Chapter 6

  My son, if you have made yourself responsible for your neighbour, or given your word for another,  

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  You are taken as in a net by the words of your mouth, the sayings of your lips have overcome you.  

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  Do this, my son, and make yourself free, because you have come into the power of your neighbour; go without waiting, and make a strong request to your neighbour.  

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  Give no sleep to your eyes, or rest to them;  

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  Make yourself free, like the roe from the hand of the archer, and the bird from him who puts a net for her.  

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  Go to the ant, you hater of work; give thought to her ways and be wise:  

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  Having no chief, overseer, or ruler,  

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  She gets her meat in the summer, storing up food at the time of the grain-cutting.  

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  How long will you be sleeping, O hater of work? when will you get up from your sleep?  

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  A little sleep, a little rest, a little folding of the hands in sleep:  

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  Then loss will come on you like an outlaw, and your need like an armed man  

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  A good-for-nothing man is an evil-doer; he goes on his way causing trouble with false words;  

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  Making signs with his eyes, rubbing with his feet, and giving news with his fingers;  

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  His mind is ever designing evil: he lets loose violent acts.  

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  For this cause his downfall will be sudden; quickly he will be broken, and there will be no help for him.  

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  Six things are hated by the Lord; seven things are disgusting to him:  

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  Eyes of pride, a false tongue, hands which take life without cause;  

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  A heart full of evil designs, feet which are quick in running after sin;  

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  A false witness, breathing out untrue words, and one who lets loose violent acts among brothers.  

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  My son, keep the rule of your father, and have in memory the teaching of your mother:  

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  Keep them ever folded in your heart, and have them hanging round your neck.  

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  In your walking, it will be your guide; when you are sleeping, it will keep watch over you; when you are awake, it will have talk with you.  

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  For the rule is a light, and the teaching a shining light; and the guiding words of training are the way of life.  

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  They will keep you from the evil woman, from the smooth tongue of the strange woman.  

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  Let not your heart's desire go after her fair body; let not her eyes take you prisoner.  

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  For a loose woman is looking for a cake of bread, but another man's wife goes after one's very life.  

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  May a man take fire to his breast without burning his clothing?  

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  Or may one go on lighted coals, and his feet not be burned?  

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  So it is with him who goes in to his neighbour's wife; he who has anything to do with her will not go free from punishment.  

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  Men do not have a low opinion of a thief who takes food when he is in need of it:  

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  But if he is taken in the act he will have to give back seven times as much, giving up all his property which is in his house.  

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  He who takes another man's wife is without all sense: he who does it is the cause of destruction to his soul.  

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  Wounds will be his and loss of honour, and his shame may not be washed away.  

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  For bitter is the wrath of an angry husband; in the day of punishment he will have no mercy.  

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  He will not take any payment; and he will not make peace with you though your money offerings are increased.  

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