Holman Christian Standard Bible | NET Bible |
1My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor or entered into an agreement with a stranger, | 1My child, if you have made a pledge for your neighbor, and have become a guarantor for a stranger, |
2you have been trapped by the words of your lips-- ensnared by the words of your mouth. | 2if you have been ensnared by the words you have uttered, and have been caught by the words you have spoken, |
3Do this, then, my son, and free yourself, for you have put yourself in your neighbor's power: Go, humble yourself, and plead with your neighbor. | 3then, my child, do this in order to deliver yourself, because you have fallen into your neighbor's power: go, humble yourself, and appeal firmly to your neighbor. |
4Don't give sleep to your eyes or slumber to your eyelids. | 4Permit no sleep to your eyes or slumber to your eyelids. |
5Escape like a gazelle from a hunter, like a bird from a fowler's trap. | 5Deliver yourself like a gazelle from a snare, and like a bird from the trap of the fowler. |
6Go to the ant, you slacker! Observe its ways and become wise. | 6Go to the ant, you sluggard; observe its ways and be wise! |
7Without leader, administrator, or ruler, | 7It has no commander, overseer, or ruler, |
8it prepares its provisions in summer; it gathers its food during harvest. | 8yet it prepares its food in the summer; it gathers at the harvest what it will eat. |
9How long will you stay in bed, you slacker? When will you get up from your sleep? | 9How long, you sluggard, will you lie there? When will you rise from your sleep? |
10A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the arms to rest, | 10A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to relax, |
11and your poverty will come like a robber, your need, like a bandit. | 11and your poverty will come like a robber, and your need like an armed man. |
12A worthless person, a wicked man goes around speaking dishonestly, | 12A worthless and wicked person walks around saying perverse things; |
13winking his eyes, signaling with his feet, and gesturing with his fingers. | 13he winks with his eyes, signals with his feet, and points with his fingers; |
14He always plots evil with perversity in his heart-- he stirs up trouble. | 14he plots evil with perverse thoughts in his heart, he spreads contention at all times. |
15Therefore calamity will strike him suddenly; he will be shattered instantly--beyond recovery. | 15Therefore, his disaster will come suddenly; in an instant he will be broken, and there will be no remedy. |
16The LORD hates six things; in fact, seven are detestable to Him: | 16There are six things that the LORD hates, even seven things that are an abomination to him: |
17arrogant eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, | 17haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, |
18a heart that plots wicked schemes, feet eager to run to evil, | 18a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that are swift to run to evil, |
19a lying witness who gives false testimony, and one who stirs up trouble among brothers. | 19a false witness who pours out lies, and a person who spreads discord among family members. |
20My son, keep your father's command, and don't reject your mother's teaching. | 20My child, guard the commands of your father and do not forsake the instruction of your mother. |
21Always bind them to your heart; tie them around your neck. | 21Bind them on your heart continually; fasten them around your neck. |
22When you walk here and there, they will guide you; when you lie down, they will watch over you; when you wake up, they will talk to you. | 22When you walk about, they will guide you; when you lie down, they will watch over you; when you wake up, they will talk to you. |
23For a command is a lamp, teaching is a light, and corrective discipline is the way to life. | 23For the commandments are like a lamp, instruction is like a light, and rebukes of discipline are like the road leading to life, |
24They will protect you from an evil woman, from the flattering tongue of a stranger. | 24by keeping you from the evil woman, from the smooth tongue of the loose woman. |
25Don't lust in your heart for her beauty or let her captivate you with her eyelashes. | 25Do not lust in your heart for her beauty, and do not let her captivate you with her alluring eyes; |
26For a prostitute's fee is only a loaf of bread, but an adulteress goes after a precious life. | 26for on account of a prostitute one is brought down to a loaf of bread, but the wife of another man preys on your precious life. |
27Can a man embrace fire and his clothes not be burned? | 27Can a man hold fire against his chest without burning his clothes? |
28Can a man walk on burning coals without scorching his feet? | 28Can a man walk on hot coals without scorching his feet? |
29So it is with the one who sleeps with another man's wife; no one who touches her will go unpunished. | 29So it is with the one who has sex with his neighbor's wife; no one who touches her will escape punishment. |
30People don't despise the thief if he steals to satisfy himself when he is hungry. | 30People do not despise a thief when he steals to fulfill his need when he is hungry. |
31Still, if caught, he must pay seven times as much; he must give up all the wealth in his house. | 31Yet if he is caught he must repay seven times over, he might even have to give all the wealth of his house. |
32The one who commits adultery lacks sense; whoever does so destroys himself. | 32A man who commits adultery with a woman lacks wisdom, whoever does it destroys his own life. |
33He will get a beating and dishonor, and his disgrace will never be removed. | 33He will be beaten and despised, and his reproach will not be wiped away; |
34For jealousy enrages a husband, and he will show no mercy when he takes revenge. | 34for jealousy kindles a husband's rage, and he will not show mercy when he takes revenge. |
35He will not be appeased by anything or be persuaded by lavish gifts. | 35He will not consider any compensation; he will not be willing, even if you multiply the compensation. |
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