The Bible in Basic English BBE
Good News Translation GNT
1 My son, if you have made yourself responsible for your neighbour, or given your word for another,
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My child, have you promised to be responsible for someone else's debts?
2 You are taken as in a net by the words of your mouth, the sayings of your lips have overcome you.
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Have you been caught by your own words, trapped by your own promises?
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.
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Well then, my child, you are in that person's power, but this is how to get out of it: hurry to him, and beg him to release you.
4 Give no sleep to your eyes, or rest to them;
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Don't let yourself go to sleep or even stop to rest.
5 Make yourself free, like the roe from the hand of the archer, and the bird from him who puts a net for her.
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Get out of the trap like a bird or a deer escaping from a hunter.
6 Go to the ant, you hater of work; give thought to her ways and be wise:
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Lazy people should learn a lesson from the way ants live.
7 Having no chief, overseer, or ruler,
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They have no leader, chief, or ruler,
8 She gets her meat in the summer, storing up food at the time of the grain-cutting.
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but they store up their food during the summer, getting ready for winter.
9 How long will you be sleeping, O hater of work? when will you get up from your sleep?
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How long is the lazy man going to lie around? When is he ever going to get up?
10 A little sleep, a little rest, a little folding of the hands in sleep:
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"I'll just take a short nap," he says; "I'll fold my hands and rest a while."
11 Then loss will come on you like an outlaw, and your need like an armed man
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But while he sleeps, poverty will attack him like an armed robber.
12 A good-for-nothing man is an evil-doer; he goes on his way causing trouble with false words;
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Worthless, wicked people go around telling lies.
13 Making signs with his eyes, rubbing with his feet, and giving news with his fingers;
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They wink and make gestures to deceive you,
14 His mind is ever designing evil: he lets loose violent acts.
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all the while planning evil in their perverted minds, stirring up trouble everywhere.
15 For this cause his downfall will be sudden; quickly he will be broken, and there will be no help for him.
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Because of this, disaster will strike them without warning, and they will be fatally wounded.
16 Six things are hated by the Lord; seven things are disgusting to him:
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There are seven things that the Lord hates and cannot tolerate: A proud look, a lying tongue, hands that kill innocent people, a mind that thinks up wicked plans, feet that hurry off to do evil, a witness who tells one lie after another, and someone who stirs up trouble among friends
17 Eyes of pride, a false tongue, hands which take life without cause;
18 A heart full of evil designs, feet which are quick in running after sin;
19 A false witness, breathing out untrue words, and one who lets loose violent acts among brothers.
20 My son, keep the rule of your father, and have in memory the teaching of your mother:
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Son, do what your father tells you and never forget what your mother taught you.
21 Keep them ever folded in your heart, and have them hanging round your neck.
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Keep their words with you always, locked in your heart.
22 In your walking, it will be your guide; when you are sleeping, it will keep watch over you; when you are awake, it will have talk with you.
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Their teaching will lead you when you travel, protect you at night, and advise you during the day.
23 For the rule is a light, and the teaching a shining light; and the guiding words of training are the way of life.
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Their instructions are a shining light; their correction can teach you how to live.
24 They will keep you from the evil woman, from the smooth tongue of the strange woman.
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It can keep you away from bad women, from the seductive words of other men's wives.
25 Let not your heart's desire go after her fair body; let not her eyes take you prisoner.
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Don't be tempted by their beauty; don't be trapped by their flirting eyes.
26 For a loose woman is looking for a cake of bread, but another man's wife goes after one's very life.
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A man can hire a prostitute for the price of a loaf of bread, but adultery will cost him all he has.
27 May a man take fire to his breast without burning his clothing?
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Can you carry fire against your chest without burning your clothes?
28 Or may one go on lighted coals, and his feet not be burned?
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Can you walk on hot coals without burning your feet?
29 So it is with him who goes in to his neighbour's wife; he who has anything to do with her will not go free from punishment.
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It is just as dangerous to sleep with another man's wife. Whoever does it will suffer.
30 Men do not have a low opinion of a thief who takes food when he is in need of it:
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People don't despise a thief if he steals food when he is hungry;
31 But if he is taken in the act he will have to give back seven times as much, giving up all his property which is in his house.
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yet if he is caught, he must pay back seven times more - he must give up everything he has.
32 He who takes another man's wife is without all sense: he who does it is the cause of destruction to his soul.
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But a man who commits adultery doesn't have any sense. He is just destroying himself.
33 Wounds will be his and loss of honour, and his shame may not be washed away.
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He will be dishonored and beaten up; he will be permanently disgraced.
34 For bitter is the wrath of an angry husband; in the day of punishment he will have no mercy.
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A husband is never angrier than when he is jealous; his revenge knows no limits.
35 He will not take any payment; and he will not make peace with you though your money offerings are increased.
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He will not accept any payment; no amount of gifts will satisfy his anger.
The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.