1. My son, if you have become a cosigner for your neighbor, if you have shaken hands in pledge with a stranger,
2. if you are trapped by your own words, ensnared by the words of your mouth,
3. then do this, my son, and free yourself, since you fell into your neighbor’s hand: Go, humble yourself, plead with your neighbor!
4. Allow no sleep to your eyes, nor slumber to your eyelids.
5. Escape like a gazelle from the hunter’s hand, like a bird from the snare of the fowler.
6. Go to the ant, you slacker— consider its ways and be wise!
7. It has no commander, no overseer or ruler.
8. Yet it prepares its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest.
9. How long will you lie there, slacker? When will you get up from your sleep?
10. A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep—
11. and your poverty comes like a bandit and your need like an armed man.
12. A scoundrel, a wicked man, is one who goes around with a perverse mouth,
13. winking his eyes, shuffling his feet, pointing his fingers,
14. who continually plots evil with deceit in his heart stirring up strife.
15. Therefore his disaster will come suddenly —in an instant he will be broken, with no remedy.
16. Six things Adonai hates, yes, seven are abominations to Him: