Warnings against Foolishness

1My son, if thou be surety for thy friend, thou hast engaged fast thy hand to a stranger.

2Thou art ensnared with the words of thy mouth, and caught with thy own words.

3Do therefore, my son, what I say, and deliver thyself: because thou art fallen into the hand of thy neighbour. Run about, make haste, stir up thy friend:

4Give not sleep to thy eyes, neither let thy eyelids slumber.

5Deliver thyself as a doe from the hand, and as a bird from the hand of the fowler.

6Go to the ant, O sluggard, and consider her ways, and learn wisdom:

7Which, although she hath no guide, nor master, nor captain,

8Provideth her meat for herself in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest.

9How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou rise out of thy sleep?

10Thou wilt sleep a little, thou wilt slumber a little, thou wilt fold thy hands a little to sleep:

11And want shall come upon thee, as a traveller, and poverty as a man armed. But if thou be diligent, thy harvest shall come as a fountain, and want shall flee far from thee.

12A man that is an apostate, an unprofitable man, walketh with a perverse mouth,

13He winketh with the eyes, presseth with the foot, speaketh with the finger.

14With a wicked heart he deviseth evil, and at all times he soweth discord.

15To such a one his destruction shall presently come, and he shall suddenly be destroyed, and shall no longer have any remedy.

16Six things there are, which the Lord hateth, and the seventh his soul detesteth:

17Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood,

18A heart that deviseth wicked plots, feet that are swift to run into mischief,

19A deceitful witness that uttereth lies, and him that soweth discord among brethren.

Warnings against Adultery

20My son, keep the commandments of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother.

21Bind them in thy heart continually, and put them about thy neck.

22When thou walkest, let them go with thee: when thou sleepest, let them keep thee; and when thou awakest, talk with them.

23Because the commandment is a lamp, and the law a light, and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:

24That they may keep thee from the evil woman, and from the flattering tongue of the stranger.

25Let not thy heart covet her beauty, be not caught with her winks:

26For the price of a harlot is scarce one loaf: but the woman catcheth the precious soul of a man.

27Can a man hide fire in his bosom, and his garments not burn?

28Or can he walk upon hot coals, and his feet not be burnt?

29So he that goeth in to his neighbour's wife, shall not be clean when he shall touch her.

30The fault is not so great when a man hath stolen: for he stealeth to fill his hungry soul:

31And if he be taken he shall restore sevenfold, and shall give up all the substance of his house.

32But he that is an adulterer, for the folly of his heart shall destroy his own soul:

33He gathereth to himself shame and dishonour, and his reproach shall not be blotted out:

34Because the jealousy and rage of the husband will not spare in the day of revenge,

35Nor will he yield to any man's prayers, nor will he accept for satisfaction ever so many gifts.