Proverbs 6
1 My son, suppose you have pledged to guarantee your neighbor's debt, or you have shaken hands in agreement with a stranger,
My son, if thou be surety for thy friend, if thou hast stricken thy hand with a stranger,
2 then you've trapped yourself by what you promised, you've been caught by what you said.
Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken with the words of thy mouth.
3 So this is what you have to do. You need to get out of it, because you've put yourself in that person's power. Go to your neighbor in all humility and ask him to release you from the commitment.
Do this now, my son, deliver thyself, when thou art come into the hand of thy friend; go, humble thyself, and make sure thy friend.
4 Don't delay, saying that you'll sleep on it. Don't rest until you've done it.
Give not sleep to thine eyes, nor slumber to thine eyelids.
5 Get out of it like a gazelle escaping from a trap, like a bird from a bird-catcher's net.
Deliver thyself as a roe from the hand of the hunter, and as a bird from the hand of the fowler.
6 Go and observe the ants, you slacker! Learn from what they do and become wise.
Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise:
7 They don't have a leader, an officer, or a ruler,
Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler,
8 yet they work hard during the summer getting their food, gathering what they need during the harvest.
Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest.
9 So how long are you going to lie there, you slacker? When are you going to get up from your sleep?
How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep?
10 You may say, “Please, just a little more sleep, a little longer snooze, a little more folding of the arms to rest”—
Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:
11 and poverty will attack you like a robber, destitution like an armed warrior.
So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man.
12 Rebellious and wicked people go around telling lies,
A naughty person, a wicked man, walketh with a froward mouth.
13 winking slyly, giving sneaky foot gestures, rudely pointing with their fingers.
He winketh with his eyes, he speaketh with his feet, he teacheth with his fingers;
14 Their warped minds plot evil schemes; they're always causing trouble.
Frowardness is in his heart, he deviseth mischief continually; he soweth discord.
15 As a result, disaster falls suddenly on such people; in just a moment they're destroyed without hope of healing.
Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly; suddenly shall he be broken without remedy.
16 There are six things that the Lord hates, seven things that he absolutely detests:
These six things doth YHWH hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:
17 arrogant eyes, a lying tongue, hands that murder the innocent,
A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,
18 a mind that plots evil schemes, feet that hurriedly run to do wrong,
An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,
19 a false witness that speaks lies, those who caused arguments in families.
A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.
20 My son, pay attention to your father's instruction, and don't reject your mother's teaching.
My son, keep thy father's commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother:
21 Keep them always in mind. Tie them around your neck.
Bind them continually upon thine heart, and tie them about thy neck.
22 They will lead you as you walk along; they will watch over you as you sleep; when you wake up they will talk with you.
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 instruction is a lamp, and the teaching is a light. The correction that comes from discipline is the way to life.
For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:
24 It will protect you from an evil woman and the seductive words of a prostitute.
To keep thee from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman.
25 Don't let your mind lust after her beauty, or let her hypnotize you with her fluttering eyelashes.
Lust not after her beauty in thine heart; neither let her take thee with her eyelids.
26 You can buy a prostitute for the price of a loaf of bread, but adultery with another man's wife can cost you your life.
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 you put fire in your lap and not burn your clothes?
Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned?
28 Can you walk on hot coals and not scorch your feet?
Can one go upon hot coals, and his feet not be burned?
29 It's the same for anyone who sleeps with another man's wife. No one who touches her will remain unpunished.
So he that goeth in to his neighbour's wife; whosoever toucheth her shall not be innocent.
30 People don't condemn a thief if he steals to satisfy himself when he's hungry.
Men do not despise a thief, if he steal to satisfy his soul when he is hungry;
31 But if he's caught, he has to pay back seven times what he stole, even if it means handing over everything he has in his house.
But if he be found, he shall restore sevenfold; he shall give all the substance of his house.
32 Any man who commits adultery with a woman has no sense; he who does so destroys himself.
But whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding: he that doeth it destroyeth his own soul.
33 He will be wounded and dishonored. His disgrace will never be removed.
A wound and dishonour shall he get; and his reproach shall not be wiped away.
34 For jealousy makes a husband furious, and he won't hold back when he takes revenge.
For jealousy is the rage of a man: therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance.
35 He refuses any compensation, and won't be paid off, however big the amount.
He will not regard any ransom; neither will he rest content, though thou givest many gifts.
