^{1 Ref} My son, if you have made yourself responsible for your neighbour, or given your word for another,

^{2 Ref} You are taken as in a net by the words of your mouth, the sayings of your lips have overcome you.

^{3 Ref} Do this, my son, and make yourself free, because you have come into the power of your neighbour; go without waiting, and make a strong request to your neighbour.

^{4 Ref} Give no sleep to your eyes, or rest to them;

^{5 Ref} Make yourself free, like the roe from the hand of the archer, and the bird from him who puts a net for her.

^{6 Ref} Go to the ant, you hater of work; give thought to her ways and be wise:

^{7 Ref} Having no chief, overseer, or ruler,

^{8 Ref} She gets her meat in the summer, storing up food at the time of the grain-cutting.

^{9 Ref} How long will you be sleeping, O hater of work? when will you get up from your sleep?

^{10 Ref} A little sleep, a little rest, a little folding of the hands in sleep:

^{11 Ref} Then loss will come on you like an outlaw, and your need like an armed man

^{12 Ref} A good-for-nothing man is an evil-doer; he goes on his way causing trouble with false words;

^{13 Ref} Making signs with his eyes, rubbing with his feet, and giving news with his fingers;

^{14 Ref} His mind is ever designing evil: he lets loose violent acts.

^{15 Ref} For this cause his downfall will be sudden; quickly he will be broken, and there will be no help for him.

^{16 Ref} Six things are hated by the Lord; seven things are disgusting to him:

^{17 Ref} Eyes of pride, a false tongue, hands which take life without cause;

^{18 Ref} A heart full of evil designs, feet which are quick in running after sin;

^{19 Ref} A false witness, breathing out untrue words, and one who lets loose violent acts among brothers.

^{20 Ref} My son, keep the rule of your father, and have in memory the teaching of your mother:

^{21 Ref} Keep them ever folded in your heart, and have them hanging round your neck.

^{22 Ref} In your walking, it will be your guide; when you are sleeping, it will keep watch over you; when you are awake, it will have talk with you.

^{23 Ref} For the rule is a light, and the teaching a shining light; and the guiding words of training are the way of life.

^{24 Ref} They will keep you from the evil woman, from the smooth tongue of the strange woman.

^{25 Ref} Let not your heart's desire go after her fair body; let not her eyes take you prisoner.

^{26 Ref} For a loose woman is looking for a cake of bread, but another man's wife goes after one's very life.

^{27 Ref} May a man take fire to his breast without burning his clothing?

²⁸ Or may one go on lighted coals, and his feet not be burned?

^{29 Ref} So it is with him who goes in to his neighbour's wife; he who has anything to do with her will not go free from punishment.

^{30 Ref} Men do not have a low opinion of a thief who takes food when he is in need of it:

^{31 Ref} But if he is taken in the act he will have to give back seven times as much, giving up all his property which is in his house.

^{32 Ref} He who takes another man's wife is without all sense: he who does it is the cause of destruction to his soul.

^{33 Ref} Wounds will be his and loss of honour, and his shame may not be washed away.

^{34 Ref} For bitter is the wrath of an angry husband; in the day of punishment he will have no mercy.

^{35 Ref} He will not take any payment; and he will not make peace with you though your money offerings are increased.

^{1 Ref} My son, if thou art become surety for thy neighbor, If thou hast stricken thy hands for a stranger;

^{2 Ref} Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, Thou art taken with the words of thy mouth.

^{3 Ref} Do this now, my son, and deliver thyself, Seeing thou art come into the hand of thy neighbor: Go, humble thyself, and importune thy neighbor;

^{4 Ref} Give not sleep to thine eyes, Nor slumber to thine eyelids;

^{5 Ref} Deliver thyself as a roe from the hand `of the hunter', And as a bird from the hand of the fowler.

^{6 Ref} Go to the ant, thou sluggard; Consider her ways, and be wise:

^{7 Ref} Which having no chief, Overseer, or ruler,

^{8 Ref} Provideth her bread in the summer, And gathereth her food in the harvest.

^{9 Ref} How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? When wilt thou arise out of thy sleep?

^{10 Ref} `Yet' a little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to sleep:

^{11 Ref} So shall thy poverty come as a robber, And thy want as an armed man.

^{12 Ref} A worthless person, a man of iniquity, Is he that walketh with a perverse mouth;

^{13 Ref} That winketh with his eyes, that speaketh with his feet, That maketh signs with his fingers;

^{14 Ref} In whose heart is perverseness, Who deviseth evil continually, Who soweth discord.

^{15 Ref} Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly; On a sudden shall he be broken, and that without remedy.

^{16 Ref} There are six things which Jehovah hateth; Yea, seven which are an abomination unto him:

^{17 Ref} Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, And hands that shed innocent blood;

^{18 Ref} A heart that deviseth wicked purposes, Feet that are swift in running to mischief,

^{19 Ref} A false witness that uttereth lies, And he that soweth discord among brethren.

