Warnings against Foolishness 1 UST My child, if you guarantee to pay a loan for someone you meet,{ that is, if} you agree to pay a loan for someone you do not know, BSB BSB: My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor, if you have struck hands in pledge with a stranger,
2 UST { if in this way} you have said things that you regret{ because} it would be very difficult for you{ to fulfill} what you promised, BSB BSB: if you have been trapped by the words of your lips, ensnared by the words of your mouth,
3 UST then, my child, do this in order to save yourself{ from having to pay back this loan}: humbly go to that person and beg him{ to cancel what you have promised}, because he now controls you. 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 UST Do not wait until tomorrow;{ go immediately!} do not allow yourself to rest{ until you go and talk to him}. BSB BSB: Allow no sleep to your eyes or slumber to your eyelids.
5 UST Save yourself{ immediately}, as if you were a deer fleeing from a hunter or a bird fleeing from a trapper. BSB BSB: Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the snare of the fowler.
6 UST You lazy person, learn{ something} from{ watching} ants! Consider what ants do so that you can be wise. BSB BSB: Walk in the manner of the ant, O slacker; observe its ways and become wise.
7 UST Absolutely no one tells ants what to do. BSB BSB: Without a commander, without an overseer or ruler,
8 UST { Nevertheless,} they work hard all during the summer, gathering and storing food{ to eat during the winter}. BSB BSB: it prepares its provisions in summer; it gathers its food at harvest.
9 UST { But} you lazy person, stop sleeping! Wake up! BSB BSB: How long will you lie there, O slacker? When will you get up from your sleep?
10 UST { If you say to yourself,}“Let me sleep just a little more! Let me lay my hands{ across my chest} in order to rest comfortably for a little while longer!” BSB BSB: A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest,
11 UST Then{ the result of being so lazy will be that} you will become poor and needy just as surely as if a thief has robbed you. BSB BSB: and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and need like a bandit.
12 UST { I will describe for you what} worthless, sinful people{ do. They} constantly deceive people by what they say. BSB BSB: A worthless person, a wicked man, walks with a perverse mouth,
13 UST They make gestures, such as winking their eyes, signaling with their feet, and pointing their fingers{ to communicate their evil plans to their friends}. BSB BSB: winking his eyes, speaking with his feet, and pointing with his fingers.
14 UST They are always thinking perversely while planning how to do evil things. They cause people to argue{ with each other}. BSB BSB: With deceit in his heart he devises evil; he continually sows discord.
15 UST Because of this, disastrous things will suddenly happen to those people. Someone will destroy them instantly and they will not be able to recover. BSB BSB: Therefore calamity will come upon him suddenly; in an instant he will be shattered beyond recovery.
16 UST Yahweh absolutely hates six, no, seven things: BSB BSB: There are six things that the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to Him:
17 UST being proud, speaking falsely, someone murdering a person who has not done anything wrong, BSB BSB: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood,
18 UST someone planning ways to act sinfully, someone eagerly looking for ways to act wickedly, BSB BSB: a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that run swiftly to evil,
19 UST someone who naturally lies when testifying, and someone causing members of the same family to argue. BSB BSB: a false witness who gives false testimony, and one who stirs up discord among brothers.
Warnings against Adultery 20 UST My child, be mindful to obey what I, your father, have commanded{ you}. Indeed, obey the rules that your mother has commanded. BSB BSB: My son, keep your father’s commandment, and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.
21 UST Remember what we have taught you as if it were always a part of you. Indeed,{ remember these lessons as if} you wore them like a necklace. BSB BSB: Bind them always upon your heart; tie them around your neck.
22 UST The wise things that we have taught you will help you to know what you should do as you go about each day. They will cause you to be safe when you sleep. When you wake up{ in the morning}, they will be what will continue to instruct you. 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 UST { This is so} because what I have commanded{ you} is{ like} a lamp{ that shows you your way}. Indeed, the rules{ we taught you} are{ like} a light{ to guide you}. When we rebuke you while instructing you,{ we do that} so that you can do what will give you a good 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 UST { We taught you these lessons} in order to prevent you from{ going to} wicked women,{ and to prevent you} from{ believing} the seductive talk of immoral women. BSB BSB: to keep you from the evil woman, from the smooth tongue of the adulteress.
25 UST Do not think lustfully about her beautiful body. Do not let her seduce you by the{ flirtatious} way she looks at you. BSB BSB: Do not lust in your heart for her beauty or let her captivate you with her eyes.
26 UST { Do not do so} because, although having sex with a prostitute may only cost you a cheap meal,{ doing so with} an{ adulterous} married woman will cause you to die. BSB BSB: For the levy of the prostitute is poverty, and the adulteress preys upon your very life.
27 UST A man cannot hold fire against his chest without burning his clothes! BSB BSB: Can a man embrace fire and his clothes not be burned?
28 UST No one can walk on burning coals without blistering his feet! BSB BSB: Can a man walk on hot coals without scorching his feet?
29 UST It is similar with anyone who has sex with another man’ s wife. People will certainly punish anyone who does that. BSB BSB: So is he who sleeps with another man’s wife; no one who touches her will go unpunished.
30 UST People do not resent someone who steals if he only steals{ food} because he is hungry. BSB BSB: Men do not despise the thief if he steals to satisfy his hunger.
31 UST Nevertheless, if people catch thieves, those thieves must pay back seven times{ as much as they stole to those from whom they stole}. They may have to give everything that they own{ in order to repay what they stole}. BSB BSB: Yet if caught, he must pay sevenfold; he must give up all the wealth of his house.
32 UST By contrast, a man who acts adulterously with a woman is not thinking. By doing this, he destroys himself! BSB BSB: He who commits adultery lacks judgment; whoever does so destroys himself.
33 UST { The woman’ s husband} will injure him, people will despise him, and he will always be ashamed. BSB BSB: Wounds and dishonor will befall him, and his reproach will never be wiped away.
34 UST { This is so} because the jealous husband will become furious. He will act mercilessly when he revenges himself{ on the man who acted adulterously with his wife}. BSB BSB: For jealousy enrages a husband, and he will show no mercy in the day of vengeance.
35 UST That jealous husband will not accept any money{ to stop being furious}, no matter how much money you offer him. 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.