1My son, if you: Have become guarantor for your friend, Have shaken hands in pledge for a stranger,

2Have been snared by the words of your own mouth, Have been caught by the words of your mouth –

3Do this at once, my son, and deliver yourself, For you have come into the hand of your friend: Go, humble yourself, and urge your friend.

4Give no sleep to your eyes, Nor slumber to your eyelids.

5Deliver yourself like a gazelle from the hunter’s hand, And like a bird from the hand of the trapper.

6Go to the ant, you lazy one! See her ways and be wise,

7Which, having no commander, overseer or ruler,

8Provides her supplies in the summer, Gathers her food in the harvest.

9How long would you lie down, O lazy one? When do you arise from your sleep?

10A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to lie down;

11And your poverty shall come like a prowler, And your need as an armed man.

12A man of Beliya‛al, a wicked man, Walks with a perverse mouth,

13Winks with his eyes, shuffles his feet, Points with his fingers;

14Perverseness is in his heart, Plotting evil at all times, He sends out strife.

15Therefore his calamity comes suddenly; Instantly he is broken, And there is no healing.

16These six matters יהוה hates, And seven are an abomination to Him:

17A proud look, A lying tongue, And hands shedding innocent blood,

18A heart devising wicked schemes, Feet quick to run to evil,

19A false witness breathing out lies, And one who causes strife among brothers.

20My son, watch over your father’s command, And do not forsake the Torah of your mother.

21Bind them on your heart always; Tie them around your neck.

22When you are walking about, it leads you; When you lie down, it guards you. And when you have woken up, It talks to you.

23For the command is a lamp, And the Torah a lighta, And reproofs of discipline a way of life,

24To guard you against an evil woman, From the flattering tongue of a strange woman.

25Do not desire her prettiness in your heart, Neither let her captivate you with her eyelids.

26For because of a whore One is brought to a crust of bread. And an adulteress hunts a precious life.

27Would a man take fire to his bosom, And his garments not be burned?

28Would a man walk on hot coals, And his feet not be scorched?

29So is he who goes in to his neighbour’s wife; None who touches her goes unpunished.

30They do not despise a thief If he steals to satisfy his appetite when he is starving.

31Yet if he is caught he repays sevenfold; He gives all the wealth of his house.

32He who commits adultery with a woman lacks heart; He who does it destroys his own life.

33He finds smiting and shame, And his reproach is not wiped away.

34For jealousy enrages a man, And he does not spare in the day of vengeance.

35He does not regard any ransom, Nor accept your bribe, however great!