Proverbs 6
1 My son, if you have become collateral for your neighbor, if you have struck your hands in pledge for a stranger,
My son, if you be surety for your friend, if you have stricken your hand with a stranger,
2 you are trapped by the words of your mouth; you are ensnared with the words of your mouth.
You are snared with the words of your mouth, you are taken with the words of your mouth.
3 Do this now, my son, and deliver yourself, since you have come into the hand of your neighbor. Go, humble yourself. Press your plea with your neighbor.
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.
4 Give no sleep to your eyes, nor slumber to your eyelids.
Give not sleep to your eyes, nor slumber to your eyelids.
5 Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the snare of the fowler.
Deliver yourself as a roe from the hand of the hunter, and as a bird from the hand 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 chief, overseer, or ruler,
Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler,
8 provides her bread in the summer, and gathers her food in the harvest.
Provides her meat in the summer, and gathers her food in the harvest.
9 How long will you sleep, sluggard? When will you arise out of your sleep?
How long will you sleep, O sluggard? when will you arise out of your sleep?
10 A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep—
Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:
11 so your poverty will come as a robber, and your scarcity as an armed man.
So shall your poverty come as one that travels, and your want as an armed man.
12 A worthless person, a man of iniquity, is he who walks with a perverse mouth,
A naughty person, a wicked man, walks with a fraudulent mouth.
13 who winks with his eyes, who signals with his feet, who motions with his fingers,
He winks with his eyes, he speaks with his feet, he teaches with his fingers;
14 in whose heart is perverseness, who devises evil continually, who always sows discord.
Frowardness is in his heart, he devises mischief continually; he sows discord.
15 Therefore his calamity will come suddenly. He will be broken suddenly, and that without remedy.
Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly; suddenly shall he be broken without remedy.
16 There are six things which Yahweh hates; yes, seven which are an abomination to him:
These six things does the LORD hate: yes, seven are an abomination to him:
17 arrogant eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood,
A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,
18 a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are swift in running to mischief,
An heart that devises wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,
19 a false witness who utters lies, and he who sows discord among brothers.
A false witness that speaks lies, and he that sows discord among brothers.
20 My son, keep your father’s commandment, and don’t forsake your mother’s teaching.
My son, keep your father’s commandment, and forsake not the law of your mother:
21 Bind them continually on your heart. Tie them around your neck.
Bind them continually on your heart, and tie them about your neck.
22 When you walk, it will lead you. When you sleep, it will watch over you. When you awake, it will talk with you.
When you go, it shall lead you; when you sleep, it shall keep you; and when you wake, it shall talk with you.
23 For the commandment is a lamp, and the law is light. Reproofs of instruction are the way of life,
For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:
24 to keep you from the immoral woman, from the flattery of the wayward wife’s tongue.
To keep you from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman.
25 Don’t lust after her beauty in your heart, neither let her captivate you with her eyelids.
Lust not after her beauty in your heart; neither let her take you with her eyelids.
26 For a prostitute reduces you to a piece of bread. The adulteress hunts for your precious 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 a man scoop fire into his lap, and his clothes not be burned?
Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned?
28 Or can one walk on hot coals, and his feet not be scorched?
Can one go on hot coals, and his feet not be burned?
29 So is he who goes in to his neighbor’s wife. Whoever touches her will not be unpunished.
So he that goes in to his neighbor’s wife; whoever touches her shall not be innocent.
30 Men don’t despise a thief if he steals to satisfy himself when he is hungry,
Men do not despise a thief, if he steal to satisfy his soul when he is hungry;
31 but if he is found, he shall restore seven times. He shall give all the wealth of his house.
But if he be found, he shall restore sevenfold; he shall give all the substance of his house.
32 He who commits adultery with a woman is void of understanding. He who does it destroys his own soul.
But whoever commits adultery with a woman lacks understanding: he that does it destroys his own soul.
33 He will get wounds and dishonor. His reproach will not be wiped away.
A wound and dishonor shall he get; and his reproach shall not be wiped away.
34 For jealousy arouses the fury of the husband. He won’t spare in the day of vengeance.
For jealousy is the rage of a man: therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance.
35 He won’t regard any ransom, neither will he rest content, though you give many gifts.
He will not regard any ransom; neither will he rest content, though you give many gifts.