^{20 Ref} My son, keep the commandment of thy father, And forsake not the law of thy mother:

^{21 Ref} Bind them continually upon thy heart; Tie them about thy neck.

^{22 Ref} When thou walkest, it shall lead thee; When thou sleepest, it shall watch over thee; And when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee.

^{23 Ref} For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; And reproofs of instruction are the way of life:

^{24 Ref} To keep thee from the evil woman, From the flattery of the foreigner's tongue.

^{25 Ref} Lust not after her beauty in thy heart; Neither let her take thee with her eyelids.

^{26 Ref} For on account of a harlot `a man is brought' to a piece of bread; And the adulteress hunteth for the precious life.

^{27 Ref} Can a man take fire in his bosom, And his clothes not be burned?

²⁸ Or can one walk upon hot coals, And his feet not be scorched?

^{29 Ref} So he that goeth in to his neighbor's wife; Whosoever toucheth her shall not be unpunished.

^{30 Ref} Men do not despise a thief, if he steal To satisfy himself when he is hungry:

^{31 Ref} But if he be found, he shall restore sevenfold; He shall give all the substance of his house.

^{32 Ref} He that committeth adultery with a woman is void of understanding: He doeth it who would destroy his own soul.

^{33 Ref} Wounds and dishonor shall he get; And his reproach shall not be wiped away.

^{34 Ref} For jealousy is the rage of a man; And he will not spare in the day of vengeance.

^{35 Ref} He will not regard any ransom; Neither will he rest content, though thou givest many gifts.

^{1 Ref} My son, if you have become collateral for your neighbor, If you have struck your hands in pledge for a stranger;

^{2 Ref} You are trapped by the words of your mouth. You are ensnared with the words of your mouth.

^{3 Ref} Do this now, my son, and deliver yourself, Seeing you have come into the hand of your neighbor. Go, humble yourself. Press your plea with your neighbor.

^{4 Ref} Give no sleep to your eyes, Nor slumber to your eyelids.

^{5 Ref} Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, Like a bird from the snare of the fowler.

^{6 Ref} Go to the ant, you sluggard. Consider her ways, and be wise;

^{7 Ref} Which having no chief, overseer, or ruler,

^{8 Ref} Provides her bread in the summer, And gathers her food in the harvest.

^{9 Ref} How long will you sleep, sluggard? When will you arise out of your sleep?

^{10 Ref} A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to sleep:

^{11 Ref} So your poverty will come as a robber, And your scarcity as an armed man.

^{12 Ref} A worthless person, a man of iniquity, Is he who walks with a perverse mouth;

^{13 Ref} Who winks with his eyes, who signals with his feet, Who motions with his fingers;

^{14 Ref} In whose heart is perverseness, Who devises evil continually, Who always sows discord.

^{15 Ref} Therefore his calamity will come suddenly. He will be broken suddenly, and that without remedy.

^{16 Ref} There are six things which Yahweh hates; Yes, seven which are an abomination to him:

^{17 Ref} Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, Hands that shed innocent blood;

^{18 Ref} A heart that devises wicked schemes, Feet that are swift in running to mischief,

^{19 Ref} A false witness who utters lies, And he who sows discord among brothers.

^{20 Ref} My son, keep your father's commandment, And don't forsake your mother's teaching.

^{21 Ref} Bind them continually on your heart. Tie them around your neck.

^{22 Ref} When you walk, it will lead you. When you sleep, it will watch over you. When you awake, it will talk with you.

^{23 Ref} For the commandment is a lamp, And the law is light. Reproofs of instruction are the way of life,

^{24 Ref} To keep you from the immoral woman, From the flattery of the wayward wife's tongue.

^{25 Ref} Don't lust after her beauty in your heart, Neither let her captivate you with her eyelids.

^{26 Ref} For a prostitute reduces you to a piece of bread. The adulteress hunts for your precious life.

^{27 Ref} Can a man scoop fire into his lap, And his clothes not be burned?

²⁸ Or can one walk on hot coals, And his feet not be scorched?

^{29 Ref} So is he who goes in to his neighbor's wife. Whoever touches her will not be unpunished.

^{30 Ref} Men don't despise a thief, If he steals to satisfy himself when he is hungry:

^{31 Ref} But if he is found, he shall restore seven times. He shall give all the wealth of his house.

^{32 Ref} He who commits adultery with a woman is void of understanding. He who does it destroys his own soul.

^{33 Ref} He will get wounds and dishonor. His reproach will not be wiped away.

^{34 Ref} For jealousy arouses the fury of the husband. He won't spare in the day of vengeance.

^{35 Ref} He won't regard any ransom, Neither will he rest content, though you give many gifts.