# Proverbs 23.20-21

<!-- type: passage | created: 2026-10-06 | updated: 2026-10-06 -->

**Book:** [Proverbs](/codex/proverbs/) · NASB95

## Immediate context (±2 verses)

**ASV** ([ASV](/codex/asv/))
> 18. For surely there is a reward; And thy hope shall not be cut off. 19. Hear thou, my son, and be wise, And guide thy heart in the way.
>
> **20. Be not among winebibbers, Among gluttonous eaters of flesh: 21. For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty; And drowsiness will clothe a man with rags.**
>
> 22. Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, And despise not thy mother when she is old. 23. Buy the truth, and sell it not; Yea, wisdom, and instruction, and understanding. (Proverbs 23:18-23, ASV)

**WEB** ([WEB](/codex/web/))
> 18. Indeed surely there is a future hope, and your hope will not be cut off. 19. Listen, my son, and be wise, and keep your heart on the right path!
>
> **20. Don’t be among ones drinking too much wine, or those who gorge themselves on meat: 21. for the drunkard and the glutton shall become poor; and drowsiness clothes them in rags.**
>
> 22. Listen to your father who gave you life, and don’t despise your mother when she is old. 23. Buy the truth, and don’t sell it. Get wisdom, discipline, and understanding. (Proverbs 23:18-23, WEB)

**KJV** ([KJV](/codex/kjv/))
> 18. For surely there is an end; and thine expectation shall not be cut off. <sup>end: or, reward</sup> 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: <sup>of flesh: Heb. of their flesh</sup> 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. Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding. (Proverbs 23:18-23, KJV)

**YLT** ([YLT](/codex/ylt/))
> 18. For, is there a posterity? Then thy hope is not cut off. 19. Hear thou, my son, and be wise, And make happy in the way thy heart,
>
> **20. Be not thou among quaffers of wine, Among gluttonous ones of flesh, 21. For the quaffer and glutton become poor, And drowsiness clotheth with rags.**
>
> 22. Hearken to thy father, who begat thee, And despise not thy mother when she hath become old. 23. Truth buy, and sell not, Wisdom, and instruction, and understanding, (Proverbs 23:18-23, YLT)

## Setting

- **Speaker:** _TBD_
- **Audience:** _TBD_
- **Location:** _TBD_
- **Time period:** _TBD_

## Theological reading

_Patristic / early-church-father exegesis, to be added._

## Key words

_Theologically-loaded Greek or Hebrew words in this verse may have entries in the lexicon. Curated to roughly 100 contested terms across the corpus, not every word._

- _TBD_
- _TBD_
- _TBD_
- _TBD_

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## Quoted in

**Concepts:**

- [Rebellious Son, OT Stoning vs NT Restoration](/codex/rebellious-son-ot-stoning-vs-nt-restoration/)

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## Notes

_Your annotations._

## Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the **most literal English translations available** (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the **public domain in the United States**, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

- **[ASV](/codex/asv/)** (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
- **[WEB](/codex/web/)** (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
- **[KJV](/codex/kjv/)** (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
- **[YLT](/codex/ylt/)** (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See [Bibles](/codex/bibles/) for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.