Chapter 6

He that is surety for an other, must have care to discharge that he promiseth. ℣.6 The slothful must learn diligence of the emmot, ℣.12 The description of an Apostata. ℣.16 Above other six bad things, God detesteth the sower of discord. ℣.20 All are exhorted to keep God's law, ℣.24 namely to flee fornication, and all occasions thereof.

1. 1

   My son if thou shalt be surety for thy friend, and hast made fast thy hand to a stranger,

2. 2

   thou art entrapped with the words of thy mouth, & caught with thine own words.

3. 3

   Do therefore my son that which I say, and deliver thy self, because thou art fallen into the hand of thy neighbour. Run diverse ways, make haste, raise thy friend.

4. 4

   Give not sleep to thine eyes, neither let thine eye-lids slumber.

5. 5

   Deliver thyself as a little doe from the hand, and as a bird from the hand of the fowler.

6. 6

   Go to the emmot, o sluggard, and consider her ways, and learn wisdom.

7. 7

   Who whereas she hath no guide, nor master, nor captain,

8. 8

   prepareth meat for herself in the summer, and gathereth in the harvest for to eat.

9. 9

   How long wilt thou sleep, o sluggard? When wilt thou rise out of thy sleep?

10. 10

    Thou shalt sleep a little, a little shalt thou slumber, a little shalt thou join thy hands to sleep:

11. 11

    and penury shall come to thee, as a wayfaring man, and poverty as a man armed. But if thou be not sluggish, thy harvest shall come as a fountain, and penury shall fly far from thee.

12. 12

    A man that is an Apostata, a man unprofitable, goeth with perverse mouth,

13. 13

    winketh with the eyes, treadeth with the foot, speaketh with the finger,

14. 14

    with wicked heart he deviseth evil, and at all time he soweth brawls.

15. 15

    To him his destruction shall come forthwith, and he shall suddenly be destroyed, neither shall he have remedy any more.

16. 16

    Six things there are which our Lord hateth, and the seventh his soul detesteth:

17. 17

    Lofty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood,

18. 18

    a heart that deviseth most wicked devises, feet swift to run into evil,

19. 19

    a deceitful witness that uttereth lies, and him that among brethren soweth discords.

20. 20

    My son keep the precepts of thy father, and leave not the law of thy mother.

21. 21

    Bind them in thy heart continually, and put them about thy throat.

22. 22

    When thou shalt walk, let them go with thee: when thou shalt sleep, let them keep thee, and awaking talk with them.

23. 23

    Because the commandment is a lamp, and the law a light, and the way of life the increpation of discipline:

24. 24

    that they may keep thee from the evil woman, and from the fair spoken tongue of the stranger.

25. 25

    Let not thy heart covet her beauty, be not caught with her becks:

26. 26

    for the price of an harlot is scarce worth one loaf: but a woman catcheth the precious soul of man.

27. 27

    Can a man hide fire in his bosom, that his garments burn not?

28. 28

    Or walk upon hot coals, that his soles be not burnt?

29. 29

    so he that goeth in unto his neighbour's wife, shall not be clean when he shall touch her.

30. 30

    It is no great fault, when a man shall have stolen: for he stealeth to fill his hungry soul:

31. 31

    also being taken he shall restore sevenfold, and shall give up all the substance of his house.

32. 32

    But he that is an adulterer, for penury of heart shall destroy his own soul:

33. 33

    shame and ignominy he gathereth to himself, & his reproach shall not be blotted out.

34. 34

    Because the zeal and fury of the husband will not spare in the day of revenge,

35. 35

    neither will he yield to any man's prayers, neither will he take for redemption very many gifts.