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

1 בְּ֭נִי אִם־עָרַ֣בְתָּ לְרֵעֶ֑ךָ תָּקַ֖עְתָּ³ לַזָּ֣ר כַּפֶּֽיךָ׃

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

2 נֹוקַ֥שְׁתָּ בְאִמְרֵי־פִ֑יךָ נִ֝לְכַּ֗דְתָּ בְּאִמְרֵי־פִֽיךָ׃

3 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.

3 עֲשֵׂ֨ה זֹ֥את אֵפֹ֪וא³׀ בְּנִ֡י וְֽהִנָּצֵ֗ל כִּ֘י בָ֤אתָ בְכַף־רֵעֶ֑ךָ לֵ֥ךְ הִ֝תְרַפֵּ֗ס וּרְהַ֥ב רֵעֶֽיךָ׃

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

4 אַל־תִּתֵּ֣ן שֵׁנָ֣ה לְעֵינֶ֑יךָ וּ֝תְנוּמָ֗ה לְעַפְעַפֶּֽיךָ׃

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

5 הִ֭נָּצֵל כִּצְבִ֣י מִיָּ֑ד וּ֝כְצִפֹּ֗ור מִיַּ֥ד יָקֽוּשׁ׃

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

6 לֵֽךְ־אֶל־נְמָלָ֥ה עָצֵ֑ל רְאֵ֖ה דְרָכֶ֣יהָ וַחֲכָֽם׃

7 Having no chief, overseer, or ruler,

7 אֲשֶׁ֖ר אֵֽין־לָ֥הּ קָצִ֗ין שֹׁטֵ֥ר וּמֹשֵֽׁל׃

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

8 תָּכִ֣ין בַּקַּ֣יִץ לַחְמָ֑הּ אָגְרָ֥ה בַ֝קָּצִ֗יר מַאֲכָלָֽהּ׃

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

9 עַד־מָתַ֖י עָצֵ֥ל׀ תִּשְׁכָּ֑ב מָ֝תַ֗י תָּק֥וּם מִשְּׁנָתֶֽךָ׃

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

10 מְעַ֣ט נֹות מְעַ֣ט תְּנוּמֹ֑ות מְעַ֓ט׀ חִבֻּ֖ק יָדַ֣יִם לִשְׁכָּֽב׃

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

11 וּבָֽא־כִמְהַלֵּ֥ךְ רֵאשֶׁ֑ךָ וּ֝מַחְסֹֽרְךָ֗ כְּאִ֣ישׁ מָגֵֽן׃

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

12 אָדָ֣ם בְּ֭לִיַּעַל אִ֣ישׁ אָ֑וֶן הֹ֝ולֵ֗ךְ עִקְּשׁ֥וּת פֶּֽה׃

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

13 קֹרֵ֣ץ בְּ֭עֵינָיו^q מֹלֵ֣ל בְּרַגְלָ֑ו^q מֹ֝רֶ֗ה בְּאֶצְבְּעֹתָֽיו׃

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

14 תַּֽהְפֻּכֹ֨ות׀ בְּלִבֹּ֗ו חֹרֵ֣שׁ רָ֣ע בְּכָל־עֵ֑ת מְדָנִים מִדְיָנִ֥ים יְשַׁלֵּֽחַ׃

