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

until an arrow pierces its liver,
like a bird darting into a snare—
he doesn’t know it will cost him his life.

A wicked messenger falls into trouble,
but a trustworthy courier brings healing.

The lot is cast into the lap,
but its every decision is from the Lord.

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A rebuke cuts into a perceptive person
more than a hundred lashes into a fool.

One with a twisted mind will not succeed,
and one with deceitful speech will fall into ruin.

It is honorable for a man to resolve a dispute,
but any fool can get himself into a quarrel.

The mouth of the forbidden woman is a deep pit;
a man cursed by the Lord will fall into it.

Though a righteous man falls seven times,
he will get up,
but the wicked will stumble into ruin.

The one who digs a pit will fall into it,
and whoever rolls a stone—
it will come back on him.

The one who leads the upright into an evil way
will fall into his own pit,
but the blameless will inherit what is good.

Happy is the one who is always reverent,
but one who hardens his heart falls into trouble.