1My son, if you become surety for your friend, you shall deliver your hand to an enemy.

2For a man's own lips become a strong snare to him, and he is caught with the lips of his own mouth.

3My son, do what I command you, and deliver yourself; for on your friend's account you are come into the power of evil men: faint not, but stir up even your friend for whom you are become surety.

4Give not sleep to your eyes, nor slumber with your eyelids;

5that you may deliver yourself as a doe out of the toils, and as a bird out of a snare.

6Go to the ant, O sluggard; and see, and emulate his ways, and become wiser than he.

7For whereas he has no husbandry, nor any one to compel him, and is under no master,

8he prepares food for himself in the summer, and lays by abundant store in harvest. Or go to the bee, and learn how diligent she is, and how earnestly she is engaged in her work; whose labors kings and private men use for health, and she is desired and respected by all: though weak in ²⁵body, she is advanced by honouring wisdom.

9How long will you lie, O sluggard? and when will you awake out of sleep?

10You sleep a little, and you rest a little, and you slumber a short time, and you fold your arms over your breast a little.

11Then poverty comes upon you as an evil traveller, and lack as a swift courier: but if you be diligent, your harvest shall arrive as a fountain, and poverty shall flee away as a bad courier.

12A foolish man and a transgressor goes in ways that are not good.

13And the same winks with the eye, and makes a sign with his foot, and teaches with the beckonings of his fingers.

14His perverse heart devises evils: at all times such a one causes troubles to a city.

15Therefore his destruction shall come suddenly; overthrow and irretrievable ruin. ²⁶

16For he rejoices in all things which God hates, and he is ruined by reason of impurity of soul.

17The eye of the haughty, a tongue unjust, hands shedding the blood of the just;

18and a heart devising evil thoughts, and feet hastening to do evil, —are hateful to God.

19An unjust witness kindles falsehoods, and ²⁷brings on quarrels between brethren.

20My son, keep the laws of your father, and reject not the ordinances of your mother:

21but bind them upon your soul continually, and hang them as a chain about your neck.

22Whenever you walk, lead this along and let it be with you; that it may talk with you when you wake.

23For the commandment of the law is a lamp and a light; a way of life; reproof also and correction:

24to keep you continually from a married woman, and from the calumny of a strange tongue.

25Let not the desire of beauty overcome you, neither be you caught by your eyes, neither be captivated with her eyelids.

26For the value of a harlot is as much as of one loaf; and a woman hunts for the precious souls of men.

27Shall any one bind fire in his bosom, and not burn his garments?

28or will any one walk on coals of fire, and not burn his feet?

29So is he that goes in to a married woman; he shall not be held guiltless, neither any one that touches her.

30It is not to be wondered at if one should be taken stealing, for he steals that when hungry he may satisfy his soul:

31but if he should be taken, he shall repay sevenfold, and shall deliver himself by giving all his goods.

32But the adulterer through lack of sense procures destruction to his soul.

33He endures both pain and disgrace, and his reproach shall never be wiped off.

34For the soul of her husband is full of jealousy: he will not spare in the day of vengeance.

35He will not forego his enmity for any ransom: neither will he be reconciled for many gifts.