King James Bible

New American Standard Bible 1995

1My son, if thou be surety for thy friend, if thou hast stricken thy hand with a stranger,

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

2Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken with the words of thy mouth.

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

3Do this now, my son, and deliver thyself, when thou art come into the hand of thy friend; go, humble thyself, and make sure thy friend.

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.

4Give not sleep to thine eyes, nor slumber to thine eyelids.

4Give no sleep to your eyes, Nor slumber to your eyelids;

5Deliver thyself as a roe from the hand of the hunter, and as a bird from the hand of the fowler.

5Deliver yourself like a gazelle from the hunter's hand And like a bird from the hand of the fowler.

6Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise:

6Go to the ant, O sluggard, Observe her ways and be wise,

7Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler,

7Which, having no chief, Officer or ruler,

8Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest.

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

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

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

10Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:

10"A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to rest "--

11So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man.

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

12A naughty person, a wicked man, walketh with a froward mouth.

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

13He winketh with his eyes, he speaketh with his feet, he teacheth with his fingers;

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

14Frowardness is in his heart, he deviseth mischief continually; he soweth discord.

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

15Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly; suddenly shall he be broken without remedy.

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

16These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:

16There are six things which the LORD hates, Yes, seven which are an abomination to Him:

17A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,

17Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, And hands that shed innocent blood,

18An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,

18A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that run rapidly to evil,

19A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.

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

20My son, keep thy father's commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother:

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

21Bind them continually upon thine heart, and tie them about thy neck.

21Bind them continually on your heart; Tie them around your neck.

22When thou goest, it shall lead thee; when thou sleepest, it shall keep thee; and when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee.

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 the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:

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

24To keep thee from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman.

24To keep you from the evil woman, From the smooth tongue of the adulteress.

25Lust not after her beauty in thine heart; neither let her take thee with her eyelids.

25Do not desire her beauty in your heart, Nor let her capture you with her eyelids.

26For by means of a whorish woman a man is brought to a piece of bread: and the adulteress will hunt for the 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 take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned?

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

28Can one go upon hot coals, and his feet not be burned?

28Or can a man walk on hot coals And his feet not be scorched?

29So he that goeth in to his neighbour's wife; whosoever toucheth her shall not be innocent.

29So is the one who goes in to his neighbor's wife; Whoever touches her will not go unpunished.

30Men do not despise a thief, if he steal to satisfy his soul when he is hungry;

30Men do not despise a thief if he steals To satisfy himself when he is hungry;

31But if he be found, he shall restore sevenfold; he shall give all the substance of his house.

31But when he is found, he must repay sevenfold; He must give all the substance of his house.

32But whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding: he that doeth it destroyeth his own soul.

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

33A wound and dishonour shall he get; and his reproach shall not be wiped away.

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

34For jealousy is the rage of a man: therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance.

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

35He will not regard any ransom; neither will he rest content, though thou givest many gifts.

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

King James Bible, text courtesy of BibleProtector.com.

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