Warnings against Foolishness 1 WBS My son, if thou art surety for thy friend, if thou hast stricken thy hand with a stranger, BSB BSB: My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor, if you have struck hands in pledge with a stranger,
2 WBS Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken with the words of thy mouth. BSB BSB: if you have been trapped by the words of your lips, ensnared by the words of your mouth,
3 WBS Do 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. 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 WBS Give not sleep to thy eyes, nor slumber to thy eyelids. BSB BSB: Allow no sleep to your eyes or slumber to your eyelids.
5 WBS Deliver thyself as a roe from the hand of the hunter , and as 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 WBS Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: BSB BSB: Walk in the manner of the ant, O slacker; observe its ways and become wise.
7 WBS Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, BSB BSB: Without a commander, without an overseer or ruler,
8 WBS Provideth her provisions in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest. BSB BSB: it prepares its provisions in summer; it gathers its food at harvest.
9 WBS How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep? BSB BSB: How long will you lie there, O slacker? When will you get up from your sleep?
10 WBS Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:BSB BSB: A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest,
11 WBS So shall thy poverty come as one that traveleth, and thy want as an armed man. BSB BSB: and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and need like a bandit.
12 WBS A naughty person, a wicked man, walketh with a froward mouth. BSB BSB: A worthless person, a wicked man, walks with a perverse mouth,
13 WBS He winketh with his eyes, he speaketh with his feet, he teacheth with his fingers; BSB BSB: winking his eyes, speaking with his feet, and pointing with his fingers.
14 WBS Frowardness is in his heart, he deviseth mischief continually; he soweth discord. BSB BSB: With deceit in his heart he devises evil; he continually sows discord.
15 WBS Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly; suddenly shall he be broken without remedy. BSB BSB: Therefore calamity will come upon him suddenly; in an instant he will be shattered beyond recovery.
16 WBS These six things doth the LORD hate: yes, seven are an abomination to him: BSB BSB: There are six things that the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to Him:
17 WBS A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood. BSB BSB: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood,
18 WBS A heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that are swift in running to mischief, BSB BSB: a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that run swiftly to evil,
19 WBS A false witness that speaketh lies, and him that soweth discord among brethren. BSB BSB: a false witness who gives false testimony, and one who stirs up discord among brothers.
Warnings against Adultery 20 WBS My son, keep thy father's commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother: BSB BSB: My son, keep your father’s commandment, and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.
21 WBS Bind them continually upon thy heart, and tie them about thy neck. BSB BSB: Bind them always upon your heart; tie them around your neck.
22 WBS When thou goest, it shall lead thee; when thou sleepest, it shall keep thee; and when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee. 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 WBS For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction 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 WBS To keep thee from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman. BSB BSB: to keep you from the evil woman, from the smooth tongue of the adulteress.
25 WBS Lust not after her beauty in thy heart; neither let her take thee with her eyelids. BSB BSB: Do not lust in your heart for her beauty or let her captivate you with her eyes.
26 WBS For by means of a lewd woman a man is brought to a piece of bread: and the adulteress will hunt for the precious life. BSB BSB: For the levy of the prostitute is poverty, and the adulteress preys upon your very life.
27 WBS Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned? BSB BSB: Can a man embrace fire and his clothes not be burned?
28 WBS Can one go upon hot coals, and his feet not be burned? BSB BSB: Can a man walk on hot coals without scorching his feet?
29 WBS So he that goeth in to his neighbor's wife; whoever toucheth her shall not be innocent. BSB BSB: So is he who sleeps with another man’s wife; no one who touches her will go unpunished.
30 WBS Men do not despise a thief, if he stealeth to satisfy his soul when he is hungry;BSB BSB: Men do not despise the thief if he steals to satisfy his hunger.
31 WBS But if he is found, he shall restore seven-fold; he shall give 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 WBS But whoever committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding: he that doeth it destroyeth his own soul.BSB BSB: He who commits adultery lacks judgment; whoever does so destroys himself.
33 WBS A wound and dishonor shall he get; and his reproach shall not be wiped away. BSB BSB: Wounds and dishonor will befall him, and his reproach will never be wiped away.
34 WBS For jealousy is the rage of a man: therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance. BSB BSB: For jealousy enrages a husband, and he will show no mercy in the day of vengeance.
35 WBS He will not regard any ransom; neither will he rest content, though thou givest many 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.