path of life. They are not to spend time with drunkards or gluttons. Drunkenness and gluttony lead to laziness and poverty.
23:22 Listen to your father who begot you, and do not despise your mother when she is old. 23:23 Acquire truth and do not sell it— wisdom, and discipline, and understanding.
The 15th saying warns children to listen to their fathers. Children are not to despise their mothers when they grow old. Children are to acquire strong Bible doctrine. They are not to market biblical wisdom.
It is important to note that biblical wisdom is to be given out freely and not at a price. It is unbiblical for evangelists and gifted-pastor teachers to sell their biblical material. The YEBC Bible was written for all to study. It is not for sell. On the other hand, mature believers are to support those who feed them with free will gifts.
23:24 The father of a righteous person will rejoice greatly; whoever fathers a wise child will have joy in him. 23:25 May your father and your mother have joy; may she who bore you rejoice.
The 16th saying teaches that a child who studies and applies strong Bible doctrine will bring great joy to the father and mother.
23:26 Give me your heart, my son, and let your eyes observe my ways; 23:27 for a prostitute is like a deep pit; a harlot is like a narrow well. 23:28 Indeed, she lies in wait like a robber, and increases the unfaithful among men.
The 17th saying warns sons against the seductive practices of prostitutes and adulterers. These women wait like robbers to trap young boys in their snares. When a boy accepts the seductions of these women, then he falls into a dark pit with no escape.
23:29 Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has contentions? Who has complaints? Who has wounds without cause? Who has dullness of the eyes? 23:30 Those who linger over wine, those who go looking for mixed wine. 23:31 Do not look on the wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goes down smoothly. 23:32 Afterward it bites like a snake, and stings like a viper. 23:33 Your eyes will see strange things, and your mind will speak perverse things. 23:34 And you will be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea, and like one who lies down on the top of the rigging. 23:35 You will say, “They have struck me, but I am not harmed! They beat me, but I did not know it! When will I awake? I will look for another drink.”
The 18th saying warns against drunkenness. Solomon asks his readers six questions. First, who has troubles? Second, who is sad? Third, who likes to argue? Fourth, who likes to complain? Fifth, who is wounded for no reason? Sixth, who is dizzy and cannot see straight? The answer to all six of these questions is the drunkard.
The wine goes down smoothly, but it bites like a poisonous snake. The drunkard will become dizzy and see evil hallucinations. The drunkard will become like one who is seasick. The drunkard will be struck and beat up, but he will feel no pain. The drunkard will eventually seep into unconsciousness. When he awakes, he will start the addictive process all over again and ask for another drink.