⁶ Go to the ant, you sluggard;^(I)
    consider its ways and be wise!
⁷ It has no commander,
    no overseer or ruler,
⁸ yet it stores its provisions in summer^(J)
    and gathers its food at harvest.^(K)

⁹ How long will you lie there, you sluggard?^(L)
    When will you get up from your sleep?
¹⁰ A little sleep, a little slumber,
    a little folding of the hands to rest^(M)—
¹¹ and poverty^(N) will come on you like a thief
    and scarcity like an armed man.

¹² A troublemaker and a villain,
    who goes about with a corrupt mouth,
¹³     who winks maliciously with his eye,^(O)
    signals with his feet
    and motions with his fingers,^(P)
14     who plots evil^(Q) with deceit in his heart—
    he always stirs up conflict.^(R)
15 Therefore disaster will overtake him in an instant;^(S)
    he will suddenly^(T) be destroyed—without remedy.^(U)

¹⁶ There are six things the Lord hates,^(V)
    seven that are detestable to him:
¹⁷         haughty eyes,^(W)
        a lying tongue,^(X)
        hands that shed innocent blood,^(Y)
18         a heart that devises wicked schemes,
        feet that are quick to rush into evil,^(Z)
19         a false witness^(AA) who pours out lies^(AB)
        and a person who stirs up conflict in the community.^(AC)

²⁵ Do not lust in your heart after her beauty
    or let her captivate you with her eyes.

²⁶ For a prostitute can be had for a loaf of bread,
    but another man’s wife preys on your very life.^(AJ)
27 Can a man scoop fire into his lap
    without his clothes being burned?
²⁸ Can a man walk on hot coals
    without his feet being scorched?
²⁹ So is he who sleeps^(AK) with another man’s wife;^(AL)
    no one who touches her will go unpunished.

³⁰ People do not despise a thief if he steals
    to satisfy his hunger when he is starving.
³¹ Yet if he is caught, he must pay sevenfold,^(AM)
    though it costs him all the wealth of his house.
³² But a man who commits adultery^(AN) has no sense;^(AO)
    whoever does so destroys himself.
³³ Blows and disgrace are his lot,
    and his shame will never^(AP) be wiped away.

³⁴ For jealousy^(AQ) arouses a husband’s fury,^(AR)
    and he will show no mercy when he takes revenge.
³⁵ He will not accept any compensation;
    he will refuse a bribe, however great it is.^(AS)

⁶ At the window of my house
    I looked down through the lattice.
⁷ I saw among the simple,
    I noticed among the young men,
    a youth who had no sense.^(AX)
8 He was going down the street near her corner,
    walking along in the direction of her house
⁹ at twilight,^(AY) as the day was fading,
    as the dark of night set in.

¹⁰ Then out came a woman to meet him,
    dressed like a prostitute and with crafty intent.
¹¹ (She is unruly^(AZ) and defiant,
    her feet never stay at home;
¹² now in the street, now in the squares,
    at every corner she lurks.)^(BA)
13 She took hold of him^(BB) and kissed him
    and with a brazen face she said:^(BC)

¹⁴ “Today I fulfilled my vows,
    and I have food from my fellowship offering^(BD) at home.
¹⁵ So I came out to meet you;
    I looked for you and have found you!
¹⁶ I have covered my bed
    with colored linens from Egypt.
¹⁷ I have perfumed my bed^(BE)
    with myrrh,^(BF) aloes and cinnamon.
¹⁸ Come, let’s drink deeply of love till morning;
    let’s enjoy ourselves with love!^(BG)
19 My husband is not at home;
    he has gone on a long journey.
²⁰ He took his purse filled with money
    and will not be home till full moon.”

²¹ With persuasive words she led him astray;
    she seduced him with her smooth talk.^(BH)
22 All at once he followed her
    like an ox going to the slaughter,
like a deer^[b] stepping into a noose^[c](BI)
23     till an arrow pierces^(BJ) his liver,
like a bird darting into a snare,
    little knowing it will cost him his life.^(BK)

²⁴ Now then, my sons, listen^(BL) to me;
    pay attention to what I say.
²⁵ Do not let your heart turn to her ways
    or stray into her paths.^(BM)
26 Many are the victims she has brought down;
    her slain are a mighty throng.
²⁷ Her house is a highway to the grave,
    leading down to the chambers of death.^(BN)