Chapter 6

1My son, if you have stood surety for your fellow, Given your hand for another,

אבְּנִי אִם־עָרַבְתָּ לְרֵעֶךָ תָּקַעְתָּ לַזָּר כַּפֶּיךָ׃

2You have been trapped by the words of your mouth, Snared by the words of your mouth.

בנוֹקַשְׁתָּ בְאִמְרֵי־פִיךָ נִלְכַּדְתָּ בְּאִמְרֵי־פִיךָ׃

3Do this, then, my son, to extricate yourself, For you have come into the power of your fellow: Go grovel—and badger your fellow;

געֲשֵׂה זֹאת אֵפוֹא בְּנִי וְהִנָּצֵל כִּי בָאתָ בְכַף־רֵעֶךָ לֵךְ הִתְרַפֵּס וּרְהַב רֵעֶיךָ׃

4Give your eyes no sleep, Your pupils no slumber.

דאַל־תִּתֵּן שֵׁנָה לְעֵינֶיךָ וּתְנוּמָה לְעַפְעַפֶּיךָ׃

5Save yourself like a deer out of the hand [of a hunter], Like a bird out of the hand of a fowler.

ההִנָּצֵל כִּצְבִי מִיָּד וּכְצִפּוֹר מִיַּד יָקוּשׁ׃

6Lazybones, go to the ant; Study its ways and learn.

ולֵךְ־אֶל־נְמָלָה עָצֵל רְאֵה דְרָכֶיהָ וַחֲכָם׃

7Without leaders, officers, or rulers,

זאֲשֶׁר אֵין־לָהּ קָצִין שֹׁטֵר וּמֹשֵׁל׃

8It lays up its stores during the summer, Gathers in its food at the harvest.

חתָּכִין בַּקַּיִץ לַחְמָהּ אָגְרָה בַקָּצִיר מַאֲכָלָהּ׃

9How long will you lie there, lazybones; When will you wake from your sleep?

טעַד־מָתַי עָצֵל תִּשְׁכָּב מָתַי תָּקוּם מִשְּׁנָתֶךָ׃

10A bit more sleep, a bit more slumber, A bit more hugging yourself in bed,

ימְעַט שֵׁנוֹת מְעַט תְּנוּמוֹת מְעַט חִבֻּק יָדַיִם לִשְׁכָּב׃

11And poverty will come calling upon you, And want, like a man with a shield.

יאוּבָא־כִמְהַלֵּךְ רֵאשֶׁךָ וּמַחְסֹרְךָ כְּאִישׁ מָגֵן׃

12A scoundrel, an evil man Lives by crooked speech,

יבאָדָם בְּלִיַּעַל אִישׁ אָוֶן הוֹלֵךְ עִקְּשׁוּת פֶּה׃

13Winking his eyes, Shuffling his feet, Pointing his finger.

יגקֹרֵץ בְּעֵינָו מֹלֵל בְּרַגְלָו מֹרֶה בְּאֶצְבְּעֹתָיו׃

14Duplicity is in his heart; He plots evil all the time; He incites quarrels.

ידתַּהְפֻּכוֹת בְּלִבּוֹ חֹרֵשׁ רָע בְּכָל־עֵת מדנים [מִדְיָנִים] יְשַׁלֵּחַ׃

15Therefore calamity will come upon him without warning; Suddenly he will be broken beyond repair.

טועַל־כֵּן פִּתְאֹם יָבוֹא אֵידוֹ פֶּתַע יִשָּׁבֵר וְאֵין מַרְפֵּא׃

16Six things Hashem hates; Seven are an abomination to Him:

טזשֶׁשׁ־הֵנָּה שָׂנֵא יְהֹוָה וְשֶׁבַע תועבות [תּוֹעֲבַת] נַפְשׁוֹ׃

17A haughty bearing, A lying tongue, Hands that shed innocent blood,

יזעֵינַיִם רָמוֹת לְשׁוֹן שָׁקֶר וְיָדַיִם שֹׁפְכוֹת דָּם־נָקִי׃

18A mind that hatches evil plots, Feet quick to run to evil,

יחלֵב חֹרֵשׁ מַחְשְׁבוֹת אָוֶן רַגְלַיִם מְמַהֲרוֹת לָרוּץ לָרָעָה׃

19A false witness testifying lies, And one who incites brothers to quarrel.

