New International Version NIV
The Bible in Basic English BBE
1 My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor, if you have shaken hands in pledge for a stranger,
1 My son, if you have made yourself responsible for your neighbour, or given your word for another,
2 you have been trapped by what you said, ensnared by the words of your mouth.
2 You are taken as in a net by the words of your mouth, the sayings of your lips have overcome you.
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!
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 Allow no sleep to your eyes, no slumber to your eyelids.
4 Give no sleep to your eyes, or rest to them;
5 Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the snare of the fowler.
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 sluggard; consider its ways and be wise!
6 Go to the ant, you hater of work; give thought to her ways and be wise:
7 It has no commander, no overseer or ruler,
7 Having no chief, overseer, or ruler,
8 yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest.
8 She gets her meat in the summer, storing up food at the time of the grain-cutting.
9 How long will you lie there, you sluggard? When will you get up from your sleep?
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 slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest—
10 A little sleep, a little rest, a little folding of the hands in sleep:
11 and poverty will come on you like a thief and scarcity like an armed man.
11 Then loss will come on you like an outlaw, and your need like an armed man
12 A troublemaker and a villain, who goes about with a corrupt mouth,
12 A good-for-nothing man is an evil-doer; he goes on his way causing trouble with false words;
13 who winks maliciously with his eye, signals with his feet and motions with his fingers,
13 Making signs with his eyes, rubbing with his feet, and giving news with his fingers;
14 who plots evil with deceit in his heart— he always stirs up conflict.
14 His mind is ever designing evil: he lets loose violent acts.
15 Therefore disaster will overtake him in an instant; he will suddenly be destroyed—without remedy.
15 For this cause his downfall will be sudden; quickly he will be broken, and there will be no help for him.
16 There are six things the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to him:
16 Six things are hated by the Lord; seven things are disgusting to him:
17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood,
17 Eyes of pride, a false tongue, hands which take life without cause;
18 a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil,
18 A heart full of evil designs, feet which are quick in running after sin;
19 a false witness who pours out lies and a person who stirs up conflict in the community.
19 A false witness, breathing out untrue words, and one who lets loose violent acts among brothers.
20 My son, keep your father’s command and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.
20 My son, keep the rule of your father, and have in memory the teaching of your mother:
21 Bind them always on your heart; fasten them around your neck.
21 Keep them ever folded in your heart, and have them hanging round your neck.
22 When you walk, they will guide you; when you sleep, they will watch over you; when you awake, they will speak to you.
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.
23 For this command is a lamp, this teaching is a light, and correction and instruction are the way to life,
23 For the rule is a light, and the teaching a shining light; and the guiding words of training are the way of life.
24 keeping you from your neighbor’s wife, from the smooth talk of a wayward woman.
24 They will keep you from the evil woman, from the smooth tongue of the strange woman.
25 Do not lust in your heart after her beauty or let her captivate you with her eyes.
25 Let not your heart's desire go after her fair body; let not her eyes take you prisoner.
26 For a prostitute can be had for a loaf of bread, but another man’s wife preys on your very life.
26 For a loose woman is looking for a cake of bread, but another man's wife goes after one's very life.
27 Can a man scoop fire into his lap without his clothes being burned?
27 May a man take fire to his breast without burning his clothing?
28 Can a man walk on hot coals without his feet being scorched?
28 Or may one go on lighted coals, and his feet not be burned?
29 So is he who sleeps with another man’s wife; no one who touches her will go unpunished.
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.
30 People do not despise a thief if he steals to satisfy his hunger when he is starving.
30 Men do not have a low opinion of a thief who takes food when he is in need of it:
31 Yet if he is caught, he must pay sevenfold, though it costs him all the wealth of his house.
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.
32 But a man who commits adultery has no sense; whoever does so destroys himself.
32 He who takes another man's wife is without all sense: he who does it is the cause of destruction to his soul.
33 Blows and disgrace are his lot, and his shame will never be wiped away.
33 Wounds will be his and loss of honour, and his shame may not be washed away.
34 For jealousy arouses a husband’s fury, and he will show no mercy when he takes revenge.
34 For bitter is the wrath of an angry husband; in the day of punishment he will have no mercy.
35 He will not accept any compensation; he will refuse a bribe, however great it is.
35 He will not take any payment; and he will not make peace with you though your money offerings are increased.
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.
The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.