1 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.