< Proverbs 6 >

1 My son, if thou have become surety for thy neighbor, if thou have struck thy hands for a stranger,
My son, if you have become collateral for your neighbor, if you have struck your hand in pledge for a stranger;
2 thou are snared with the words of thy mouth, thou are taken with the words of thy 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 thyself, since thou have come into the hand of thy neighbor. Go, humble thyself, and importune thy neighbor.
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 Do not give sleep to thine eyes, nor slumber to thine eyelids.
Give no sleep to your eyes, nor slumber to your eyelids.
5 Deliver thyself as a roe from the hand, 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, thou 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 chief, overseer, or ruler,
8 provides her bread 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 thou sleep, O sluggard? When will thou arise out of thy sleep?
How long will you sleep, sluggard? When will you arise out of your sleep?
10 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 thy poverty shall come as a robber, and thy want as an armed man.
so your poverty will come as a robber, and your scarcity as an armed man.
12 A worthless person, a man of iniquity, is he who walks with a perverse mouth,
A worthless person, a man of iniquity, is he who walks with a perverse mouth;
13 who winks with his eyes, who speaks with his feet, who makes signs with his fingers,
who winks with his eyes, who signals with his feet, who motions with his fingers;
14 in whose heart is perverseness, who devises evil continually, who sows discord.
in whose heart is perverseness, who devises evil continually, who always sows discord.
15 Therefore his calamity shall come suddenly. Suddenly he shall be broken, and that without remedy.
Therefore his calamity will come suddenly. He will be broken suddenly, and that without remedy.
16 There are six things which Jehovah hates, yea, seven which are an abomination to him:
There are six things which the LORD hates; yes, seven which are an abomination to him:
17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,
haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood;
18 a heart that devises wicked purposes, feet that are swift in running to mischief,
a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are swift in running to mischief,
19 a false witness who utters lies, and he who sows discord among brothers.
a false witness who utters lies, and he who sows discord among brothers.
20 My son, keep the commandment of thy father, and do not forsake the law of thy mother.
My son, keep your father's commandment, and do not forsake your mother's teaching.
21 Bind them continually upon thy heart. Tie them about thy neck.
Bind them continually on your heart. Tie them around your neck.
22 When thou walk, it shall lead thee. When thou sleep, it shall watch over thee. And when thou awake, it shall talk with thee.
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 thee from the evil woman, from the flattery of the stranger's tongue.
to keep you from the immoral woman, from the flattery of the foreign woman.
25 Do not lust after her beauty in thy heart, nor let her take thee with her eyelids.
Do not lust after her beauty in your heart, neither let her captivate you with her eyelids.
26 For the price of a harlot is as much as a piece of bread, but the adulteress hunts 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 Or can a man walk upon hot coals, and his feet not be scorched?
Or can one walk on hot coals, and his feet not be scorched?
29 So is he who goes in to his neighbor's wife. Whoever touches her shall not be unpunished.
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 steals to satisfy himself when he is hungry.
Men do not despise a thief, if he steals to satisfy himself when he is hungry:
31 Yet if he is 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 He who commits adultery with a woman is void of understanding. He who would destroy his own soul does it.
He who commits adultery with a woman is void of understanding. He who does it destroys his own soul.
33 Wounds and dishonor he shall 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 a man's fury, and 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, nor will he be satisfied, though thou give many gifts.
He won't regard any ransom, neither will he rest content, though you give many gifts.

< Proverbs 6 >