Warnings against Foolishness 1 CPDV My son, if you have taken a pledge on behalf of your friend, then you have bound your hand to an outsider, BSB BSB: My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor, if you have struck hands in pledge with a stranger,
2 CPDV then you are ensnared by the words of your own mouth, and taken captive by your own words. BSB BSB: if you have been trapped by the words of your lips, ensnared by the words of your mouth,
3 CPDV Therefore, my son, do what I say, and free yourself, for you have fallen into the hand of your neighbor. Run, hurry, awaken your friend. BSB BSB: then do this, my son, to free yourself, for you have fallen into your neighbor’s hands: Go, humble yourself, and press your plea with your neighbor.
4 CPDV Do not grant sleep to your eyes, nor let your eyelids slumber. BSB BSB: Allow no sleep to your eyes or slumber to your eyelids.
5 CPDV Rescue yourself like a gazelle from the hand, and like a bird from the hand of the fowler. BSB BSB: Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the snare of the fowler.
6 CPDV Go to the ant, you lazy one, and consider her ways, and so learn wisdom. BSB BSB: Walk in the manner of the ant, O slacker; observe its ways and become wise.
7 CPDV For though she has no ruler, nor instructor, nor leader, BSB BSB: Without a commander, without an overseer or ruler,
8 CPDV she provides meals for herself in the summer, and she gathers at the harvest what she may eat. BSB BSB: it prepares its provisions in summer; it gathers its food at harvest.
9 CPDV How long will you slumber, you lazy one? When will you rise up from your sleep? BSB BSB: How long will you lie there, O slacker? When will you get up from your sleep?
10 CPDV You will sleep a little, you will slumber a little, you will fold your hands a little to sleep, BSB BSB: A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest,
11 CPDV and then destitution will meet with you, like a traveler, and poverty, like an armed man. Yet truly, if you would be diligent, then your harvest will arrive like a fountain, and destitution will flee far from you. BSB BSB: and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and need like a bandit.
12 CPDV An apostate man, a harmful man, walks with a perverse mouth; BSB BSB: A worthless person, a wicked man, walks with a perverse mouth,
13 CPDV he winks with the eyes, touches with the foot, speaks with the finger. BSB BSB: winking his eyes, speaking with his feet, and pointing with his fingers.
14 CPDV With a depraved heart he devises evil, and at all times he sows conflict. BSB BSB: With deceit in his heart he devises evil; he continually sows discord.
15 CPDV To this one, his perdition will arrive promptly, and he shall be crushed suddenly: he will no longer have any remedy. BSB BSB: Therefore calamity will come upon him suddenly; in an instant he will be shattered beyond recovery.
16 CPDV Six things there are that the Lord hates, and the seventh, his soul detests: BSB BSB: There are six things that the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to Him:
17 CPDV haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, BSB BSB: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood,
18 CPDV a heart that devises the most wicked thoughts, feet running swiftly unto evil, BSB BSB: a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that run swiftly to evil,
19 CPDV a deceitful witness bringing forth lies, and he who sows discord among brothers. BSB BSB: a false witness who gives false testimony, and one who stirs up discord among brothers.
Warnings against Adultery 20 CPDV My son, preserve the precepts of your father, and do not dismiss the law of your mother. BSB BSB: My son, keep your father’s commandment, and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.
21 CPDV Bind them to your heart unceasingly, and encircle them around your throat. BSB BSB: Bind them always upon your heart; tie them around your neck.
22 CPDV When you walk, let them keep step with you. When you sleep, let them guard you. And when you keep watch, speak with them. BSB BSB: 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 CPDV For commandment is a lamp, and law is a light, and the reproofs of discipline are the way of life. BSB BSB: For this commandment is a lamp, this teaching is a light, and the reproofs of discipline are the way to life,
24 CPDV So may they guard you from an evil woman, and from the flattering tongue of the outsider. BSB BSB: to keep you from the evil woman, from the smooth tongue of the adulteress.
25 CPDV Let not your heart desire her beauty; do not be captivated by her winks. BSB BSB: Do not lust in your heart for her beauty or let her captivate you with her eyes.
26 CPDV For the price of a prostitute is only one loaf. Yet the woman seizes the precious soul of a man. BSB BSB: For the levy of the prostitute is poverty, and the adulteress preys upon your very life.
27 CPDV Would a man be able to conceal fire in his bosom, so that his garments would not burn? BSB BSB: Can a man embrace fire and his clothes not be burned?
28 CPDV Or could he walk over burning coals, so that his feet would not be burned? BSB BSB: Can a man walk on hot coals without scorching his feet?
29 CPDV So also, he who enters to the wife of his neighbor shall not be clean when he touches her. BSB BSB: So is he who sleeps with another man’s wife; no one who touches her will go unpunished.
30 CPDV Not so great is the fault when someone has stolen. For he steals so as to satisfy a hungry soul. BSB BSB: Men do not despise the thief if he steals to satisfy his hunger.
31 CPDV Also, if he is apprehended, he shall repay sevenfold and hand over all the substance of his house. BSB BSB: Yet if caught, he must pay sevenfold; he must give up all the wealth of his house.
32 CPDV But whoever is an adulterer, because of the emptiness of his heart, will destroy his own soul. BSB BSB: He who commits adultery lacks judgment; whoever does so destroys himself.
33 CPDV He gathers shame and dishonor to himself, and his disgrace will not be wiped away. BSB BSB: Wounds and dishonor will befall him, and his reproach will never be wiped away.
34 CPDV For the jealousy and fury of the husband will not spare him on the day of vindication, BSB BSB: For jealousy enrages a husband, and he will show no mercy in the day of vengeance.
35 CPDV nor will he agree to the pleadings of anyone, nor will he accept, as repayment, a multitude of gifts. BSB BSB: He will not be appeased by any ransom, or persuaded by lavish gifts.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.