Christian Standard Bible

English Standard Version

1My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor or entered into an agreement with a stranger,

1My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor, have given your pledge for a stranger,

2you have been snared by the words of your mouth trapped by the words from your mouth.

2if you are snared in the words of your mouth, caught in the words of your mouth,

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 do this, my son, and save yourself, for you have come into the hand of your neighbor: go, hasten, and plead urgently with your neighbor.

4Don't give sleep to your eyes or slumber to your eyelids.

4Give your eyes no sleep and your eyelids no slumber;

5Escape like a gazelle from a hunter, like a bird from a hunter's trap.

5save yourself like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the hand of the fowler.

6Go to the ant, you slacker! Observe its ways and become wise.

6Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise.

7Without leader, administrator, or ruler,

7Without having any chief, officer, or ruler,

8it prepares its provisions in summer; it gathers its food during harvest.

8she prepares her bread in summer and gathers her food in harvest.

9How long will you stay in bed, you slacker? When will you get up from your sleep?

9How long will you lie there, O sluggard? When will you arise 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 rest,

11and your poverty will come like a robber, your need, like a bandit.

11and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man.

12A worthless person, a wicked man goes around speaking dishonestly,

12A worthless person, a wicked man, goes about with crooked speech,

13winking his eyes, signaling with his feet, and gesturing with his fingers.

13winks with his eyes, signals with his feet, points with his finger,

14He always plots evil with perversity in his heart; he stirs up trouble.

14with perverted heart devises evil, continually sowing discord;

15Therefore calamity will strike him suddenly; he will be shattered instantly, beyond recovery.

15therefore calamity will come upon him suddenly; in a moment he will be broken beyond healing.

16The LORD hates six things; in fact, seven are detestable to him:

16There are six things that the LORD hates, seven 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 make haste to run to evil,

19a lying witness who gives false testimony, and one who stirs up trouble among brothers.

19a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.

20My son, keep your father's command, and don't reject your mother's teaching.

20My son, keep your father’s commandment, and forsake not your mother’s teaching.

21Always bind them to your heart; tie them around your neck.

21Bind them on your heart always; tie 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, they will lead you; when you lie down, they will watch over you; and when you awake, they will talk with you.

23For a command is a lamp, teaching is a light, and corrective discipline is the way to life.

23For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching a light, and the reproofs of discipline are the way of life,

24They will protect you from an evil woman, from the flattering tongue of a wayward woman.

24to preserve you from the evil woman, from the smooth tongue of the adulteress.

25Don't lust in your heart for her beauty or let her captivate you with her eyelashes.

25Do not desire her beauty in your heart, and do not let her capture you with her eyelashes;

26For a prostitute's fee is only a loaf of bread, but the wife of another man goes after a precious life.

26for the price of a prostitute is only a loaf of bread, but a married woman hunts down a precious life.

27Can a man embrace fire and his clothes not be burned?

27Can a man carry fire next to his chest and his clothes not be burned?

28Can a man walk on burning coals without scorching his feet?

28Or can one walk on hot coals and his feet not be scorched?

29So it is with the one who sleeps with another man's wife; no one who touches her will go unpunished.

29So is he who goes in to his neighbor’s wife; none who touches her will go unpunished.

30People don't despise the thief if he steals to satisfy himself when he is hungry.

30People do not despise a thief if he steals to satisfy his appetite when he is hungry,

31Still, if caught, he must pay seven times as much; he must give up all the wealth in his house.

31but if he is caught, he will pay sevenfold; he will give all the goods of his house.

32The one who commits adultery lacks sense; whoever does so destroys himself.

32He who commits adultery lacks sense; he who does it destroys himself.

33He will get a beating and dishonor, and his disgrace will never be removed.

33He will get wounds and dishonor, and his disgrace will not be wiped away.

34For jealousy enrages a husband, and he will show no mercy when he takes revenge.

34For jealousy makes a man furious, and he will not spare when he takes revenge.

35He will not be appeased by anything or be persuaded by lavish bribes.

35He will accept no compensation; he will refuse though you multiply gifts.

The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.

ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.