My son, if you have become surety (guaranteed a debt or obligation) for your neighbor,
If you have given your pledge for [the debt of] a stranger or another [outside your family],
If you have been snared with the words of your lips,
If you have been trapped by the speech of your mouth,
Do this now, my son, and release yourself [from the obligation];
Since you have come into the hand of your neighbor,
Go humble yourself, and plead with your neighbor [to pay his debt and release you].
Give no [unnecessary] sleep to your eyes,
Nor slumber to your eyelids;
Tear yourself away like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter
And like a bird from the hand of the fowler.
¶Go to the ant, O lazy one;
Observe her ways and be wise, [Job 12:7]
Which, having no chief,
Overseer or ruler,
She prepares her food in the summer
And brings in her provisions [of food for the winter] in the harvest.
How long will you lie down, O lazy one?
When will you arise from your sleep [and learn self-discipline]? [Prov 24:33, 34]
“Yet a little sleep, a little slumber,
A little folding of the hands to lie down and rest”—
So your poverty will come like an approaching prowler who walks [slowly, but surely]
And your need [will come] like an armed man [making you helpless]. [Prov 10:4; 13:4; 20:4]
¶A worthless person, a wicked man,
Is one who walks with a perverse (corrupt, vulgar) mouth.
Who winks with his eyes [in mockery], who shuffles his feet [to signal],
Who points with his fingers [to give subversive instruction];
Who perversely in his heart plots trouble and evil continually;
Who spreads discord and strife.
Therefore [the crushing weight of] his disaster will come suddenly upon him;
Instantly he will be broken, and there will be no healing or remedy [because he has no heart for God].
¶These six things the LORD hates;
Indeed, seven are repulsive to Him:
A proud look [the attitude that makes one overestimate oneself and discount others], a lying tongue,
And hands that shed innocent blood, [Ps 120:2, 3]
A heart that creates wicked plans,
Feet that run swiftly to evil,
A false witness who breathes out lies [even half-truths],
And one who spreads discord (rumors) among brothers.
¶My son, be guided by your father’s [God-given] commandment (instruction)
And do not reject the teaching of your mother; [Eph 6:1-3]
Bind them continually upon your heart (in your thoughts),
And tie them around your neck. [Prov 3:3; 7:3]
When you walk about, they (the godly teachings of your parents) will guide you;
When you sleep, they will keep watch over you;
And when you awake, they will talk to you.
For the commandment is a lamp, and the teaching [of the law] is light,
And reproofs (rebukes) for discipline are the way of life, [Ps 19:8; 119:105]
To keep you from the evil woman,
From [the flattery of] the smooth tongue of an immoral woman.
Do not desire (lust after) her beauty in your heart,
Nor let her capture you with her eyelashes.
For on account of a prostitute one is reduced to a piece of bread [to be eaten up],
And the immoral woman hunts [with a hook] the precious life [of a man].
Can a man take fire to his chest
And his clothes not be burned?
Or can a man walk on hot coals
And his feet not be scorched?
So is the one who goes in to his neighbor’s wife;
Whoever touches her will not be found innocent or go unpunished.
People do not despise a thief if he steals
To satisfy himself when he is hungry;
But when he is found, he must repay seven times [what he stole];
He must give all the property of his house [if necessary to meet his fine].
But whoever commits adultery with a woman lacks common sense and sound judgment and an understanding [of moral principles];
He who would destroy his soul does it.
Wounds and disgrace he will find,
And his reproach (blame) will not be blotted out.
For jealousy enrages the [wronged] husband;
He will not spare [the guilty one] on the day of vengeance.
He will not accept any ransom [offered to buy him off from demanding full punishment];
Nor will he be satisfied though you offer him many gifts (bribes).
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