Dangerous Promises
1 My son,if you become surety for your friend,
Ifyou have shaken hands in pledge for a stranger,
2 You are snared by the words of your mouth;
You are taken by the words of your mouth.
3 So do this, my son, and deliver yourself;
For you have come into the hand of your friend:
Go and humble yourself;
Plead with your friend.
4 Give no sleep to your eyes,
Nor slumber to your eyelids.
5 Deliver yourself like a gazelle from the handofthehunter,
And like a bird from the hand of the fowler.
The Folly of Indolence
6 Go to the ant, you sluggard!
Consider her ways and be wise,
7 Which, having no captain,
Overseer or ruler,
8 Provides her supplies in the summer,
Andgathers her food in the harvest.
9 How long will you slumber, O sluggard?
When will you rise from your sleep?
10 A little sleep, a little slumber,
A little folding of the hands to sleep—
11 So shall your poverty come on you like a prowler,
And your need like an armed man.
The Wicked Man
12 A worthless person, a wicked man,
Walks with a perverse mouth;
13 He winks with his eyes,
He shuffles his feet,
He points with his fingers;
14 Perversityisin his heart,
# He devises evil continually,
# He sows discord.
15 Therefore his calamity shall comesuddenly;
# Suddenly he shallbe brokenwithout remedy.
16 These sixthingstheLordhates,
Yes, sevenarean abomination to Him:
17 A proud look,
# A lying tongue,
# Hands that shed innocent blood,
18 A heart that devises wicked plans,
# Feet that are swift in running to evil,
19 A false witnesswhospeaks lies,
# And one whosows discord among brethren.
Beware of Adultery
20 My son, keep your father’s command,
And do not forsake the law of your mother.
21 Bind them continually upon your heart;
Tie them around your neck.
22 When you roam, they will lead you;
# When you sleep,they will keep you;
Andwhenyou awake, they will speak with you.
23 For the commandmentisa lamp,
And the law a light;
Reproofs of instructionarethe way of life,
24 To keep you from the evil woman,
From the flattering tongue of a seductress.
25 Do not lust after her beauty in your heart,
Nor let her allure you with her eyelids.
26 Forby means of a harlot
Amanisreducedto a crust of bread;
# And an adulteress willprey upon his precious life.
27 Can a man take fire to his bosom,
And his clothes not be burned?
28 Can one walk on hot coals,
And his feet not be seared?
29 Soishe who goes in to his neighbor’s wife;
Whoever touches her shall not be innocent.
30 Peopledo not despise a thief
If he steals to satisfy himself when he is starving.
31 Yetwhenhe is found,he must restore sevenfold;
He may have to give up all the substance of his house.
32 Whoever commits adultery with a womanlacks understanding;
Hewhodoes so destroys his own soul.
33 Wounds and dishonor he will get,
And his reproach will not be wiped away.
34 Forjealousyisa husband’s fury;
Therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance.
35 He will accept no recompense,
Nor will he be appeased though you give many gifts.