Proverbs 6

1 My son, if you be guarantor for your friend, if you have stricken your hand with a stranger,

My son, if you have become collateral for your neighbor, if you have struck your hand in pledge for a stranger;

2 You are snared with the words of your mouth, you are taken with the words of your mouth.

You are trapped by the words of your mouth. You are ensnared with the words of your mouth.

3 Do this now, my son, and deliver yourself, when you are come into the hand of your friend; go, humble yourself, and make sure your friend.

Do this now, my son, and deliver yourself, seeing you have come into the hand of your neighbor. Go, humble yourself. Press your plea with your neighbor.

4 Give not sleep to your eyes, nor slumber to your eyelids.

Give no sleep to your eyes, nor slumber to your eyelids.

5 Deliver yourself as a roe from the hand of the hunter, and as a bird from the hand of the fowler.

Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the snare of the fowler.

6 Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise:

Go to the ant, you sluggard. Consider her ways, and be wise;

7 Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler,

which having no chief, overseer, or ruler,

8 Provides her food in the summer, and gathers her food in the harvest.

provides her bread in the summer, and gathers her food in the harvest.

9 How long will you sleep, O sluggard? when will you arise out of your sleep?

How long will you sleep, sluggard? When will you arise out of your sleep?

10 Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:

A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:

11 So shall your poverty come as one that travels, and your lack as an armed man.

so your poverty will come as a robber, and your scarcity as an armed man.

12 A naughty person, a wicked man, walks with a perverse mouth.

A worthless person, a man of iniquity, is he who walks with a perverse mouth;

13 He winks with his eyes, he speaks with his feet, he teaches with his fingers;

who winks with his eyes, who signals with his feet, who motions with his fingers;

14 Perverseness is in his heart, he devises mischief continually; he sows discord.

in whose heart is perverseness, who devises evil continually, who always sows discord.

15 Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly; suddenly shall he be broken without remedy.

Therefore his calamity will come suddenly. He will be broken suddenly, and that without remedy.

16 These six things does the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:

There are six things which the LORD hates; yes, seven which are an abomination to him:

17 A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,

haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood;

18 An heart that devises wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,

a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are swift in running to mischief,

19 A false witness that speaks lies, and he that sows discord among brethren.

a false witness who utters lies, and he who sows discord among brothers.

20 My son, keep your father's commandment, and forsake not the law of your mother:

My son, keep your father's commandment, and do not forsake your mother's teaching.

21 Bind them continually upon your heart, and tie them about your neck.

Bind them continually on your heart. Tie them around your neck.

22 When you go, it shall lead you; when you sleep, it shall keep you; and when you awake, it shall talk with you.

When you walk, it will lead you. When you sleep, it will watch over you. When you awake, it will talk with you.

23 For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:

For the commandment is a lamp, and the Law is light. Reproofs of instruction are the way of life,

24 To keep you from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman.

to keep you from the immoral woman, from the flattery of the foreign woman.

25 Lust not after her beauty in your heart; neither let her take you with her eyelids.

Do not lust after her beauty in your heart, neither let her captivate you with her eyelids.

26 For by means of a whorish woman a man is brought to a piece of bread: and the adultress will hunt for the precious life.

For a prostitute reduces you to a piece of bread. The adulteress hunts for your precious life.

27 Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned?

Can a man scoop fire into his lap, and his clothes not be burned?

28 Can one go upon hot coals, and his feet not be burned?

Or can one walk on hot coals, and his feet not be scorched?

29 So he that goes in to his neighbour's wife; whosoever touches her shall not be innocent.

So is he who goes in to his neighbor's wife. Whoever touches her will not be unpunished.

30 Men do not despise a thief, if he steal to satisfy his soul when he is hungry;

Men do not despise a thief, if he steals to satisfy himself when he is hungry:

31 But if he be found, he shall restore sevenfold; he shall give all the substance of his house.

but if he is found, he must repay seven times. He shall give all the wealth of his house.

32 But whoso commits adultery with a woman lacks understanding: he that does it destroys his own soul.

He who commits adultery with a woman is void of understanding. He who does it destroys his own soul.

33 A wound and dishonour shall he get; and his reproach shall not be wiped away.

He will get wounds and dishonor. His reproach will not be wiped away.

34 For jealousy is the rage of a man: therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance.

For jealousy arouses the fury of the husband. He won't spare in the day of vengeance.

35 He will not regard any ransom; neither will he rest content, though you give many gifts.

He won't regard any ransom, neither will he rest content, though you give many gifts.