1 M y son, if thou be surety for thy friend, if thou hast stricken thy hand with a stranger,

My son, if you have become surety for your neighbor, Have given a pledge for a stranger,

2 t hou art snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken with the words of thy mouth.

If you have been snared with the words of your mouth, Have been caught with the words of your mouth,

3 D o this now, my son, and deliver thyself, when thou art come into the hand of thy friend; go, humble thyself, and make sure thy friend.

Do this then, my son, and deliver yourself; Since you have come into the hand of your neighbor, Go, humble yourself, and importune your neighbor.

4 G ive not sleep to thine eyes, nor slumber to thine eyelids.

Give no sleep to your eyes, Nor slumber to your eyelids;

5 D eliver thyself as a roe from the hand of the hunter, and as a bird from the hand of the fowler.

Deliver yourself like a gazelle from the hunter’s hand And like a bird from the hand of the fowler.

6 G o to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise:

Go to the ant, O sluggard, Observe her ways and be wise,

7 w hich having no guide, overseer, or ruler,

Which, having no chief, Officer or ruler,

8 p rovideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest.

Prepares her food in the summer And gathers her provision in the harvest.

9 H ow long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep?

How long will you lie down, O sluggard? When will you arise from your sleep?

10 Y et a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:

“ A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to rest”—

11 s o shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man.

Your poverty will come in like a vagabond And your need like an armed man.

12 A naughty person, a wicked man, walketh with a froward mouth.

A worthless person, a wicked man, Is the one who walks with a perverse mouth,

13 H e winketh with his eyes, he speaketh with his feet, he teacheth with his fingers;

Who winks with his eyes, who signals with his feet, Who points with his fingers;

14 f rowardness is in his heart, he deviseth mischief continually; he soweth discord.

Who with perversity in his heart continually devises evil, Who spreads strife.

15 T herefore shall his calamity come suddenly; suddenly shall he be broken without remedy.

Therefore his calamity will come suddenly; Instantly he will be broken and there will be no healing.

16 T hese six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:

There are six things which the Lord hates, Yes, seven which are an abomination to Him:

17 a proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,

Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, And hands that shed innocent blood,

18 a n heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,

A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that run rapidly to evil,

19 a false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.

A false witness who utters lies, And one who spreads strife among brothers.

20 M y son, keep thy father’s commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother:

My son, observe the commandment of your father And do not forsake the teaching of your mother;

21 b ind them continually upon thine heart, and tie them about thy neck.

Bind them continually on your heart; Tie them around your neck.

22 W hen thou goest, it shall lead thee; when thou sleepest, it shall keep thee; and when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee.

When you walk about, they will guide you; When you sleep, they will watch over you; And when you awake, they will talk to you.

23 F or the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:

For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching is light; And reproofs for discipline are the way of life

24 t o keep thee from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman.

To keep you from the evil woman, From the smooth tongue of the adulteress.

25 L ust not after her beauty in thine heart; neither let her take thee with her eyelids.

Do not desire her beauty in your heart, Nor let her capture you with her eyelids.

26 F or by means of a whorish woman a man is brought to a piece of bread: and the adulteress will hunt for the precious life.

For on account of a harlot one is reduced to a loaf of bread, And an adulteress hunts for the precious life.

27 C an a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned?

Can a man take fire in his bosom And his clothes not be burned?

28 C an one go upon hot coals, and his feet not be burned?

Or can a man walk on hot coals And his feet not be scorched?

29 S o he that goeth in to his neighbour’s wife; whosoever toucheth her shall not be innocent.

So is the one who goes in to his neighbor’s wife; Whoever touches her will not go unpunished.

30 M en do not despise a thief, if he steal to satisfy his soul when he is hungry;

Men do not despise a thief if he steals To satisfy himself when he is hungry;

31 b ut if he be found, he shall restore sevenfold; he shall give all the substance of his house.

But when he is found, he must repay sevenfold; He must give all the substance of his house.

32 B ut whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding: he that doeth it destroyeth his own soul.

The one who commits adultery with a woman is lacking sense; He who would destroy himself does it.

33 A wound and dishonour shall he get; and his reproach shall not be wiped away.

Wounds and disgrace he will find, And his reproach will not be blotted out.

34 F or jealousy is the rage of a man: therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance.

For jealousy enrages a man, And he will not spare in the day of vengeance.

35 H e will not regard any ransom; neither will he rest content, though thou givest many gifts.

He will not accept any ransom, Nor will he be satisfied though you give many gifts.