King James Version KJV
New International Version NIV
1 My son, if thou be surety for thy friend, if thou hast stricken thy hand with a stranger,
1
My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor, if you have shaken hands in pledge for a stranger,
2 Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken with the words of thy mouth.
2
you have been trapped by what you said, ensnared by the words of your mouth.
3 Do this now, my son, and deliver thyself, when thou art come into the hand of thy friend; go, humble thyself, and make sure thy friend.
3
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 not sleep to thine eyes, nor slumber to thine eyelids.
4
Allow no sleep to your eyes, no slumber to your eyelids.
5 Deliver thyself as a roe from the hand of the hunter, and as a bird from the hand of the fowler.
5
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, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise:
6
Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise!
The King James Version is in the public domain.
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.