The Skeptics Annotated Bible (503 page)

17 Let not thine heart envy sinners: but
be thou in the fear of the LORD all the day long.

(23.17)
“Be thou in the fear of the LORD all the day long.”
132 Should we fear God?

18 For surely there is an end; and thine expectation shall not be cut off.

19 Hear thou, my son, and be wise, and guide thine heart in the way.

20
Be not among winebibbers
;
among riotous eaters of flesh:

(23.20a)
“Be not among winebibbers.”
71 Is it OK to drink alcohol?

(23.20b)
“Be not … among riotous eaters of flesh.”
13 What kind of animals may we eat?

21 For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.

22
Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old.

(23.22)
“Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old.
”
107 How should parents be treated?

23
Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.

(23.23)
“Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.”
293 Is wisdom a good thing?

24
The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice
: and
he that begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him.

(23.24a)
“The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice.”
35 Has there ever been a righteous person?

(23.24b)
“He that begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him.”

25 Thy father and thy mother shall be glad, and she that bare thee shall rejoice.

26 My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways.

27 For
a whore is a deep ditch; and a strange woman is a narrow pit.

28
She also lieth in wait as for a prey, and increaseth the transgressors among men.

(23.27-28)
“A whore is a deep ditch; and a strange woman is a narrow pit. She also lieth in wait as for a prey, and increaseth the transgressors among men.”

(23.29-32)
71 Is it OK to drink alcohol?

29
Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes?

(23.29)
“Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes?”

30
They that tarry long at the wine;
they that go to seek mixed wine.

(23.30)
“They that tarry long at the wine.”

31 Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright.

32
At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder.

(23.32)
“At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder.”

33
Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things.

(23.33) “Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things.” Don’t even look at any “strange women.” If you do, you will utter perverse things.