1
My son, if you have made yourself responsible for your neighbour, or given your word for another,
2
You are taken as in a net by the words of your mouth, the sayings of your lips have overcome you.
3
Do this, my son, and make yourself free, because you have come into the power of your neighbour; go without waiting, and make a strong request to your neighbour.
4
Give no sleep to your eyes, or rest to them;
5
Make yourself free, like the roe from the hand of the archer, and the bird from him who puts a net for her.
6
Go to the ant, you hater of work; give thought to her ways and be wise:
7
Having no chief, overseer, or ruler,
8
She gets her meat in the summer, storing up food at the time of the grain-cutting.
9
How long will you be sleeping, O hater of work? when will you get up from your sleep?
10
A little sleep, a little rest, a little folding of the hands in sleep:
11
Then loss will come on you like an outlaw, and your need like an armed man