יטיָפִיחַ כְּזָבִים עֵד שָׁקֶר וּמְשַׁלֵּחַ מְדָנִים בֵּין אַחִים׃

20My son, keep your father's commandment; Do not forsake your mother's teaching.

כנְצֹר בְּנִי מִצְוַת אָבִיךָ וְאַל־תִּטֹּשׁ תּוֹרַת אִמֶּךָ׃

21Tie them over your heart always; Bind them around your throat.

כאקָשְׁרֵם עַל־לִבְּךָ תָמִיד עָנְדֵם עַל־גַּרְגְּרֹתֶךָ׃

22When you walk it will lead you; When you lie down it will watch over you; And when you are awake it will talk with you.

כבבְּהִתְהַלֶּכְךָ תַּנְחֶה אֹתָךְ בְּשָׁכְבְּךָ תִּשְׁמֹר עָלֶיךָ וַהֲקִיצוֹתָ הִיא תְשִׂיחֶךָ׃

23For the commandment is a lamp, The teaching is a light, And the way to life is the rebuke that disciplines.

KEE NAYR mitz-VAH v'-TO-rah OR v'-DE-rekh kha-YEEM to-kh'-KHOT mu-SAR

כגכִּי נֵר מִצְוָה וְתוֹרָה אוֹר וְדֶרֶךְ חַיִּים תּוֹכְחוֹת מוּסָר׃

24It will keep you from an evil woman, From the smooth tongue of a forbidden woman.

כדלִשְׁמָרְךָ מֵאֵשֶׁת רָע מֵחֶלְקַת לָשׁוֹן נָכְרִיָּה׃

25Do not lust for her beauty Or let her captivate you with her eyes.

כהאַל־תַּחְמֹד יָפְיָהּ בִּלְבָבֶךָ וְאַל־תִּקָּחֲךָ בְּעַפְעַפֶּיהָ׃

26The last loaf of bread will go for a harlot; A married woman will snare a person of honor.

כוכִּי בְעַד־אִשָּׁה זוֹנָה עַד־כִּכַּר לָחֶם וְאֵשֶׁת אִישׁ נֶפֶשׁ יְקָרָה תָצוּד׃

27Can a man rake embers into his bosom Without burning his clothes?

כזהֲיַחְתֶּה אִישׁ אֵשׁ בְּחֵיקוֹ וּבְגָדָיו לֹא תִשָּׂרַפְנָה׃

28Can a man walk on live coals Without scorching his feet?

כחאִם־יְהַלֵּךְ אִישׁ עַל־הַגֶּחָלִים וְרַגְלָיו לֹא תִכָּוֶינָה׃

29It is the same with one who sleeps with his fellow's wife; None who touches her will go unpunished.

כטכֵּן הַבָּא אֶל־אֵשֶׁת רֵעֵהוּ לֹא יִנָּקֶה כָּל־הַנֹּגֵעַ בָּהּ׃

30A thief is not held in contempt For stealing to appease his hunger;

ללֹא־יָבוּזוּ לַגַּנָּב כִּי יִגְנוֹב לְמַלֵּא נַפְשׁוֹ כִּי יִרְעָב׃

31Yet if caught he must pay sevenfold; He must give up all he owns.

לאוְנִמְצָא יְשַׁלֵּם שִׁבְעָתָיִם אֶת־כָּל־הוֹן בֵּיתוֹ יִתֵּן׃

32He who commits adultery is devoid of sense; Only one who would destroy himself does such a thing.

לבנֹאֵף אִשָּׁה חֲסַר־לֵב מַשְׁחִית נַפְשׁוֹ הוּא יַעֲשֶׂנָּה׃

33He will meet with disease and disgrace; His reproach will never be expunged.

לגנֶגַע־וְקָלוֹן יִמְצָא וְחֶרְפָּתוֹ לֹא תִמָּחֶה׃

34The fury of the husband will be passionate; He will show no pity on his day of vengeance.

לדכִּי־קִנְאָה חֲמַת־גָּבֶר וְלֹא־יַחְמוֹל בְּיוֹם נָקָם׃

35He will not have regard for any ransom; He will refuse your bribe, however great.

להלֹא־יִשָּׂא פְּנֵי כָל־כֹּפֶר וְלֹא־יֹאבֶה כִּי תַרְבֶּה־שֹׁחַד׃