^{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.