1 My son, if you have become collateral for your neighbor,
if you have struck your hands in pledge for a stranger,
2 you are trapped by the words of your mouth;
you are ensnared with the words of your mouth.
3 Do this now, my son, and deliver yourself,
since you have come into the hand of your neighbor.
Go, humble yourself.
Press your plea with your neighbor.
4 Give no sleep to your eyes,
nor slumber to your eyelids.
5 Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter,
like a bird from the snare of the fowler.
6 Go to the ant, you sluggard.
Consider her ways, and be wise;
7 which having no chief, overseer, or ruler,
8 provides her bread in the summer,
and gathers her food in the harvest.
9 How long will you sleep, sluggard?
When will you arise out of your sleep?
10 A little sleep, a little slumber,
a little folding of the hands to sleep—
11 so your poverty will come as a robber,
and your scarcity as an armed man.
12 A worthless person, a man of iniquity,
is he who walks with a perverse mouth,
13 who winks with his eyes, who signals with his feet,
who motions with his fingers,
14 in whose heart is perverseness,
who devises evil continually,
who always sows discord.
15 Therefore his calamity will come suddenly.
He will be broken suddenly, and that without remedy.
16 There are six things which Yahweh hates;
yes, seven which are an abomination to him:
17 arrogant eyes, a lying tongue,
hands that shed innocent blood,
18 a heart that devises wicked schemes,
feet that are swift in running to mischief,
19 a false witness who utters lies,
and he who sows discord among brothers.
20 My son, keep your father’s commandment,
and don’t forsake your mother’s teaching.
21 Bind them continually on your heart.
Tie them around your neck.
22 When you walk, it will lead you.
When you sleep, it will watch over you.
When you awake, it will talk with you.
23 For the commandment is a lamp,
and the law is light.
Reproofs of instruction are the way of life,
24 to keep you from the immoral woman,
from the flattery of the wayward wife’s tongue.
25 Don’t lust after her beauty in your heart,
neither let her captivate you with her eyelids.
26 For a prostitute reduces you to a piece of bread.
The adulteress hunts for your precious life.
27 Can a man scoop fire into his lap,
and his clothes not be burned?
28 Or can one walk on hot coals,
and his feet not be scorched?
29 So is he who goes in to his neighbor’s wife.
Whoever touches her will not be unpunished.
30 Men don’t despise a thief
if he steals to satisfy himself when he is hungry,
31 but if he is found, he shall restore seven times.
He shall give all the wealth of his house.
32 He who commits adultery with a woman is void of understanding.
He who does it destroys his own soul.
33 He will get wounds and dishonor.
His reproach will not be wiped away.
34 For jealousy arouses the fury of the husband.
He won’t spare in the day of vengeance.
35 He won’t regard any ransom,
neither will he rest content, though you give many gifts.
1 我儿， 如果你作朋友的保证人， 替外人击掌担保；
2 如果你给自己口里的话缠累， 给你口里的话绑住；
3 我儿， 既然你落在你朋友的手中， 就要这样行， 好解救你自己， 你要自己降卑， 去恳求你的朋友。
4 不要让你的眼睛睡觉， 不要容你的眼睑打盹；
5 要解救自己， 像羚羊脱离猎人的手， 像飞鸟脱离捕鸟人的手。
6 懒惰人哪！ 你去看看蚂蚁， 察看它们所行的， 就可得着智慧。
7 蚂蚁没有元帅， 没有官长， 也没有统治者，
8 尚且在夏天预备食物， 在收割的时候积聚粮食。
9 懒惰人哪， 你要睡到几时呢？你什么时候才睡醒呢？
10 再睡片时， 打盹片时， 抱着手躺卧片时，
11 你的贫穷就必像强盗来到， 你的缺乏就必像拿兵器的人来到。
12 无赖汉、坏人到处使用欺诈的口；
13 他以眼传神， 用脚示意， 用指头指点，
14 心存乖谬， 图谋恶事， 常常散布纷争。
15 因此， 灾难必忽然临到， 他必突然毁灭， 无法挽救。
16 耶和华恨恶的事有六样， 连他心里厌恶的， 共有七样，
17 就是高傲的眼、说谎的舌头、流无辜人血的手、
18 图谋恶事的心、快跑行恶的脚、
19 说谎的假证人， 和在弟兄中散布纷争的人。
20 我儿， 要谨守你父亲的诫命， 不可离弃你母亲的训诲。
21 要把它们常常系在你的心上， 绑在你的颈项上。
22 你行走的时候， 它们必引导你； 你睡觉的时候， 它们必保护你； 你醒来的时候， 它们必和你交谈。
23 因为诫命是灯， 训诲是光， 出于管教的责备是生命之道，
24 能保护你远离邪恶的女人， 远离妓女谄媚的舌头。
25 你心里不要贪恋她的美色， 也不要给她的媚眼勾引。
26 因为妓女使人只剩一块饼， 通奸的妇人猎取人宝贵的生命。
27 如果人把火藏在怀里， 他的衣服怎能不烧着呢？
28 如果人在火炭上行走， 他的脚怎能不灼伤呢？
29 凡是和别人的妻子通奸的， 也是这样； 凡是亲近她的， 都必不免受罚。
30 盗贼因饥饿偷窃充饥， 人不会鄙视他。
31 但如果他被捉住， 就要七倍偿还， 要把他家里所有的财物都交出来。
32 和妇人通奸的， 实在无知； 行这事的， 是自我毁灭。
33 他必遭受击打， 被凌辱， 他的耻辱永不能涂抹。
34 因为嫉妒激起了丈夫的烈怒， 使他在报仇的时候， 必不留情。
35 任何赔偿， 他都不接受， 纵使你馈送许多礼物， 他也不肯罢休。