New King James Version

King James Bible

1My son, if you become surety for your friend, If you have shaken hands in pledge for a stranger,

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

2You are snared by the words of your mouth; You are taken by the words of your mouth.

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

3So do this, my son, and deliver yourself; For you have come into the hand of your friend: Go and humble yourself; Plead with your friend.

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.

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

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

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

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

6Go to the ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise,

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

7Which, having no captain, Overseer or ruler,

7Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler,

8Provides her supplies in the summer, And gathers her food in the harvest.

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

9How long will you slumber, O sluggard? When will you rise from your sleep?

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

10A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to sleep—

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

11So shall your poverty come on you like a prowler, And your need like an armed man.

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

12A worthless person, a wicked man, Walks with a perverse mouth;

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

13He winks with his eyes, He shuffles his feet, He points with his fingers;

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

14Perversity is in his heart, He devises evil continually, He sows discord.

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

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

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

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

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

17A proud look, A lying tongue, Hands that shed innocent blood,

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

18A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that are swift in running to evil,

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

19A false witness who speaks lies, And one who sows discord among brethren.

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

20My son, keep your father’s command, And do not forsake the law of your mother.

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

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

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

22When you roam, they will lead you; When you sleep, they will keep you; And when you awake, they will speak with you.

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

23For the commandment is a lamp, And the law a light; Reproofs of instruction are the way of life,

23For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:

24To keep you from the evil woman, From the flattering tongue of a seductress.

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

25Do not lust after her beauty in your heart, Nor let her allure you with her eyelids.

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

26For by means of a harlot A man is reduced to a crust of bread; And an adulteress will prey upon his precious life.

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.

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

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

28Can one walk on hot coals, And his feet not be seared?

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

29So is he who goes in to his neighbor’s wife; Whoever touches her shall not be innocent.

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

30People do not despise a thief If he steals to satisfy himself when he is starving.

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

31Yet when he is found, he must restore sevenfold; He may have to give up all the substance of his house.

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

32Whoever commits adultery with a woman lacks understanding; He who does so destroys his own soul.

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

33Wounds and dishonor he will get, And his reproach will not be wiped away.

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

34For jealousy is a husband’s fury; Therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance.

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

35He will accept no recompense, Nor will he be appeased though you give many gifts.

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

The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.

King James Bible, text courtesy of BibleProtector.com.