Proverbs

1My son, if you have become collateral for your neighbor,if you have struck your hands in pledge for a stranger,

2you are trapped by the words of your mouth;you are ensnared with the words of your mouth.

3Do this now, my son, and deliver yourself,since you have come into the hand of your neighbor.Go, humble yourself.Press your plea with your neighbor.

4Give no sleep to your eyes,nor slumber to your eyelids.

5Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter,like a bird from the snare of the fowler.

6Go to the ant, you sluggard.Consider her ways, and be wise;

7which having no chief, overseer, or ruler,

8provides her bread in the summer, and gathers her food in the harvest.

9How long will you sleep, sluggard?When will you arise out of your sleep?

10A little sleep, a little slumber,a little folding of the hands to sleep—

11so your poverty will come as a robber,and your scarcity as an armed man.

12A worthless person, a man of iniquity,is he who walks with a perverse mouth,

13who winks with his eyes, who signals with his feet,who motions with his fingers,

14in whose heart is perverseness,who devises evil continually, who always sows discord.

15Therefore his calamity will come suddenly.He will be broken suddenly, and that without remedy.

16There are six things which the LORD hates;yes, seven which are an abomination to him:

17arrogant eyes, a lying tongue,hands that shed innocent blood,

18a heart that devises wicked schemes,feet that are swift in running to mischief,

19a false witness who utters lies,and he who sows discord among brothers.

20My son, keep your father’s commandment,and don’t forsake your mother’s teaching.

21Bind them continually on your heart.Tie them around your neck.

22When you walk, it will lead you.When you sleep, it will watch over you. When you awake, it will talk with you.

23For the commandment is a lamp,and the law is light. Reproofs of instruction are the way of life,

24to keep you from the immoral woman,from the flattery of the wayward wife’s tongue.

25Don’t lust after her beauty in your heart,neither let her captivate you with her eyelids.

26For a prostitute reduces you to a piece of bread.The adulteress hunts for your precious life.

27Can a man scoop fire into his lap,and his clothes not be burned?

28Or can one walk on hot coals,and his feet not be scorched?

29So is he who goes in to his neighbor’s wife.Whoever touches her will not be unpunished.

30Men don’t despise a thiefif he steals to satisfy himself when he is hungry,

31but if he is found, he shall restore seven times.He shall give all the wealth of his house.

32He who commits adultery with a woman is void of understanding.He who does it destroys his own soul.

33He will get wounds and dishonor.His reproach will not be wiped away.

34For jealousy arouses the fury of the husband.He won’t spare in the day of vengeance.

35He won’t regard any ransom,neither will he rest content, though you give many gifts.

1My son, if thou be surety for thy friend, thou hast engaged fast thy hand to a stranger.

2Thou art ensnared with the words of thy mouth, and caught with thy own words.

3Do therefore, my son, what I say, and deliver thyself: because thou art fallen into the hand of thy neighbour. Run about, make haste, stir up thy friend:

4Give not sleep to thy eyes, neither let thy eyelids slumber.

5Deliver thyself as a doe from the hand, and as a bird from the hand of the fowler.

6Go to the ant, O sluggard, and consider her ways, and learn wisdom:

7Which, although she hath no guide, nor master, nor captain,

8Provideth her meat for herself in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest.

9How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou rise out of thy sleep?

10Thou wilt sleep a little, thou wilt slumber a little, thou wilt fold thy hands a little to sleep:

11And want shall come upon thee, as a traveller, and poverty as a man armed. But if thou be diligent, thy harvest shall come as a fountain, and want shall flee far from thee.

12A man that is an apostate, an unprofitable man, walketh with a perverse mouth,

13He winketh with the eyes, presseth with the foot, speaketh with the finger.

14With a wicked heart he deviseth evil, and at all times he soweth discord.

15To such a one his destruction shall presently come, and he shall suddenly be destroyed, and shall no longer have any remedy.

16Six things there are, which the Lord hateth, and the seventh his soul detesteth:

17Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood,

18A heart that deviseth wicked plots, feet that are swift to run into mischief,

19A deceitful witness that uttereth lies, and him that soweth discord among brethren.

20My son, beep the commandments of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother.

21Bind them in thy heart continually, and put them about thy neck.

22When thou walkest, let them go with thee: when thou sleepest, let them keep thee; and when thou awakest, talk with them.

23Because the commandment is a lamp, and the law a light, and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:

24That they may keep thee from the evil woman, and from the flattering tongue of the stranger.

25Let not thy heart covet her beauty, be not caught with her winks:

26For the price of a harlot is scarce one loaf: but the woman catcheth the precious soul of a man.

27Can a man hide fire in his bosom, and his garments not burn?

28Or can he walk upon hot coals, and his feet not be burnt?

29So he that goeth in to his neighbour’s wife, shall not be clean when he shall touch her.

30The fault is not so great when a man hath stolen: for he stealeth to fill his hungry soul:

31And if he be taken he shall restore sevenfold, and shall give up all the substance of his house.

32But he that is an adulterer, for the folly of his heart shall destroy his own soul:

33He gathereth to himself shame and dishonour, and his reproach shall not be blotted out:

34Because the jealousy and rage of the husband will not spare in the day of revenge,

35Nor will he yield to any man’s prayers, nor will he accept for satisfaction ever so many gifts.