6 My son, if you have become security for your neighbor, if you have given your pledge for a stranger or another,

² You are snared with the words of your lips, you are caught by the speech of your mouth.

³ Do this now [at once and earnestly], my son, and deliver yourself when you have put yourself into the ^[a]power of your neighbor; go, bestir and humble yourself, and beg your neighbor [to pay his debt and thereby release you].

⁴ Give not [unnecessary] sleep to your eyes, nor slumber to your eyelids;

⁵ Deliver yourself, as a roe or gazelle from the hand of the hunter, and as a bird from the hand of the fowler.

⁶ Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider her ways and be wise!—^(A)

⁷ Which, having no chief, overseer, or ruler,

⁸ Provides her food in the summer and gathers her supplies in the harvest.

⁹ How long will you sleep, O sluggard? When will you arise out of your sleep?^(B)

¹⁰ Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to lie down and sleep—

¹¹ So will your poverty come like a robber or one who travels [with slowly but surely approaching steps] and your want like an armed man [making you helpless].^(C)

¹² A worthless person, a wicked man, is he who goes about with a perverse (contrary, wayward) mouth.

¹³ He winks with his eyes, he speaks by shuffling or tapping with his feet, he makes signs [to mislead and deceive] and teaches with his fingers.

¹⁴ Willful and contrary in his heart, he devises trouble, vexation, and evil continually; he lets loose discord and sows it.

¹⁵ Therefore upon him shall the crushing weight of calamity come suddenly; suddenly shall he be broken, and that without remedy.

¹⁶ These six things the Lord hates, indeed, seven are an abomination to Him:

¹⁷ A proud look [the spirit that makes one overestimate himself and underestimate others], a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,^(D)

¹⁸ A heart that manufactures wicked thoughts and plans, feet that are swift in running to evil,

¹⁹ A false witness who breathes out lies [even under oath], and he who sows discord among his brethren.

²⁰ My son, keep your father’s [God-given] commandment and forsake not the law of [God] your mother [taught you].^(E)

²¹ Bind them continually upon your heart and tie them about your neck.^(F)

²² When you go, they [the words of your parents’ God] shall lead you; when you sleep, they shall keep you; and when you waken, they shall talk with you.

²³ For the commandment is a lamp, and the whole teaching [of the law] is light, and reproofs of discipline are the way of life,^(G)

²⁴ To keep you from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a loose woman.

²⁵ Lust not after her beauty in your heart, neither let her capture you with her eyelids.

²⁶ For on account of a harlot a man is brought to a piece of bread, and the adulteress stalks and snares [as with a hook] the precious life [of a man].

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

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

²⁹ So he who cohabits with his neighbor’s wife [will be tortured with evil consequences and just retribution]; he who touches her shall not be innocent or go unpunished.

³⁰ Men do not despise a thief if he steals to satisfy himself when he is hungry;

³¹ But if he is found out, he must restore seven times [what he stole]; he must give the whole substance of his house [if necessary—to meet his fine].

³² But whoever commits adultery with a woman lacks heart and understanding (moral principle and prudence); he who does it is destroying his own life.

³³ Wounds and disgrace will he get, and his reproach will not be wiped away.

³⁴ For jealousy makes [the wronged] man furious; therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance [upon the detected one].

³⁵ He will not consider any ransom [offered to buy him off from demanding full punishment]; neither will he be satisfied, though you offer him many gifts and bribes.