Against Pledges

1 My son, if you serve as surety for your friend and you give your pledge to him,

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

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

1 My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor()or entered into an agreement with() a stranger,()()

1 My son, if you guarantee a loan for your neighbor, if you have agreed to a deal with a stranger,

2 You are snared with the words of your mouth. You are captured by the words of your mouth!

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

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

2 you have been trapped by the words of your lips()ensnared by the words of your mouth.

2 trapped by your own words, and caught by your own words,

3 You are now in the power of that person. Here is what you should do: Go and beg for permission to call off the agreement.

3 Do 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.

3 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.

3 Do this, then, my son, and free yourself,for you have put yourself in your neighbor’s power:Go, humble yourself, and plead with your neighbor.

3 then do this, my son, and deliver yourself, because you have come under your neighbor's control. Go, humble yourself! Plead passionately with your neighbor!

4 Do this before you fall asleep. Do not allow your eyes to close.

4 Give not sleep to thine eyes, nor slumber to thine eyelids.

4 Give no ()sleep to your eyes,Nor slumber to your eyelids;

4 Don’t give sleep to your eyesor slumber to your eyelids.()

4 Don't allow yourself to sleep or even to close your eyes.

5 Deliver your self like a deer from the hand of the hunter, and like a bird from the hand of the fowler (bird catcher).

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

5 Deliver yourself like a gazelle from the hunter’s handAnd like a ()bird from the hand of the fowler.

5 Escape like a gazelle from a hunter,()like a bird from a fowler’s trap.()()

5 Deliver yourself like a gazelle from a hunter's hand, or like a bird from a fowler's hand.

Against Sloth

6 Go to the ant, you lazy person. Consider her ways and be wise!

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

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

6 Go to the ant,() you slacker!()Observe its ways and become wise.

6 Go to the ant, you lazy man! Observe its ways and become wise.

7 The lowly ant has no guide or overseer.

7 Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler,

7 Which, having ()no chief,Officer or ruler,

7 Without leader, administrator, or ruler,

7 It has no commander, officer, or ruler,

8 It prepares its food in the summer and gathers food at the harvest.

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

8 Prepares her food ()in the summerAnd gathers her provision in the harvest.

8 it prepares its provisions in summer;it gathers its food during harvest.()

8 but prepares its provisions in the summer and gathers its food in the harvest.

9 How long will you sleep, O lazy person? When will you arise from your sleep?

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

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

9 How long will you stay in bed, you slacker?When will you get up from your sleep?

9 How long will you lie down, lazy man? When will you get up from your sleep?

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

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

10 ()A little sleep, a little slumber,A little folding of the hands to ()rest”—

10 A little sleep, a little slumber,a little folding of the arms to rest,()

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

11 Your poverty comes like a traveler. Your need comes like an armed man.

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

11 ()Your poverty will come in like a ()vagabondAnd your need like ()an armed man.

11 and your poverty will come like a robber,your need, like a bandit.()

11 and your poverty will come on you like a bandit and your desperation like an armed man.

Against Worthlessness

12 An ungodly person, a wicked man, walks with a perverse mouth.

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

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

12 A worthless person,() a wicked mangoes around speaking dishonestly,()

12 A worthless man, a wicked man, goes around with devious speech,

13 He winks with his eyes, he speaks with his feet, he teaches with his fingers.

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

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

13 winking() his eyes, signaling with his feet,and gesturing with his fingers.

13 winking with his eyes, making signs with his feet, pointing with his fingers,

14 Fraud is in his heart, he devises mischief continually; he sows discord.

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

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

14 He always plots evil() with perversity in his heart—he stirs up trouble.()

14 planning evil with a perverse mind, continually stirring up discord.

15 His disaster will come suddenly. Suddenly he is broken beyond repair.

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

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

15 Therefore calamity will strike him suddenly;he will be shattered instantly—beyond recovery.()

15 Therefore, disaster will overtake him suddenly. He will be broken in an instant, and he will never recover.

What Yahweh Hates

16 Jehovah hates these six things: Yes, seven are an abomination to him:

16 These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:

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

16 The Lord hates six things;in fact, seven are detestable to Him:

16 Here are six things that the LORD hates seven, in fact, are detestable to him:

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

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

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

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

17 Arrogant eyes, a lying tongue, and hands shedding innocent blood;

18 A heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that run quickly to badness,

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

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

18 a heart that plots wicked schemes,()feet eager to run to evil,()

18 a heart crafting evil plans, feet running swiftly to wickedness,

19 A false witness that speaks lies, and he that sows discord among brothers.

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

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

19 a lying witness who gives false testimony,()and one who stirs up trouble among brothers.()

19 a false witness snorting lies, and someone sowing quarrels between brothers.

