1 My son, if thou be surety for thy friend, if thou hast stricken thy hand with a stranger, 2 Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken with the words of thy mouth. 3 Do this now, my son, and deliver thyself, when thou art come into the hand of thy friend; go, humble thyself, and make sure thy friend. 4 Give not sleep to thine eyes, nor slumber to thine eyelids. 5 Deliver thyself as a roe from the hand of the hunter , and as a bird from the hand of the fowler.
6 ¶ Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: 7 Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, 8 Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest. 9 How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep? 10 Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: 11 So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man.
12 ¶ A naughty person, a wicked man, walketh with a froward mouth. 13 He winketh with his eyes, he speaketh with his feet, he teacheth with his fingers; 14 Frowardness is in his heart, he deviseth mischief continually; he soweth discord. 15 Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly; suddenly shall he be broken without remedy.
16 ¶ These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: 17 A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, 18 An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, 19 A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.
20 ¶ My son, keep thy father’s commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother: 21 Bind them continually upon thine heart, and tie them about thy neck. 22 When thou goest, it shall lead thee; when thou sleepest, it shall keep thee; and when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee. 23 For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life: 24 To keep thee from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman. 25 Lust not after her beauty in thine heart; neither let her take thee with her eyelids. 26 For by means of a whorish woman a man is brought to a piece of bread: and the adulteress will hunt for the precious life. 27 Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned? 28 Can one go upon hot coals, and his feet not be burned? 29 So he that goeth in to his neighbour’s wife; whosoever toucheth her shall not be innocent. 30 Men do not despise a thief, if he steal to satisfy his soul when he is hungry; 31 But if he be found, he shall restore sevenfold; he shall give all the substance of his house. 32 But whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding: he that doeth it destroyeth his own soul. 33 A wound and dishonour shall he get; and his reproach shall not be wiped away. 34 For jealousy is the rage of a man: therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance. 35 He will not regard any ransom; neither will he rest content, though thou givest many gifts.
Praktiskas pamācības
1 Dēls, ja esi galvojis par kaimiņu,
ja svešiniekam siti saujā,
2 tu esi nomedīts pats savas mutes vārdos,
notverts pats savas mutes vārdos!
3 Tad rīkojies, dēls, un glābies,
jo tu sava kaimiņa varā! –
Ej un zemojies,
ej un labinies savam kaimiņam!
4 Nedod miega savām acīm,
ne snaudiena saviem plakstiem,
5 glābies kā gazele no slazda,
kā putns no ķērāja rokas!
6 Ej pie skudras, tu, sliņķi,
raugi, kā viņa dara, ņemies gudrībā –
7 tai nav ne pavēlnieka,
ne virsnieka, ne valdnieka,
8 tomēr sev vasarā tā barību iekrāj,
pļaujas laikā savelk sev ēsmu!
9 Cik ilgi, sliņķi, vēl gulēsi,
kad celsies no miega?
10 Mazliet nomiega, mazliet snaudas,
mazliet saņemt rokas un atlaisties –
11 un jau kā staigulis trūkums tev klāt
un nabadzība kā varmāka!
12 Kas nelietis un nekrietns vīrs,
tas staigā līkās valodās,
13 ar aci mirkšķina, ar kāju piegrūž,
ar pirkstiem rāda zīmes.
14 Nešķīstība tam sirdī,
visu laiku tas ļaunu perina,
ķildas tas ceļ,
15 bet pēkšņi nelaime nāks pār to,
tas tūlīt satriekts – nebūs dziedināms!
16 Seši ir, ko Kungs nīst,
un septiņi, kas viņam derdzas, –
17 lepnīgas acis, melīga mēle
un rokas, kas lej nevainīgas asinis,
18 sirds, kas kaļ nekrietnas domas,
kājas, kas steidz uz ļaunu,
19 viltus liecinieks, kas dveš melus,
un tāds, kas ceļ ķildas starp brāļiem.
20 Glabā, dēls, ko tēvs tev pavēl,
neatmet to, ko māte tev māca,
21 sien to vienmēr ap savu sirdi,
apsaitē to sev ap kaklu –
22 ejot tas tevi vadīs,
guļoties tas tevi sargās,
kad modīsies, tas tērzēs ar tevi!
23 Jo pavēle ir lākturis
un mācība – gaisma,
un pārmācība ir dzīvības ceļš,
24 lai sargātu tevi no ļaunas sievas,
no svešinieces glāsmainās mēles!
25 Neļauj sirdij kārot tās skaistumu,
ka tā tevi negūsta ar savu acu šķelmību –
26 maukas cena ir plācenis maizes,
bet precēta sieva –
tā tev nomedīs dārgo dzīvību!
27 Vai cilvēks var nēsāt uguni azotē,
ka viņa drēbes neaizdegtos?
28 Vai cilvēks var staigāt pa kvēlām oglēm,
ka viņa kājas nesviltu?
29 Tāpat – kas iet pie cita sievas –
netiks attaisnots, kas pieskaras tai!
30 Vai nav nievāts zaglis,
kaut tas zog, lai pamielotos, kad bads moka,
31 notverts tas atmaksā septiņkārt
un visu, kas namā, spiests atdot!
32 Kas pārkāpj laulību, tas bezprātis –
pats savu dzīvību nokauj,
33 brūces un negodu gūst,
un viņa kauns netiks izdzēsts!
34 Jo dusmu kvēle vīru dedz –
tas netaupīs atmaksas brīdī,
35 tas neņems nekādu izpirkumu,
tas neielaidīsies – dod, cik gribi!
