| King James Bible | New International Version |
| 1My son, if thou be surety for thy friend, if thou hast stricken thy hand with a stranger, | 1My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor, if you have shaken hands in pledge for a stranger, |
| 2Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken with the words of thy mouth. | 2you have been trapped by what you said, ensnared by 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. | 3So do this, my son, to free yourself, since you have fallen into your neighbor's hands: Go--to the point of exhaustion-- and give your neighbor no rest! |
| 4Give not sleep to thine eyes, nor slumber to thine eyelids. | 4Allow no sleep to your eyes, no 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. | 5Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the snare of the fowler. |
| 6Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: | 6Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! |
| 7Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, | 7It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, |
| 8Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest. | 8yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest. |
| 9How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep? | 9How long will you lie there, you sluggard? When will you get up from your sleep? |
| 10Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: | 10A 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. | 11and poverty will come on you like a thief and scarcity like an armed man. |
| 12A naughty person, a wicked man, walketh with a froward mouth. | 12A troublemaker and a villain, who goes about with a corrupt mouth, |
| 13He winketh with his eyes, he speaketh with his feet, he teacheth with his fingers; | 13who winks maliciously with his eye, signals with his feet and motions with his fingers, |
| 14Frowardness is in his heart, he deviseth mischief continually; he soweth discord. | 14who plots evil with deceit in his heart-- he always stirs up conflict. |
| 15Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly; suddenly shall he be broken without remedy. | 15Therefore disaster will overtake him in an instant; he will suddenly be destroyed--without remedy. |
| 16These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: | 16There are six things the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to him: |
| 17A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, | 17haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, |
| 18An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, | 18a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, |
| 19A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren. | 19a false witness who pours out lies and a person who stirs up conflict in the community. |
| 20My son, keep thy father's commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother: | 20My son, keep your father's command and do not forsake your mother's teaching. |
| 21Bind them continually upon thine heart, and tie them about thy neck. | 21Bind them always on your heart; fasten 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, they will guide you; when you sleep, they will watch over you; when you awake, they will speak to you. |
| 23For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life: | 23For this command is a lamp, this teaching is a light, and correction and instruction are the way to life, |
| 24To keep thee from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman. | 24keeping you from your neighbor's wife, from the smooth talk of a wayward woman. |
| 25Lust not after her beauty in thine heart; neither let her take thee with her eyelids. | 25Do not lust in your heart after her beauty or let her captivate you with her eyes. |
| 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 a prostitute can be had for a loaf of bread, but another man's wife preys on your very life. |
| 27Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned? | 27Can a man scoop fire into his lap without his clothes being burned? |
| 28Can one go upon hot coals, and his feet not be burned? | 28Can a man walk on hot coals without his feet being scorched? |
| 29So he that goeth in to his neighbour's wife; whosoever toucheth her shall not be innocent. | 29So is he who sleeps with another man's wife; no one who touches her will go unpunished. |
| 30Men do not despise a thief, if he steal to satisfy his soul when he is hungry; | 30People do not despise a thief if he steals to satisfy his hunger when he is starving. |
| 31But if he be found, he shall restore sevenfold; he shall give all the substance of his house. | 31Yet if he is caught, he must pay sevenfold, though it costs him all the wealth of his house. |
| 32But whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding: he that doeth it destroyeth his own soul. | 32But a man who commits adultery has no sense; whoever does so destroys himself. |
| 33A wound and dishonour shall he get; and his reproach shall not be wiped away. | 33Blows and disgrace are his lot, and his shame will never be wiped away. |
| 34For jealousy is the rage of a man: therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance. | 34For jealousy arouses a husband's fury, and he will show no mercy when he takes revenge. |
| 35He will not regard any ransom; neither will he rest content, though thou givest many gifts. | 35He will not accept any compensation; he will refuse a bribe, however great it is. |
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