Commandment And Instruction As Guardians

20 My son, obey your father's command, and do not abandon the law of your mother:

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

20 ()My son, observe the commandment of your fatherAnd do not forsake the ()teaching of your mother;

20 My son, keep your father’s command,and don’t reject your mother’s teaching.()

20 Keep your father's commands, my son, and never forsake your mother's rules,

21 Constantly bind them upon your heart, and tie them about your neck.

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

21 ()Bind them continually on your heart;Tie them around your neck.

21 Always bind them to your heart;tie them around your neck.()

21 by binding them to your heart continuously, fastening them around your neck.

22 When you go, they will lead you; when you sleep they will watch over you and when you awake, they will talk to you.

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

22 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.

22 When you walk here and there, they will guide you;when you lie down, they will watch over you;when you wake up, they will talk to you.

22 During your travels wisdom will lead you; she will watch over you while you rest; and when you are startled from your sleep, she will commune with you.

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

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

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

23 For a command is a lamp, teaching is a light,()and corrective discipline is the way to life.()

23 Because the command is a lamp and the Law a light, rebukes that discipline are a way of life

24 This will keep you from the evil woman and from the smooth tongue of an adulterous woman.

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

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

24 They will protect you from an evil woman,()from the flattering() tongue of a stranger.()

24 to protect you from the evil woman, from the words of the seductive woman.

25 Do not lust after her beauty in your heart. Do not let her attract you with her eyelids.

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

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

25 Don’t lust in your heart for her beauty()or let her captivate you with her eyelashes.()

25 Do not focus on her beauty in your mind, nor allow her to take you prisoner with her flirting eyes,

26 A prostitute will cost you your last crust of bread. An adulteress will cost you your life.

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

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

26 For a prostitute’s fee is only a loaf of bread,()but an adulteress() goes after a precious life.()

26 because the price of a whore is a loaf of bread, and an adulterous woman stalks a man's precious life.

Warning Against Relations With A Married Woman

27 Can a man have fire in his lap and his clothes not be burned?

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

27 Can a man ()take fire in his bosomAnd his clothes not be burned?

27 Can a man embrace fire()and his clothes not be burned?

27 Can a man scoop fire into his bosom without burning his clothes?

28 Can one walk on hot coals, and his feet not be burned?

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

28 Or can a man walk on hot coalsAnd his feet not be scorched?

28 Can a man walk on burning coalswithout scorching his feet?

28 Can a man walk on hot coals without scorching his feet?

29 He who has sex with another mans wife; anyone who embraces her will not be innocent.

29 So he that goeth in to his neighbour's wife; whosoever toucheth her shall not be innocent.

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

29 So it is with the one who sleeps withanother man’s wife;no one who touches her will go unpunished.()

29 So also is it with someone who has sex with his neighbor's wife; anyone touching her will not remain unpunished.

30 Men do not despise a thief if he steals to satisfy his hunger when he is starving.

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

30 ()Men do not despise a thief if he stealsTo ()satisfy ()himself when he is hungry;

30 People don’t despise the thief if he stealsto satisfy himself when he is hungry.()

30 A thief isn't despised if he steals to meet his needs when he is hungry,

31 But if he is caught, he must repay sevenfold. He must give everything in his house.

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

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

31 Still, if caught, he must pay seven times as much;()he must give up all the wealth in his house.

31 but when he is discovered, he must restore seven-fold, forfeiting the entire value of his house.

32 He who commits adultery with a woman lacks judgment and destroys himself.

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

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

32 The one who commits adultery() lacks sense;whoever does so destroys himself.()

32 Whoever commits adultery with a woman is out of his mind; by doing so he corrupts his own soul.

33 He will get wounds and be dishonored. His shame will not be wiped away.

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

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

33 He will get a beating() and dishonor,and his disgrace will never be removed.

33 He will receive a beating and dishonor, and his shame won't disappear,

34 Jealousy enrages a man. He will not be spared in the day of vengeance.

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

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

34 For jealousy enrages a husband,()and he will show no mercy when he takes revenge.

34 because jealousy incites a strong man's rage, and he will show no mercy when it's time for revenge.

35 He will not regard any ransom, nor will he be content when you give many gifts.

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

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

35 He will not be appeased by anythingor be persuaded by lavish gifts. >

35 He will not consider any payment, nor will he be willing to accept it, no matter how large the bribe.

Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers.

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