Warning against Idleness and Falsehood

61 My son! if thou hast been surety for thy friend, Hast stricken for a stranger thy hand, 2 Hast been snared with sayings of thy mouth, Hast been captured with sayings of thy mouth, 3 Do this now, my son, and be delivered, For thou hast come into the hand of thy friend. Go, trample on thyself, and strengthen thy friend, 4 Give not sleep to thine eyes, And slumber to thine eyelids, 5 Be delivered as a roe from the hand, And as a bird from the hand of a fowler.

6 Go unto the ant, O slothful one, See her ways and be wise; 7 Which hath not captain, overseer, and ruler, 8 She doth prepare in summer her bread, She hath gathered in harvest her food. 9 Till when, O slothful one, dost thou lie? When dost thou arise from thy sleep? 10 A little sleep, a little slumber, A little clasping of the hands to rest, 11 And thy poverty hath come as a traveller, And thy want as an armed man.

12 A man of worthlessness, a man of iniquity, Walking 'with' perverseness of mouth, 13 Winking with his eyes, speaking with his feet, Directing with his fingers, 14 Frowardness 'is' in his heart, devising evil at all times, Contentions he sendeth forth. 15 Therefore suddenly cometh his calamity, Instantly he is broken—and no healing. 16 These six hath Jehovah hated, Yea, seven 'are' abominations to His soul. 17 Eyes high—tongues false—And hands shedding innocent blood— 18 A heart devising thoughts of vanity—Feet hasting to run to evil— 19 A false witness 'who' doth breathe out lies—And one sending forth contentions between brethren.

Warning against Adultery

20 Keep, my son, the command of thy father, And leave not the law of thy mother. 21 Bind them on thy heart continually, Tie them on thy neck. 22 In thy going up and down, it leadeth thee, In thy lying down, it watcheth over thee, And thou hast awaked—it talketh 'with' thee. 23 For a lamp 'is' the command, And the law a light, And a way of life 'are' reproofs of instruction, 24 To preserve thee from an evil woman, From the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman. 25 Desire not her beauty in thy heart, And let her not take thee with her eyelids. 26 For a harlot consumeth unto a cake of bread, And an adulteress the precious soul hunteth. 27 Doth a man take fire into his bosom, And are his garments not burnt? 28 Doth a man walk on the hot coals, And are his feet not scorched? 29 So 'is' he who hath gone in unto the wife of his neighbour, None who doth touch her is innocent. 30 They do not despise the thief, When he stealeth to fill his soul when he is hungry, 31 And being found he repayeth sevenfold, All the substance of his house he giveth. 32 He who committeth adultery 'with' a woman lacketh heart, He is destroying his soul who doth it. 33 A stroke and shame he doth find, And his reproach is not wiped away, 34 For jealousy 'is' the fury of a man, And he doth not spare in a day of vengeance. 35 He accepteth not the appearance of any atonement, Yea, he doth not consent, Though thou dost multiply bribes!

Exhortations to Obedience

31 My son! my law forget not, And my commands let thy heart keep, 2 For length of days and years, Life and peace they do add to thee. 3 Let not kindness and truth forsake thee, Bind them on thy neck, Write them on the tablet of thy heart, 4 And find grace and good understanding In the eyes of God and man. 5 Trust unto Jehovah with all thy heart, And unto thine own understanding lean not. 6 In all thy ways know thou Him, And He doth make straight thy paths.

7 Be not wise in thine own eyes, Fear Jehovah, and turn aside from evil. 8 Healing it is to thy navel, And moistening to thy bones. 9 Honour Jehovah from thy substance, And from the beginning of all thine increase; 10 And filled are thy barns 'with' plenty, And 'with' new wine thy presses break forth. 11 Chastisement of Jehovah, my son, despise not, And be not vexed with His reproof, 12 For whom Jehovah loveth He reproveth, Even as a father the son He is pleased with.

13 O the happiness of a man 'who' hath found wisdom, And of a man 'who' bringeth forth understanding. 14 For better 'is' her merchandise Than the merchandise of silver, And than gold—her increase. 15 Precious she 'is' above rubies, And all thy pleasures are not comparable to her. 16 Length of days 'is' in her right hand, In her left 'are' wealth and honour. 17 Her ways 'are' ways of pleasantness, And all her paths 'are' peace. 18 A tree of life she 'is' to those laying hold on her, And whoso is retaining her 'is' happy. 19 Jehovah by wisdom did found the earth, He prepared the heavens by understanding. 20 By His knowledge depths have been rent, And clouds do drop dew.

21 My son! let them not turn from thine eyes, Keep thou wisdom and thoughtfulness, 22 And they are life to thy soul, and grace to thy neck. 23 Then thou goest thy way confidently, And thy foot doth not stumble. 24 If thou liest down, thou art not afraid, Yea, thou hast lain down, And sweet hath been thy sleep. 25 Be not afraid of sudden fear, And of the desolation of the wicked when it cometh. 26 For Jehovah is at thy side, And He hath kept thy foot from capture.

27 Withhold not good from its owners, When thy hand 'is' toward God to do 'it'. 28 Say not thou to thy friend, 'Go, and return, and to-morrow I give,' And substance with thee. 29 Devise not against thy neighbour evil, And he sitting confidently with thee. 30 Strive not with a man without cause, If he have not done thee evil. 31 Be not envious of a man of violence, Nor fix thou on any of his ways. 32 For an abomination to Jehovah 'is' the perverted, And with the upright 'is' His secret counsel. 33 The curse of Jehovah 'is' in the house of the wicked. And the habitation of the righteous He blesseth. 34 If the scorners He doth scorn, Yet to the humble He doth give grace. 35 Honour do the wise inherit, And fools are bearing away shame!