Proverbs 23:2

and put a knife to your throat ¹  if you possess a large appetite. ² 

and put a knife to your throat if you are given to gluttony.

And put a knife to your throat If you are a man of great appetite.

If you are a big eater, put a knife to your throat,

Don't gobble your food, don't talk with your mouth full.

And put a knife to your throat, if you have a strong desire for food.

and put a knife to your throat if you have a big appetite.

And put a knife to your throat If you are a man given to appetite.

and put a knife to your throat ¹  if you possess a large appetite. ² 

¹ sn The expression “put a knife to your throat” is an idiom that means “curb your appetite” or “control yourself” (cf. TEV). The instruction was from a time when people dealt with all-powerful tyrants. To enter the presence of such a person and indulge one’s appetites would be to take a very high risk.

² tn Heb “lord of appetite.” The idiom בַּעַל נֶפֶשׁ (ba’al nefesh) refers to someone who possesses a large appetite (cf. NAB “a ravenous appetite”). A person with a big appetite is in danger of taking liberties when invited to court.