| Berean Study Bible | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor, if you have struck hands in pledge with a stranger, | 1My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor or entered into an agreement with a stranger, |
| 2if you have been trapped by the words of your lips, ensnared by the words of your mouth, | 2you have been trapped by the words of your lips-- ensnared by the words of your mouth. |
| 3then do this, my son, to free yourself, for you have fallen into your neighbor’s hands: Go, humble yourself, and press your plea with your neighbor. | 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. |
| 4Allow no sleep to your eyes or slumber to your eyelids. | 4Don't give sleep to your eyes or slumber to your eyelids. |
| 5Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the snare of the fowler. | 5Escape like a gazelle from a hunter, like a bird from a fowler's trap. |
| 6Walk in the manner of the ant, O slacker; observe its ways and become wise. | 6Go to the ant, you slacker! Observe its ways and become wise. |
| 7Without a commander, without an overseer or ruler, | 7Without leader, administrator, or ruler, |
| 8it prepares its provisions in summer; it gathers its food at harvest. | 8it prepares its provisions in summer; it gathers its food during harvest. |
| 9How long will you lie there, O slacker? When will you get up from your sleep? | 9How long will you stay in bed, you slacker? When will you get up from your sleep? |
| 10A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, | 10A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the arms to rest, |
| 11and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and need like a bandit. | 11and your poverty will come like a robber, your need, like a bandit. |
| 12A worthless person, a wicked man, walks with a perverse mouth, | 12A worthless person, a wicked man goes around speaking dishonestly, |
| 13winking his eyes, speaking with his feet, and pointing with his fingers. | 13winking his eyes, signaling with his feet, and gesturing with his fingers. |
| 14With deceit in his heart he devises evil; he continually sows discord. | 14He always plots evil with perversity in his heart-- he stirs up trouble. |
| 15Therefore calamity will come upon him suddenly; in an instant he will be shattered beyond recovery. | 15Therefore calamity will strike him suddenly; he will be shattered instantly--beyond recovery. |
| 16There are six things that the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to Him: | 16The LORD hates six things; in fact, seven are detestable to Him: |
| 17haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, | 17arrogant eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, |
| 18a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that run swiftly to evil, | 18a heart that plots wicked schemes, feet eager to run to evil, |
| 19a false witness who gives false testimony, and one who stirs up discord among brothers. | 19a lying witness who gives false testimony, and one who stirs up trouble among brothers. |
| 20My son, keep your father’s commandment, and do not forsake your mother’s teaching. | 20My son, keep your father's command, and don't reject your mother's teaching. |
| 21Bind them always upon your heart; tie them around your neck. | 21Always bind them to your heart; tie them around your neck. |
| 22When you walk, they will guide you; when you lie down, they will watch over you; when you awake, they will speak to you. | 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. |
| 23For this commandment is a lamp, this teaching is a light, and the reproofs of discipline are the way to life, | 23For a command is a lamp, teaching is a light, and corrective discipline is the way to life. |
| 24to keep you from the evil woman, from the smooth tongue of the adulteress. | 24They will protect you from an evil woman, from the flattering tongue of a stranger. |
| 25Do not lust in your heart for her beauty or let her captivate you with her eyes. | 25Don't lust in your heart for her beauty or let her captivate you with her eyelashes. |
| 26For the levy of the prostitute is poverty, and the adulteress preys upon your very life. | 26For a prostitute's fee is only a loaf of bread, but an adulteress goes after a precious life. |
| 27Can a man embrace fire and his clothes not be burned? | 27Can a man embrace fire and his clothes not be burned? |
| 28Can a man walk on hot coals without scorching his feet? | 28Can a man walk on burning coals without scorching his feet? |
| 29So is he who sleeps with another man’s wife; no one who touches her will go unpunished. | 29So it is with the one who sleeps with another man's wife; no one who touches her will go unpunished. |
| 30Men do not despise the thief if he steals to satisfy his hunger. | 30People don't despise the thief if he steals to satisfy himself when he is hungry. |
| 31Yet if caught, he must pay sevenfold; he must give up all the wealth of his house. | 31Still, if caught, he must pay seven times as much; he must give up all the wealth in his house. |
| 32He who commits adultery lacks judgment; whoever does so destroys himself. | 32The one who commits adultery lacks sense; whoever does so destroys himself. |
| 33Wounds and dishonor will befall him, and his reproach will never be wiped away. | 33He will get a beating and dishonor, and his disgrace will never be removed. |
| 34For jealousy enrages a husband, and he will show no mercy in the day of vengeance. | 34For jealousy enrages a husband, and he will show no mercy when he takes revenge. |
| 35He will not be appeased by any ransom, or persuaded by lavish gifts. | 35He will not be appeased by anything or be persuaded by lavish gifts. |
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