The Darby Translation DBY
New International Version NIV
1 My son, if thou hast become surety for thy friend, if thou hast stricken thy hand 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 thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken with the words of thy mouth.
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you have been trapped by what you said, ensnared by the words of your mouth.
3 Do this now, my son, and deliver thyself, since thou hast come into the hand of thy friend: go, humble thyself, and be urgent with thy friend.
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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 not sleep to thine eyes, nor slumber to thine eyelids:
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Allow no sleep to your eyes, no slumber to your eyelids.
5 deliver thyself as a gazelle from the hand [of the hunter], and as 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, thou sluggard; consider her ways and be wise:
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Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise!
7 which having no chief, overseer, or ruler,
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It has no commander, no overseer or ruler,
8 provideth her bread in the summer, [and] gathereth her food in the harvest.
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yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest.
9 How long, sluggard, wilt thou lie down? When wilt thou arise out of thy 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 So shall thy poverty come as a roving plunderer, and thy penury as an armed man.
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and poverty will come on you like a thief and scarcity like an armed man.
12 A man of Belial, a wicked person, is he that goeth about with a perverse mouth;
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A troublemaker and a villain, who goes about with a corrupt mouth,
13 he winketh with his eyes, he speaketh with his feet, he teacheth with his fingers;
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who winks maliciously with his eye, signals with his feet and motions with his fingers,
14 deceits are in his heart; he deviseth mischief at all times, he soweth discords.
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who plots evil with deceit in his heart— he always stirs up conflict.
15 Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly: in a moment shall he be broken, and without remedy.
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Therefore disaster will overtake him in an instant; he will suddenly be destroyed—without remedy.
16 These six [things] doth Jehovah hate, yea, seven are an abomination unto 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 deviseth wicked imaginations; feet that are swift in running to mischief;
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a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil,
19 a false witness that uttereth lies, and he that soweth discords among brethren.
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a false witness who pours out lies and a person who stirs up conflict in the community.
The Darby Translation 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.