Proverbs 5:17-6:14

English Standard Version

^17 (A)Let them be for yourself alone,
    and not for strangers with you.
¹⁸ Let your ^(B)fountain be blessed,
    and ^(C)rejoice in ^(D)the wife of your youth,
¹⁹     a lovely ^(E)deer, a graceful doe.
Let her breasts ^(F)fill you at all times with delight;
    be intoxicated^[a] always in her love.
²⁰ Why should you be intoxicated, my son, with ^(G)a forbidden woman
    and embrace the bosom of ^(H)an adulteress?^[b]
21 For ^(I)a man's ways are ^(J)before the eyes of the Lord,
    and he ^(K)ponders^[c] all his paths.
²² The ^(L)iniquities of the wicked ^(M)ensnare him,
    and he is held fast in the cords of his sin.
^23 (N)He dies for lack of discipline,
    and because of his great folly he is ^(O)led astray.

6 My son, if you have put up ^(P)security for your neighbor,
    have ^(Q)given your pledge for a stranger,
² if you are ^(R)snared in the words of your mouth,
    caught in the words of your mouth,
³ then do this, my son, and save yourself,
    for you have come into the hand of your neighbor:
    go, hasten,^[d] and ^(S)plead urgently with your neighbor.
^4 (T)Give your eyes no sleep
    and your eyelids no slumber;
⁵ save yourself like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter,^{[e]
    (U)}like a bird from the hand of the fowler.