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

My son, if you have become security for your neighbor, if you have given your pledge for a stranger or another,

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

You are snared with the words of your lips, you are caught by the speech of your mouth.

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

Do this now, my son, and deliver yourself when you have put yourself into the power of your neighbor; go, bestir and humble yourself, and beg your neighbor.

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

Give not sleep to your eyes, nor slumber to your eyelids;

5 E scape as a roe from the hand of the hunter and as a bird from the hand of the fowler.

Deliver yourself, as a roe or gazelle from the hand of the hunter, and as a bird from the hand of the fowler.

6 ¶ Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise,

Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider her ways and be wise!—

7 W ho having no guide, overseer, or ruler,

Which, having no chief, overseer, or ruler,

8 p rovides her food in the summer and gathers her food in the harvest.

Provides her food in the summer and gathers her supplies in the harvest.

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

How long will you sleep, O sluggard? When will you arise out of your sleep?

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

Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to lie down and sleep—

11 S o shall thy poverty come as one that travels and thy want as an armed man.

So will your poverty come like a robber or one who travels and your want like an armed man.

12 ¶ A wicked man of Belial walks with a perverse mouth.

A worthless person, a wicked man, is he who goes about with a perverse (contrary, wayward) mouth.

13 H e winks with his eyes, he speaks with his feet, he teaches with his fingers;

He winks with his eyes, he speaks by shuffling or tapping with his feet, he makes signs and teaches with his fingers.

14 t here is perversion in his heart; he devises evil continually; he sows discord.

Willful and contrary in his heart, he devises trouble, vexation, and evil continually; he lets loose discord and sows it.

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

Therefore upon him shall the crushing weight of calamity come suddenly; suddenly shall he be broken, and that without remedy.

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

These six things the Lord hates, indeed, seven are an abomination to Him:

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

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

18 a heart that devises wicked imaginations, feet that are swift in running to evil,

A heart that manufactures wicked thoughts and plans, feet that are swift in running to evil,

19 a false witness that speaks lies, and he that sows discord among brethren.

A false witness who breathes out lies, and he who sows discord among his brethren.

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

My son, keep your father’s commandment and forsake not the law of your mother.

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

Bind them continually upon your heart and tie them about 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 go, they shall lead you; when you sleep, they shall keep you; and when you waken, they shall talk with you.

23 F or the commandment is fire, and the law is light; and reproofs of chastening are the way of life,

For the commandment is a lamp, and the whole teaching is light, and reproofs of 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 flattery of the tongue of a loose woman.

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

Lust not after her beauty in your heart, neither let her capture you with her eyelids.

26 F or by means of a whorish woman a man is reduced to a piece of bread, and the woman will hunt the precious soul of the man.

For on account of a harlot a man is brought to a piece of bread, and the adulteress stalks and snares 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?

Can one go upon hot coals and his feet not be burned?

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

So he who cohabits with his neighbor’s wife; he who touches her shall not be innocent or go unpunished.

30 M en do not take a thief lightly, even if he steals 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 a nd once he is taken, he shall restore sevenfold; he shall give all the substance of his house.

But if he is found out, he must restore seven times; he must give the whole substance of his house.

32 B ut whosoever commits adultery with a woman has a fault in his heart; he that does it corrupts his own soul.

But whoever commits adultery with a woman lacks heart and understanding (moral principle and prudence); he who does it is destroying his own life.

33 A wound and dishonour shall he get, and his reproach shall never be wiped away.

Wounds and disgrace will he get, and his reproach will not be wiped away.

34 F or the jealous rage of a man will not spare in the day of vengeance.

For jealousy makes man furious; therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance.

35 H e will not regard any ransom; neither will he want to forgive, though thou givest many bribes.

He will not consider any ransom; neither will he be satisfied, though you offer him many gifts and bribes.