Chapter 6

  My son, if thou be surety for thy friend, [if] thou hast stricken thy hand with a stranger,  

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  Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken with the words of thy mouth.  

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  Do this now, my son, and deliver thyself, when thou art come into the hand of thy friend; go, humble thyself, and make sure thy friend.  

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  Give not sleep to thine eyes, nor slumber to thine eyelids.  

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  Deliver thyself as a roe from the hand [of the hunter], and as a bird from the hand of the fowler.  

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  Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise:  

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  Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler,  

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  Provideth her meat in the summer, [and] gathereth her food in the harvest.  

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

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  [Yet] a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:  

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  So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man.  

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  A naughty person, a wicked man, walketh with a froward mouth.  

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  He winketh with his eyes, he speaketh with his feet, he teacheth with his fingers;  

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  Frowardness [is] in his heart, he deviseth mischief continually; he soweth discord.  

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  Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly; suddenly shall he be broken without remedy.  

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  These six [things] doth the LORD hate: yea, seven [are] an abomination unto him:  

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  A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,  

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  An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,  

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  A false witness [that] speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.  

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  My son, keep thy father's commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother:  

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  Bind them continually upon thine heart, [and] tie them about thy neck.  

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  When thou goest, it shall lead thee; when thou sleepest, it shall keep thee; and [when] thou awakest, it shall talk with thee.  

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  For the commandment [is] a lamp; and the law [is] light; and reproofs of instruction [are] the way of life:  

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  To keep thee from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman.  

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  Lust not after her beauty in thine heart; neither let her take thee with her eyelids.  

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  For by means of a whorish woman [a man is brought] to a piece of bread: and the adulteress will hunt for the precious life.  

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  Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned?  

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  Can one go upon hot coals, and his feet not be burned?  

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  So he that goeth in to his neighbour's wife; whosoever toucheth her shall not be innocent.  

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  [Men] do not despise a thief, if he steal to satisfy his soul when he is hungry;  

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  But [if] he be found, he shall restore sevenfold; he shall give all the substance of his house.  

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  [But] whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding: he [that] doeth it destroyeth his own soul.  

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  A wound and dishonour shall he get; and his reproach shall not be wiped away.  

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  For jealousy [is] the rage of a man: therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance.  

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  He will not regard any ransom; neither will he rest content, though thou givest many gifts.  

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