Warning against Idleness and Falsehood

61 My son, if you have become collateral for your neighbor,
if you have struck your hands in pledge for a stranger; 2 You are trapped by the words of your mouth.
You are ensnared with the words of your mouth. 3 Do this now, my son, and deliver yourself,
seeing you have come into the hand of your neighbor.
Go, humble yourself.
Press your plea with your neighbor. 4 Give no sleep to your eyes,
nor slumber to your eyelids. 5 Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter,
like a bird from the snare of the fowler.

6 Go to the ant, you sluggard.
Consider her ways, and be wise; 7 which having no chief, overseer, or ruler, 8 provides her bread in the summer,
and gathers her food in the harvest. 9 How long will you sleep, sluggard?
When will you arise out of your sleep? 10 A little sleep, a little slumber,
a little folding of the hands to sleep: 11 so your poverty will come as a robber,
and your scarcity as an armed man.

12 A worthless person, a man of iniquity,
is he who walks with a perverse mouth; 13 who winks with his eyes, who signals with his feet,
who motions with his fingers; 14 in whose heart is perverseness,
who devises evil continually,
who always sows discord. 15 Therefore his calamity will come suddenly.
He will be broken suddenly, and that without remedy. 16 There are six things which Yahweh hates;
yes, seven which are an abomination to him: 17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue,
hands that shed innocent blood; 18 a heart that devises wicked schemes,
feet that are swift in running to mischief, 19 a false witness who utters lies,
and he who sows discord among brothers.

Warning against Adultery

20 My son, keep your father’s commandment,
and don’t forsake your mother’s teaching. 21 Bind them continually on your heart.
Tie them around your neck. 22 When you walk, it will lead you.
When you sleep, it will watch over you.
When you awake, it will talk with you. 23 For the commandment is a lamp,
and the law is light.
Reproofs of instruction are the way of life, 24 to keep you from the immoral woman,
from the flattery of the wayward wife’s tongue. 25 Don’t lust after her beauty in your heart,
neither let her captivate you with her eyelids. 26 For a prostitute reduces you to a piece of bread.
The adulteress hunts for your precious life. 27 Can a man scoop fire into his lap,
and his clothes not be burned? 28 Or can one walk on hot coals,
and his feet not be scorched? 29 So is he who goes in to his neighbor’s wife.
Whoever touches her will not be unpunished. 30 Men don’t despise a thief,
if he steals to satisfy himself when he is hungry: 31 but if he is found, he shall restore seven times.
He shall give all the wealth of his house. 32 He who commits adultery with a woman is void of understanding.
He who does it destroys his own soul. 33 He will get wounds and dishonor.
His reproach will not be wiped away. 34 For jealousy arouses the fury of the husband.
He won’t spare in the day of vengeance. 35 He won’t regard any ransom,
neither will he rest content, though you give many gifts.

Exhortations to Obedience

31 My son, don’t forget my teaching;
but let your heart keep my commandments: 2 for length of days, and years of life,
and peace, will they add to you. 3 Don’t let kindness and truth forsake you.
Bind them around your neck.
Write them on the tablet of your heart. 4 So you will find favor,
and good understanding in the sight of God and man. 5 Trust in Yahweh with all your heart,
and don’t lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make your paths straight.

7 Don’t be wise in your own eyes.
Fear Yahweh, and depart from evil. 8 It will be health to your body,
and nourishment to your bones. 9 Honor Yahweh with your substance,
with the first fruits of all your increase: 10 so your barns will be filled with plenty,
and your vats will overflow with new wine. 11 My son, don’t despise Yahweh’s discipline,
neither be weary of his reproof: 12 for whom Yahweh loves, he reproves;
even as a father reproves the son in whom he delights.

13 Happy is the man who finds wisdom,
the man who gets understanding. 14 For her good profit is better than getting silver,
and her return is better than fine gold. 15 She is more precious than rubies.
None of the things you can desire are to be compared to her. 16 Length of days is in her right hand.
In her left hand are riches and honor. 17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness.
All her paths are peace. 18 She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her.
Happy is everyone who retains her. 19 By wisdom Yahweh founded the earth.
By understanding, he established the heavens. 20 By his knowledge, the depths were broken up,
and the skies drop down the dew.

21 My son, let them not depart from your eyes.
Keep sound wisdom and discretion: 22 so they will be life to your soul,
and grace for your neck. 23 Then you shall walk in your way securely.
Your foot won’t stumble. 24 When you lie down, you will not be afraid.
Yes, you will lie down, and your sleep will be sweet. 25 Don’t be afraid of sudden fear,
neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it comes: 26 for Yahweh will be your confidence,
and will keep your foot from being taken.

27 Don’t withhold good from those to whom it is due,
when it is in the power of your hand to do it. 28 Don’t say to your neighbor, “Go, and come again;
tomorrow I will give it to you,”
when you have it by you. 29 Don’t devise evil against your neighbor,
seeing he dwells securely by you. 30 Don’t strive with a man without cause,
if he has done you no harm. 31 Don’t envy the man of violence.
Choose none of his ways. 32 For the perverse is an abomination to Yahweh,
but his friendship is with the upright. 33 Yahweh’s curse is in the house of the wicked,
but he blesses the habitation of the righteous. 34 Surely he mocks the mockers,
but he gives grace to the humble. 35 The wise will inherit glory,
but shame will be the promotion of fools.