Proverbs 6
1 My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor, if you have struck hands in pledge with a stranger,
My son, suppose you have pledged to guarantee your neighbor's debt, or you have shaken hands in agreement with a stranger,
2 if you have been trapped by the words of your lips, ensnared by the words of your mouth,
then you've trapped yourself by what you promised, you've been caught by what you said.
3 then do this, my son, to free yourself, for you have fallen into your neighbor’s hands: Go, humble yourself, and press your plea with your neighbor.
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.
4 Allow no sleep to your eyes or slumber to your eyelids.
Don't delay, saying that you'll sleep on it. Don't rest until you've done it.
5 Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the snare of the fowler.
Get out of it like a gazelle escaping from a trap, like a bird from a bird-catcher's net.
6 Walk in the manner of the ant, O slacker; observe its ways and become wise.
Go and observe the ants, you slacker! Learn from what they do and become wise.
7 Without a commander, without an overseer or ruler,
They don't have a leader, an officer, or a ruler,
8 it prepares its provisions in summer; it gathers its food at harvest.
yet they work hard during the summer getting their food, gathering what they need during the harvest.
9 How long will you lie there, O slacker? When will you get up from your sleep?
So how long are you going to lie there, you slacker? When are you going to get up from your sleep?
10 A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest,
You may say, “Please, just a little more sleep, a little longer snooze, a little more folding of the arms to rest”—
11 and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and need like a bandit.
and poverty will attack you like a robber, destitution like an armed warrior.
12 A worthless person, a wicked man, walks with a perverse mouth,
Rebellious and wicked people go around telling lies,
13 winking his eyes, speaking with his feet, and pointing with his fingers.
winking slyly, giving sneaky foot gestures, rudely pointing with their fingers.
14 With deceit in his heart he devises evil; he continually sows discord.
Their warped minds plot evil schemes; they're always causing trouble.
15 Therefore calamity will come upon him suddenly; in an instant he will be shattered beyond recovery.
As a result, disaster falls suddenly on such people; in just a moment they're destroyed without hope of healing.
16 There are six things that the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to Him:
There are six things that the Lord hates, seven things that he absolutely detests:
17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood,
arrogant eyes, a lying tongue, hands that murder the innocent,
18 a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that run swiftly to evil,
a mind that plots evil schemes, feet that hurriedly run to do wrong,
19 a false witness who gives false testimony, and one who stirs up discord among brothers.
a false witness that speaks lies, those who caused arguments in families.
20 My son, keep your father’s commandment, and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.
My son, pay attention to your father's instruction, and don't reject your mother's teaching.
21 Bind them always upon your heart; tie them around your neck.
Keep them always in mind. Tie them around your neck.
22 When you walk, they will guide you; when you lie down, they will watch over you; when you awake, they will speak to you.
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.
23 For this commandment is a lamp, this teaching is a light, and the reproofs of discipline are the way to life,
For the instruction is a lamp, and the teaching is a light. The correction that comes from discipline is the way to life.
24 to keep you from the evil woman, from the smooth tongue of the adulteress.
It will protect you from an evil woman and the seductive words of a prostitute.
25 Do not lust in your heart for her beauty or let her captivate you with her eyes.
Don't let your mind lust after her beauty, or let her hypnotize you with her fluttering eyelashes.
26 For the levy of the prostitute is poverty, and the adulteress preys upon your very life.
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.
27 Can a man embrace fire and his clothes not be burned?
Can you put fire in your lap and not burn your clothes?
28 Can a man walk on hot coals without scorching his feet?
Can you walk on hot coals and not scorch your feet?
29 So is he who sleeps with another man’s wife; no one who touches her will go unpunished.
It's the same for anyone who sleeps with another man's wife. No one who touches her will remain unpunished.
30 Men do not despise the thief if he steals to satisfy his hunger.
People don't condemn a thief if he steals to satisfy himself when he's hungry.
31 Yet if caught, he must pay sevenfold; he must give up all the wealth of his house.
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.
32 He who commits adultery lacks judgment; whoever does so destroys himself.
Any man who commits adultery with a woman has no sense; he who does so destroys himself.
33 Wounds and dishonor will befall him, and his reproach will never be wiped away.
He will be wounded and dishonored. His disgrace will never be removed.
34 For jealousy enrages a husband, and he will show no mercy in the day of vengeance.
For jealousy makes a husband furious, and he won't hold back when he takes revenge.
35 He will not be appeased by any ransom, or persuaded by lavish gifts.
He refuses any compensation, and won't be paid off, however big the amount.
