Holman Christian Standard Bible

New American Standard Bible 1995

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

1My son, if you have become surety for your neighbor, Have given a pledge for a stranger,

2you have been trapped by the words of your lips-- ensnared by the words of your mouth.

2If you have been snared with the words of your mouth, Have been caught with 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.

3Do this then, my son, and deliver yourself; Since you have come into the hand of your neighbor, Go, humble yourself, and importune your neighbor.

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

4Give no sleep to your eyes, Nor 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 the hunter's hand And 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, Observe her ways and be wise,

7Without leader, administrator, or ruler,

7Which, having no chief, Officer or ruler,

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

8Prepares her food in the summer And gathers her provision in the harvest.

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

9How long will you lie down, O sluggard? When will you arise from your sleep?

10A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the arms to rest,

10"A 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.

11Your poverty will come in like a vagabond And your need like an armed man.

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

12A worthless person, a wicked man, Is the one who walks with a perverse mouth,

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

13Who winks with his eyes, who signals with his feet, Who points with his fingers;

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

14Who with perversity in his heart continually devises evil, Who spreads strife.

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

15Therefore his calamity will come suddenly; Instantly he will be broken and there will be no healing.

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

16There are six things which the LORD hates, Yes, seven which 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 run rapidly to evil,

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

19A false witness who utters lies, And one who spreads strife among brothers.

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

20My son, observe the commandment of your father And do not forsake the teaching of your mother;

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

21Bind them continually on your heart; 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 about, they will guide you; When you sleep, they will watch over you; And when you awake, 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 commandment is a lamp and the teaching is light; And reproofs for discipline are the way of life

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

24To keep 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, Nor let her capture you with her eyelids.

26For a prostitute's fee is only a loaf of bread, but an adulteress goes after a precious life.

26For on account of a harlot one is reduced to a loaf of bread, And an adulteress hunts for the precious life.

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

27Can a man take fire in his bosom And his clothes not be burned?

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

28Or can a man 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 the one who goes in to his neighbor's wife; Whoever touches her will not go unpunished.

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

30Men do not despise a thief if he steals To satisfy himself 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 when he is found, he must repay sevenfold; He must give all the substance of his house.

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

32The one who commits adultery with a woman is lacking sense; He who would destroy himself does it.

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

33Wounds and disgrace he will find, And his reproach will not be blotted out.

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

34For jealousy enrages a man, And he will not spare in the day of vengeance.

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

35He will not accept any ransom, Nor will he be satisfied though you give many gifts.

Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.

New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org