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 hast become surety for thy friend, if thou hast struck thy hand for a stranger;
2 then you've trapped yourself by what you promised, you've been caught by what you said.
If thou art ensnared through the words of thy mouth, if thou art caught through 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.
[Then] do this by all means, my son, and deliver thyself, because thou art come into the power of thy friend, Go hasten to him, and urge thy friend.
4 Don't delay, saying that you'll sleep on it. Don't rest until you've done it.
Grant not any sleep to thy eyes, nor slumber to thy 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 roebuck 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; look on her ways, and become wise.
7 They don't have a leader, an officer, or a ruler,
She, that hath no prince, officer, or ruler,
8 yet they work hard during the summer getting their food, gathering what they need during the harvest.
Provideth in the summer her provision, gathereth in harvest-time her food.
9 So how long are you going to lie there, you slacker? When are you going to get up from your sleep?
How long, O sluggard, wilt thou lie down? 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”—
“A little [more] sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands in lying down;”
11 and poverty will attack you like a robber, destitution like an armed warrior.
But then will thy poverty come like a rover, and thy want as a man armed with a shield.
12 Rebellious and wicked people go around telling lies,
A Godless person is a man of injustice, who walketh with a distorted mouth.
13 winking slyly, giving sneaky foot gestures, rudely pointing with their fingers.
He blinketh with his eyes, he scrapeth with his feet, he pointeth with his fingers;
14 Their warped minds plot evil schemes; they're always causing trouble.
Perverseness is in his heart, he contriveth evil at all times; he scattereth abroad discord.
15 As a result, disaster falls suddenly on such people; in just a moment they're destroyed without hope of healing.
Therefore shall suddenly come his calamity: unawares shalt he be broken without a remedy.
16 There are six things that the Lord hates, seven things that he absolutely detests:
Six things there are which the Lord hateth; and seven are an abomination unto his spirit:
17 arrogant eyes, a lying tongue, hands that murder the innocent,
Haughty eyes, a tongue of falsehood, and hands that shed innocent blood,
18 a mind that plots evil schemes, feet that hurriedly run to do wrong,
A heart that contriveth plans of injustice, feet that hasten to run after evil,
19 a false witness that speaks lies, those who caused arguments in families.
A false witness that eagerly uttereth lies, and him that scattereth abroad discord among brethren.
20 My son, pay attention to your father's instruction, and don't reject your mother's teaching.
Keep, O my son, the commandment of thy father, and reject not the teaching of thy mother:
21 Keep them always in mind. Tie them around your neck.
Bind them upon thy heart continually, tie them about thy throat.
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 walkest, it shall lead thee; when thou liest down, it shall watch over thee; and when thou art awake, it shall converse 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 the way of life are the admonitions of correction:
24 It will protect you from an evil woman and the seductive words of a prostitute.
To guard thee against a bad woman, from the flattery of an alien tongue.
25 Don't let your mind lust after her beauty, or let her hypnotize you with her fluttering eyelashes.
Covet not her beauty in thy heart, and let her not conquer 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 harlot [one is brought down] to the last loaf of bread: and an adulterous woman will even hunt for the precious life,
27 Can you put fire in your lap and not burn your clothes?
Can a man gather up fire in his lap, and shall his clothes not be burnt?
28 Can you walk on hot coals and not scorch your feet?
Can a man walk along upon hot coals, and shall his feet not be burnt?
29 It's the same for anyone who sleeps with another man's wife. No one who touches her will remain unpunished.
So it is with him that goeth in to his neighbor's wife: no one that toucheth her shall remain unpunished.
30 People don't condemn a thief if he steals to satisfy himself when he's hungry.
Men do not despise the thief, if he steal, to gratify his craving 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.
And if he be found, he must pay sevenfold; all the wealth his house must he give.
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 sense: he that is the destroyer of his soul, will alone do this.
33 He will be wounded and dishonored. His disgrace will never be removed.
Plague and disgrace will he meet with; and his reproach will not be blotted out.
34 For jealousy makes a husband furious, and he won't hold back when he takes revenge.
For jealousy is the fury of a husband, and he will not spare on the day of vengeance.
35 He refuses any compensation, and won't be paid off, however big the amount.
He will not regard the appearance of any ransom; and he will not be content, though thou give ever so many bribes.