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

15 עַל־כֵּ֗ן פִּ֭תְאֹם יָבֹ֣וא אֵידֹ֑ו פֶּ֥תַע יִ֝שָּׁבֵ֗ר וְאֵ֣ין מַרְפֵּֽא׃

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

16 שֶׁשׁ־הֵ֭נָּה שָׂנֵ֣א יְהוָ֑ה וְ֝שֶׁ֗בַע תֹּועֲבֹות תֹּועֲבַ֥ת^y נַפְשֹֽׁו׃

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

17 עֵינַ֣יִם רָ֭מֹות לְשֹׁ֣ון שָׁ֑קֶר וְ֝יָדַ֗יִם שֹׁפְכֹ֥ות דָּם־נָקִֽי׃

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

18 לֵ֗ב חֹ֭רֵשׁ מַחְשְׁבֹ֣ות אָ֑וֶן רַגְלַ֥יִם מְ֝מַהֲרֹ֗ות לָר֥וּץ לָֽרָעָה׃

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

19 יָפִ֣יחַ כְּ֭זָבִים עֵ֣ד שָׁ֑קֶר וּמְשַׁלֵּ֥חַ מְ֝דָנִ֗ים בֵּ֣ין אַחִֽים׃

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

20 נְצֹ֣ר בְּ֭נִי מִצְוַ֣ת אָבִ֑יךָ וְאַל־תִּ֝טֹּ֗שׁ תֹּורַ֥ת אִמֶּֽךָ׃

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

21 קָשְׁרֵ֣ם עַל־לִבְּךָ֣ תָמִ֑יד עָ֝נְדֵ֗ם עַל־גַּרְגְּרֹתֶֽךָ׃

22 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.

22 בְּהִתְהַלֶּכְךָ֨³׀ תַּנְחֶ֬ה אֹתָ֗ךְ בְּֽ֭שָׁכְבְּךָ תִּשְׁמֹ֣ר עָלֶ֑יךָ וַ֝הֲקִיצֹ֗ותָ הִ֣יא תְשִׂיחֶֽךָ׃

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

23 כִּ֤י נֵ֣ר מִ֭צְוָה וְתֹ֣ורָה אֹ֑ור וְדֶ֥רֶךְ חַ֝יִּ֗ים תֹּוכְחֹ֥ות מוּסָֽר׃

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

24 לִ֭שְׁמָרְךָ מֵאֵ֣שֶׁת רָ֑ע מֵֽ֝חֶלְקַ֗ת לָשֹׁ֥ון נָכְרִיָּֽה׃

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

25 אַל־תַּחְמֹ֣ד יָ֭פְיָהּ בִּלְבָבֶ֑ךָ וְאַל־תִּ֝קָּֽחֲךָ֗ בְּעַפְעַפֶּֽיהָ׃

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

26 כִּ֤י בְעַד־אִשָּׁ֥ה זֹונָ֗ה עַֽד־כִּכַּ֫ר לָ֥חֶם וְאֵ֥שֶׁת אִ֑ישׁ נֶ֖פֶשׁ יְקָרָ֣ה תָצֽוּד׃

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

27 הֲיַחְתֶּ֤ה אִ֓ישׁ אֵ֬שׁ בְּחֵיקֹ֑ו וּ֝בְגָדָ֗יו לֹ֣א תִשָּׂרַֽפְנָה׃

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

28 אִם־יְהַלֵּ֣ךְ אִ֭ישׁ עַל־הַגֶּחָלִ֑ים וְ֝רַגְלָ֗יו לֹ֣א תִכָּוֶֽינָה׃

29 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.

29 כֵּ֗ן הַ֭בָּא אֶל־אֵ֣שֶׁת רֵעֵ֑הוּ לֹ֥א יִ֝נָּקֶ֗ה כָּֽל־הַנֹּגֵ֥עַ בָּֽהּ׃

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

30 לֹא־יָב֣וּזוּ לַ֭גַּנָּב כִּ֣י יִגְנֹ֑וב לְמַלֵּ֥א נַ֝פְשֹׁ֗ו כִּ֣י יִרְעָֽב׃

31 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.

31 וְ֭נִמְצָא יְשַׁלֵּ֣ם שִׁבְעָתָ֑יִם אֶת־כָּל־הֹ֖ון בֵּיתֹ֣ו יִתֵּֽן׃

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

32 נֹאֵ֣ף אִשָּׁ֣ה חֲסַר־לֵ֑ב מַֽשְׁחִ֥ית נַ֝פְשֹׁ֗ו ה֣וּא יַעֲשֶֽׂנָּה׃

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

33 נֶֽגַע־וְקָלֹ֥ון יִמְצָ֑א וְ֝חֶרְפָּתֹ֗ו לֹ֣א תִמָּחֶֽה׃

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

34 כִּֽי־קִנְאָ֥ה חֲמַת־גָּ֑בֶר וְלֹֽא־יַ֝חְמֹ֗ול בְּיֹ֣ום נָקָֽם׃

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

35 לֹא־יִ֭שָּׂא פְּנֵ֣י כָל־כֹּ֑פֶר וְלֹֽא־יֹ֝אבֶ֗ה כִּ֣י תַרְבֶּה־שֹֽׁחַד׃