New International Version NIV
Common English Bible CEB
1 My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor, if you have shaken hands in pledge for a stranger,
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My son, if you guarantee a loan for your neighbor or shake hands in agreement with a stranger,
2 you have been trapped by what you said, ensnared by the words of your mouth.
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you will be trapped by your words; you will be caught by your words.
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!
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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.
4 Allow no sleep to your eyes, no slumber to your eyelids.
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Don't give sleep to your eyes or slumber to your eyelids.
5 Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the snare of the fowler.
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Get yourself free like a gazelle from a hunter, like a bird from the hand of a fowler.
6 Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise!
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Go to the ant, you lazy person; observe its ways and grow wise.
7 It has no commander, no overseer or ruler,
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The ant has no commander, officer, or ruler.
8 yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest.
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Even so, it gets its food in summer; gathers its provisions at harvest.
9 How long will you lie there, you sluggard? When will you get up from your sleep?
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How long, lazy person, will you lie down? When will you rise 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 arms to lie down—
11 and poverty will come on you like a thief and scarcity like an armed man.
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and poverty will come on you like a prowler, destitution like a warrior.
12 A troublemaker and a villain, who goes about with a corrupt mouth,
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Worthless people and guilty people go around with crooked talk.
13 who winks maliciously with his eye, signals with his feet and motions with his fingers,
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They wink their eyes, gesture with their feet, and point with their fingers.
14 who plots evil with deceit in his heart— he always stirs up conflict.
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Their hearts are corrupt and determined to do evil; they create controversies all the time.
15 Therefore disaster will overtake him in an instant; he will suddenly be destroyed—without remedy.
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Therefore, sudden disaster will come upon them; they will be quickly broken beyond healing.
16 There are six things the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to him:
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There are six things that the LORD hates, seven things detestable to him:
17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood,
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snobbish eyes, a lying tongue, hands that spill innocent blood,
18 a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil,
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a heart set on wicked plans, feet that run quickly to evil,
19 a false witness who pours out lies and a person who stirs up conflict in the community.
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a false witness who breathes lies, and one who causes conflicts among relatives.
20 My son, keep your father’s command and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.
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My son, keep your father's command; don't abandon your mother's instruction.
21 Bind them always on your heart; fasten them around your neck.
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Bind them on your heart for all time; fasten them around 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.
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When you walk around, they will lead you; when you lie down, they will protect you; when you awake, they will occupy your attention.
23 For this command is a lamp, this teaching is a light, and correction and instruction are the way to life,
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The commandment is a lamp and instruction a light; corrective teaching is the path of life.
24 keeping you from your neighbor’s wife, from the smooth talk of a wayward woman.
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They guard you from the evil woman, from the flattering tongue of the foreign woman.
25 Do not lust in your heart after her beauty or let her captivate you with her eyes.
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Don't desire her beauty in secret; don't let her take you in with her eyelashes,
26 For a prostitute can be had for a loaf of bread, but another man’s wife preys on your very life.
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for a prostitute costs a loaf of bread, but a married woman hunts for a man's very life.
27 Can a man scoop fire into his lap without his clothes being burned?
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Can a man scoop fire into his lap and his clothes not get burned?
28 Can a man walk on hot coals without his feet being scorched?
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If a man walks on hot coals, don't his feet get burned?
29 So is he who sleeps with another man’s wife; no one who touches her will go unpunished.
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So is the man who approaches his neighbor's wife; anyone who touches her will be punished.
30 People do not despise a thief if he steals to satisfy his hunger when he is starving.
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People don't despise a thief if he steals to fill his starving stomach.
31 Yet if he is caught, he must pay sevenfold, though it costs him all the wealth of his house.
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But if he is caught, he must pay sevenfold; he must give all the riches of his house.
32 But a man who commits adultery has no sense; whoever does so destroys himself.
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He who commits adultery is senseless. Doing so, he destroys himself.
33 Blows and disgrace are his lot, and his shame will never be wiped away.
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He is wounded and disgraced. His shame will never be wiped away.
34 For jealousy arouses a husband’s fury, and he will show no mercy when he takes revenge.
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Jealousy makes a man rage; he'll show no mercy on his day of revenge.
35 He will not accept any compensation; he will refuse a bribe, however great it is.
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He won't accept compensation; he'll refuse even a large bribe.
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.
Copyright © 2011 Common English Bible