Chapter 6

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

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

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  Do 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:  

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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  And 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.  

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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