New King James Version NKJV
Revised Standard Version RSV
1 My son, if you become surety for your friend, If you have shaken hands in pledge for a stranger,
1
My son, if you have become surety for your neighbor, have given your pledge for a stranger;
2 You are snared by the words of your mouth; You are taken by the words of your mouth.
2
if you are snared in the utterance of your lips, caught in the words of your mouth;
3 So do this, my son, and deliver yourself; For you have come into the hand of your friend: Go and humble yourself; Plead with your friend.
3
then do this, my son, and save yourself, for you have come into your neighbor's power: go, hasten, and importune your neighbor.
4 Give no sleep to your eyes, Nor slumber to your eyelids.
4
Give your eyes no sleep and your eyelids no slumber;
5 Deliver yourself like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, And like a bird from the hand of the fowler.
5
save yourself like a gazelle from the hunter, like a bird from the hand of the fowler.
6 Go to the ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise,
6
Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise.
7 Which, having no captain, Overseer or ruler,
7
Without having any chief, officer or ruler,
8 Provides her supplies in the summer, And gathers her food in the harvest.
8
she prepares her food in summer, and gathers her sustenance in harvest.
9 How long will you slumber, O sluggard? When will you rise from your sleep?
9
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 hands to sleep--
10
A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest,
11 So shall your poverty come on you like a prowler, And your need like an armed man.
11
and poverty will come upon you like a vagabond, and want like an armed man.
12 A worthless person, a wicked man, Walks with a perverse mouth;
12
A worthless person, a wicked man, goes about with crooked speech,
13 He winks with his eyes, He shuffles his feet, He points with his fingers;
13
winks with his eyes, scrapes with his feet, points with his finger,
14 Perversity is in his heart, He devises evil continually, He sows discord.
14
with perverted heart devises evil, continually sowing discord;
15 Therefore his calamity shall come suddenly; Suddenly he shall be broken without remedy.
15
therefore calamity will come upon him suddenly; in a moment he will be broken beyond healing.
16 These six things the Lord hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to Him:
16
There are six things which the LORD hates, seven which are an abomination to him:
17 A proud look, A lying tongue, Hands that shed innocent blood,
17
haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,
18 A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that are swift in running to evil,
18
a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil,
19 A false witness who speaks lies, And one who sows discord among brethren.
19
a false witness who breathes out lies, and a man who sows discord among brothers.
20 My son, keep your father's command, And do not forsake the law of your mother.
20
My son, keep your father's commandment, and forsake not your mother's teaching.
21 Bind them continually upon your heart; Tie them around your neck.
21
Bind them upon your heart always; tie them about your neck.
22 When you roam, they will lead you; When you sleep, they will keep you; And when you awake, they will speak with you.
22
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 For the commandment is a lamp, And the law a light; Reproofs of instruction are the way of life,
23
For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching a light, and the reproofs of discipline are the way of life,
24 To keep you from the evil woman, From the flattering tongue of a seductress.
24
to preserve you from the evil woman, from the smooth tongue of the adventuress.
25 Do not lust after her beauty in your heart, Nor let her allure you with her eyelids.
25
Do not desire her beauty in your heart, and do not let her capture you with her eyelashes;
26 For by means of a harlot A man is reduced to a crust of bread; And an adulteress will prey upon his precious life.
26
for a harlot may be hired for a loaf of bread, but an adulteress stalks a man's very life.
27 Can a man take fire to his bosom, And his clothes not be burned?
27
Can a man carry fire in his bosom and his clothes not be burned?
28 Can one walk on hot coals, And his feet not be seared?
28
Or can one walk upon hot coals and his feet not be scorched?
29 So is he who goes in to his neighbor's wife; Whoever touches her shall not be innocent.
29
So is he who goes in to his neighbor's wife; none who touches her will go unpunished.
30 People do not despise a thief If he steals to satisfy himself when he is starving.
30
Do not men despise a thief if he steals to satisfy his appetite when he is hungry?
31 Yet when he is found, he must restore sevenfold; He may have to give up all the substance of his house.
31
And if he is caught, he will pay sevenfold; he will give all the goods of his house.
32 Whoever commits adultery with a woman lacks understanding; He who does so destroys his own soul.
32
He who commits adultery has no sense; he who does it destroys himself.
33 Wounds and dishonor he will get, And his reproach will not be wiped away.
33
Wounds and dishonor will he get, and his disgrace will not be wiped away.
34 For jealousy is a husband's fury; Therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance.
34
For jealousy makes a man furious, and he will not spare when he takes revenge.
35 He will accept no recompense, Nor will he be appeased though you give many gifts.
35
He will accept no compensation, nor be appeased though you multiply gifts.