[1] My son, if you have become collateral for your neighbor, If you have
struck your hands in pledge for a stranger; [2] You are trapped by the
words of your mouth. You are ensnared with the words of your mouth. [3]
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] Give no sleep to your eyes, Nor slumber to your eyelids.
[5] Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, Like a
bird from the snare of the fowler. [6] Go to the ant, you sluggard.
Consider her ways, and be wise; [7] Which having no chief, Overseer, or
ruler, [8] Provides her bread in the summer, And gathers her food in the
harvest. [9] How long will you sleep, sluggard? When will you arise out
of your sleep? [10] A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding
of the hands to sleep: [11] So your poverty will come as a robber, And
your scarcity as an armed man. [12] A worthless person, a man of iniquity,
Is he who walks with a perverse mouth; [13] Who winks with his eyes, who
signals with his feet, Who motions with his fingers; [14] In whose heart
is perverseness, Who devises evil continually, Who always sows
discord. [15] Therefore his calamity will come suddenly. He will be
broken suddenly, and that without remedy. [16] There are six things which
Yahweh hates; Yes, seven which are an abomination to him: [17] Haughty
eyes, a lying tongue, Hands that shed innocent blood; [18] A heart that
devises wicked schemes, Feet that are swift in running to mischief, [19]
A false witness who utters lies, And he who sows discord among brothers.
[20] My son, keep your father`s commandment, And don`t forsake your
mother`s teaching. [21] Bind them continually on your heart. Tie them
around your neck. [22] When you walk, it will lead you. When you sleep,
it will watch over you. When you awake, it will talk with you. [23] For
the commandment is a lamp, And the law is light. Reproofs of
instruction are the way of life, [24] To keep you from the immoral woman,
From the flattery of the wayward wife`s tongue. [25] Don`t lust after her
beauty in your heart, Neither let her captivate you with her eyelids.
[26] For a prostitute reduces you to a piece of bread. The adulteress
hunts for your precious life. [27] 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] So is he who goes in to his neighbor`s wife.
Whoever touches her will not be unpunished. [30] Men don`t despise a
thief, If he steals to satisfy himself when he is hungry: [31] But if he
be found, he shall restore seven times. He shall give all the wealth of
his house. [32] He who commits adultery with a woman is void of
understanding. He who does it destroys his own soul. [33] He will get
wounds and dishonor. His reproach will not be wiped away. [34] For
jealousy arouses the fury of the husband. He won`t spare in the day of
vengeance. [35] He won`t regard any ransom, Neither will he rest
content, though you give many gifts.
