Warnings against Foolishness

1{2}Thou art ensnared with the words of thy mouth, and caught with thy own words.

2{3}Do, therefore, my son, what I say, and deliver thyself: because thou art fallen into the hand of thy neighbour. Run about, make haste, stir up thy friend:

3{4}Give not sleep to thy eyes, neither let thy eyelids slumber.

4{5}Deliver thyself as a doe from the hand, and as a bird from the hand of the fowler.

5{6}Go to the ant, O sluggard, and consider her ways, and learn wisdom:

6{7}Which, although she hath no guide, nor master, nor captain,

7{8}Provideth her meat for herself in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest.

8{9}How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep?

9{10}Thou wilt sleep a little, thou wilt slumber a little, thou wilt fold thy hands a little to sleep:

10{11}And want shall come upon thee, as a traveller, and poverty as a man armed. But if thou be diligent, thy harvest shall come as a fountain, and want shall flee far from thee.

11{12}A man that is an apostate, an unprofitable man, walketh with a perverse mouth,

12{13}He winketh with the eyes, presseth with the foot, speaketh with the finger.

13{14}With a wicked heart he deviseth evil, and at all times he soweth discord.

14{15}To such a one his destruction shall presently come, and he shall suddenly be destroyed, and shall no longer have any remedy.

15{16}Six things there are, which the Lord hateth, and the seventh his soul detesteth:

16{17}Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood,

17{18}A heart that deviseth wicked plots, feet that are swift to run into mischief,

18{19}A deceitful witness that uttereth lies, and him that soweth discord among brethren.

19{20}My son, keep the commandments of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother.

Warnings against Adultery

20{21}Bind them in thy heart continually, and put them about thy neck.

21{22}When thou walkest, let them go with thee: when thou sleepest, let them keep thee, and when thou awakest, talk with them.

22{23}Because the commandment is a lamp, and the law a light, and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:

23{24}That they may keep thee from the evil woman, and from the flattering tongue of the stranger.

24{25}Let not thy heart covet her beauty, be not caught with her winks:

25{26}For the price of a harlot is scarce one loaf: but the woman catcheth the precious soul of a man.

26{27}Can a man hide fire in his bosom, and his garments not burn?

27{28}Or can he walk upon hot coals, and his feet not be burnt?

28{29}So he that goeth in to his neighbour's wife, shall not be clean when he shall touch her.

29{30}The fault is not so great when a man hath stolen: for he stealeth to fill his hungry soul:

30{31}And if he be taken, he shall restore sevenfold, and shall give up all the substance of his house.

31{32}But he that is an adulterer, for the folly of his heart shall destroy his own soul:

32{33}He gathereth to himself shame and dishonour, and his reproach shall not be blotted out:

33{34}Because the jealousy and rage of the husband will not spare in the day of revenge,

34{35}Nor will he yield to any man's prayers, nor will he accept for satisfaction ever so many gifts.

35{7:1}My son, keep my words, and lay up my precepts with thee. Son,