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6:1 My son, if you have made yourself responsible for your neighbour, or given your word for another,

6:2 You are taken as in a net by the words of your mouth, the sayings of your lips have overcome you.

6:3 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.

6:4 Give no sleep to your eyes, or rest to them;

6:5 Make yourself free, like the roe from the hand of the archer, and the bird from him who puts a net for her.

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

6:7 Having no chief, overseer, or ruler,

6:8 She gets her meat in the summer, storing up food at the time of the grain-cutting.

6:9 How long will you be sleeping, O hater of work? when will you get up from your sleep?

6:10 A little sleep, a little rest, a little folding of the hands in sleep:

6:11 Then loss will come on you like an outlaw, and your need like an armed man

6:12 A good-for-nothing man is an evil-doer; he goes on his way causing trouble with false words;

6:13 Making signs with his eyes, rubbing with his feet, and giving news with his fingers;

6:14 His mind is ever designing evil: he lets loose violent acts.

6:15 For this cause his downfall will be sudden; quickly he will be broken, and there will be no help for him.

6:16 Six things are hated by the Lord; seven things are disgusting to him:

6:17 Eyes of pride, a false tongue, hands which take life without cause;

6:18 A heart full of evil designs, feet which are quick in running after sin;

6:19 A false witness, breathing out untrue words, and one who lets loose violent acts among brothers.

6:20 My son, keep the rule of your father, and have in memory the teaching of your mother:

6:21 Keep them ever folded in your heart, and have them hanging round your neck.

6:22 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.

6:23 For the rule is a light, and the teaching a shining light; and the guiding words of training are the way of life.

6:24 They will keep you from the evil woman, from the smooth tongue of the strange woman.

6:25 Let not your heart's desire go after her fair body; let not her eyes take you prisoner.

6:26 For a loose woman is looking for a cake of bread, but another man's wife goes after one's very life.

6:27 May a man take fire to his breast without burning his clothing?

6:28 Or may one go on lighted coals, and his feet not be burned?

6:29 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.

6:30 Men do not have a low opinion of a thief who takes food when he is in need of it:

6:31 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.

6:32 He who takes another man's wife is without all sense: he who does it is the cause of destruction to his soul.

6:33 Wounds will be his and loss of honour, and his shame may not be washed away.

6:34 For bitter is the wrath of an angry husband; in the day of punishment he will have no mercy.

6:35 He will not take any payment; and he will not make peace with you though your money offerings are increased.

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