Revised Standard Version RSV
New International Version NIV
1 My son, if you have become surety for your neighbor, have given your pledge for a stranger;
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My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor, if you have shaken hands in pledge for a stranger,
2 if you are snared in the utterance of your lips, caught in the words of your mouth;
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you have been trapped by what you said, ensnared by the words of your mouth.
3 then do this, my son, and save yourself, for you have come into your neighbor's power: go, hasten, and importune your neighbor.
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So do this, my son, to free yourself, since you have fallen into your neighbor’s hands: Go—to the point of exhaustion—and give your neighbor no rest!
4 Give your eyes no sleep and your eyelids no slumber;
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Allow no sleep to your eyes, no slumber to your eyelids.
5 save yourself like a gazelle from the hunter, like a bird from the hand of the fowler.
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Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the snare of the fowler.
6 Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise.
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Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise!
7 Without having any chief, officer or ruler,
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It has no commander, no overseer or ruler,
8 she prepares her food in summer, and gathers her sustenance in harvest.
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yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest.
9 How long will you lie there, O sluggard? When will you arise from your sleep?
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How long will you lie there, you sluggard? When will you get up from your sleep?
10 A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest,
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A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest—
11 and poverty will come upon you like a vagabond, and want like an armed man.
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and poverty will come on you like a thief and scarcity like an armed man.
12 A worthless person, a wicked man, goes about with crooked speech,
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A troublemaker and a villain, who goes about with a corrupt mouth,
13 winks with his eyes, scrapes with his feet, points with his finger,
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who winks maliciously with his eye, signals with his feet and motions with his fingers,
14 with perverted heart devises evil, continually sowing discord;
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who plots evil with deceit in his heart— he always stirs up conflict.
15 therefore calamity will come upon him suddenly; in a moment he will be broken beyond healing.
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Therefore disaster will overtake him in an instant; he will suddenly be destroyed—without remedy.
16 There are six things which the LORD hates, seven which are an abomination to him:
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There are six things the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to him:
17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,
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haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood,
18 a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil,
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a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil,
19 a false witness who breathes out lies, and a man who sows discord among brothers.
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a false witness who pours out lies and a person who stirs up conflict in the community.
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1952 [2nd edition, 1971] by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.