The Book of Proverbs

My son, [if] you are surety for your friend, [if] you struck your palms with an alien,

you are snared with the words of your mouth; you are captured with the words of your own mouth.

My son, do this then, and deliver yourself when you come into the palm of your friend: go lower yourself and be bold to your friend.

Do not give sleep to your eyes, or slumber to your eyelids.

Deliver yourself like a gazelle from a hand [of a hunter], and as a bird from the fowler's hand.

Go to the ant, lazy man; consider her ways and be wise;

who, having no guide, overseer or ruler,

provides her bread in the summer, [and] gathers her food in the harvest.

How long will you lie down, O lazy man? When will you arise out of your sleep?

A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to lie down;

So shall your poverty come as one walking, and your need like an armed man.

A worthless person, a wicked man, walks with a perverse mouth,

winking with his eyes, speaking with his feet, teaching with his fingers.

Perversity [is] in his heart; he [is] plotting evil at every time, he sends out strife.

On account of this, calamity shall come suddenly; he is broken quickly and there is no healing.

These six [things] Jehovah hates; yea, seven [are] hateful to his soul;

a proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,

a heart that plots evil plans, feet hurrying to run to mischief,

a false witness who breathes lies, and he who causes strife among brothers.

My son, keep your father's commands, and do not forsake the law of your mother.

Tie them to your heart forever; tie them around your neck.

When you go, it shall lead you; when you sleep, it shall watch over you; and [when] you awaken, it will meditate [with] you.

For the commandment [is] a lamp, and the law a light; and reproofs of instruction [are] a way of life,

to keep you from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of the strange woman.

Do not lust after her beauty in your heart, and do not let her take you with her eyelids,

For on account of a woman, a harlot, [a man comes] to the [last] loaf of bread, and another man's wife hunts for the precious soul.

Can a man take fire into his bosom and his clothes not be burned?

Or can a man walk on hot coals and his feet not be burned?

So is he who goes in to his neighbor's wife; everyone touching her shall not be innocent.

They do not despise a thief, if he steals to fill his appetite when he is hungry.

But [if] he is found, he shall restore sevenfold; he shall give all the goods of his house.

He who commits adultery [with] a woman lacks heart; he [who] does it [is] a destroyer of his own soul.

He shall find a wound and dishonor, and his shame shall not be wiped away.

For jealousy [is] the rage of a man, and he will not spare in the day of vengeance,

He will not lift up the face of every ransom, nor will he consent if you multiply the bribes.