Common English Bible CEB
English Standard Version ESV
1 My son, if you guarantee a loan for your neighbor or shake hands in agreement with a stranger,
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My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor, have given your pledge for a stranger,
2 you will be trapped by your words; you will be caught by your words.
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if you are snared in the words of your mouth, caught in the words of your mouth,
3 Do this, my son, to get out of it, for you have come under the control of your neighbor. So go, humble yourself, and pester your neighbor.
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then do this, my son, and save yourself, for you have come into the hand of your neighbor: go, hasten, and plead urgently with your neighbor.
4 Don't give sleep to your eyes or slumber to your eyelids.
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Give your eyes no sleep and your eyelids no slumber;
5 Get yourself free like a gazelle from a hunter, like a bird from the hand of a fowler.
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save yourself like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the hand of the fowler.
6 Go to the ant, you lazy person; observe its ways and grow wise.
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Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise.
7 The ant has no commander, officer, or ruler.
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Without having any chief, officer, or ruler,
8 Even so, it gets its food in summer; gathers its provisions at harvest.
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she prepares her bread in summer and gathers her food in harvest.
9 How long, lazy person, will you lie down? When will you rise from your sleep?
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How long will you lie there, O sluggard? When will you arise from your sleep?
10 A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the arms to lie down—
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A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest,
11 and poverty will come on you like a prowler, destitution like a warrior.
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and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man.
12 Worthless people and guilty people go around with crooked talk.
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A worthless person, a wicked man, goes about with crooked speech,
13 They wink their eyes, gesture with their feet, and point with their fingers.
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winks with his eyes, signals with his feet, points with his finger,
14 Their hearts are corrupt and determined to do evil; they create controversies all the time.
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with perverted heart devises evil, continually sowing discord;
15 Therefore, sudden disaster will come upon them; they will be quickly broken beyond healing.
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therefore calamity will come upon him suddenly; in a moment he will be broken beyond healing.
16 There are six things that the LORD hates, seven things detestable to him:
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There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him:
17 snobbish eyes, a lying tongue, hands that spill innocent blood,
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haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,
18 a heart set on wicked plans, feet that run quickly to evil,
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a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil,
19 a false witness who breathes lies, and one who causes conflicts among relatives.
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a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.
20 My son, keep your father's command; don't abandon your mother's instruction.
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My son, keep your father’s commandment, and forsake not your mother’s teaching.
21 Bind them on your heart for all time; fasten them around your neck.
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Bind them on your heart always; tie them around your neck.
22 When you walk around, they will lead you; when you lie down, they will protect you; when you awake, they will occupy your attention.
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When you walk, they will lead you; when you lie down, they will watch over you; and when you awake, they will talk with you.
23 The commandment is a lamp and instruction a light; corrective teaching is the path of life.
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For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching a light, and the reproofs of discipline are the way of life,
24 They guard you from the evil woman, from the flattering tongue of the foreign woman.
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to preserve you from the evil woman, from the smooth tongue of the adulteress.
25 Don't desire her beauty in secret; don't let her take you in with her eyelashes,
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Do not desire her beauty in your heart, and do not let her capture you with her eyelashes;
26 for a prostitute costs a loaf of bread, but a married woman hunts for a man's very life.
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for the price of a prostitute is only a loaf of bread, but a married woman hunts down a precious life.
27 Can a man scoop fire into his lap and his clothes not get burned?
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Can a man carry fire next to his chest and his clothes not be burned?
28 If a man walks on hot coals, don't his feet get burned?
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Or can one walk on hot coals and his feet not be scorched?
29 So is the man who approaches his neighbor's wife; anyone who touches her will be punished.
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So is he who goes in to his neighbor’s wife; none who touches her will go unpunished.
30 People don't despise a thief if he steals to fill his starving stomach.
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People do not despise a thief if he steals to satisfy his appetite when he is hungry,
31 But if he is caught, he must pay sevenfold; he must give all the riches of his house.
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but if he is caught, he will pay sevenfold; he will give all the goods of his house.
32 He who commits adultery is senseless. Doing so, he destroys himself.
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He who commits adultery lacks sense; he who does it destroys himself.
33 He is wounded and disgraced. His shame will never be wiped away.
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He will get wounds and dishonor, and his disgrace will not be wiped away.
34 Jealousy makes a man rage; he'll show no mercy on his day of revenge.
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For jealousy makes a man furious, and he will not spare when he takes revenge.
35 He won't accept compensation; he'll refuse even a large bribe.
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He will accept no compensation; he will refuse though you multiply gifts.