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Warnings Against Foolishness

¹ My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor, if you have struck hands in pledge with a stranger,² if you have been trapped by the words of your lips, ensnared by the words of your mouth,³ then do this, my son, to free yourself, for you have fallen into your neighbor’s hands: Go, humble yourself^(a), and press your plea with your neighbor.⁴ Allow no sleep to your eyes or slumber to your eyelids.⁵ Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter^(a), like a bird from the fowler’s snare.

⁶ Walk in the manner of the ant, O slacker; observe its ways and be wise:⁷ Without a commander, without an overseer or ruler,⁸ it prepares its provisions in summer; it gathers its food at harvest.⁹ How long will you lie there, O slacker? When will you get up from your sleep?¹⁰ A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest,¹¹ and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and need like a bandit.

¹² A worthless person, a wicked man, walks with a perverse mouth,¹³ winking his eyes, speaking with his feet, and pointing with his fingers.¹⁴ With deceit in his heart he devises evil; he continually sows discord.¹⁵ Therefore calamity will come upon him suddenly; in an instant he will be shattered beyond recovery.¹⁶ There are six things that the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to Him:¹⁷ haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood,¹⁸ a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that run swiftly to evil,¹⁹ a false witness who gives false testimony, and one who stirs up discord among brothers.

Warnings Against Adultery

²⁰ My son, keep your father’s commandment, and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.²¹ Bind them always upon your heart; tie them around your neck.²² When you walk, they will guide you; when you lie down, they will watch over you; when you awake, they will speak to you.²³ For this commandment is a lamp, this teaching is a light, and the reproofs of discipline are the way to life,²⁴ to keep you from the evil woman, from the smooth tongue of the adultress.²⁵ Do not lust in your heart for her beauty or let her captivate you with her eyes.^{26 (a)}For the levy of the prostitute is poverty, and the adulteress preys upon your very life.²⁷ Can a man embrace fire and his clothes not be burned?²⁸ Can a man walk on hot coals without scorching his feet?²⁹ So is he who sleeps with another man’s wife; no one who touches her will go unpunished.³⁰ Men do not despise the thief if he steals to satisfy his hunger.³¹ Yet if caught, he must pay sevenfold; he must give up all the wealth of his house.³² But he who commits adultery lacks judgment; whoever does so destroys himself.³³ Wounds and dishonor will befall him, and his reproach will never be wiped away.³⁴ For jealousy enrages a husband, and he will show no mercy in the day of vengeance.³⁵ He will not be appeased by any ransom, or persuaded by lavish gifts.