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, if thou hast become surety for another, If thou hast stricken hands for another,
2 if you have been trapped by the words of your lips, ensnared by the words of your mouth,
If thou hast become ensnared by the words of thy mouth, If thou hast been caught by the words of thy mouth,
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.
Do this now, my son, and rescue thyself, —Since thou hast fallen into the hands of thy neighbor, —Go, prostrate thyself, and be urgent with thy neighbor!
4 Allow no sleep to your eyes or slumber to your eyelids.
Give not sleep to thine eyes, nor slumber to thine eyelids;
5 Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the snare of the fowler.
Rescue thyself, as a roe from the hand, And as a bird from the hand of the fowler.
6 Walk in the manner of the ant, O slacker; observe its ways and become wise.
Go to the ant, O sluggard! Consider her ways, and be wise!
7 Without a commander, without an overseer or ruler,
She hath no governor, Nor overseer, nor ruler;
8 it prepares its provisions in summer; it gathers its food at harvest.
Yet she prepareth in the summer her food, She gathereth in the harvest her meat.
9 How long will you lie there, O slacker? When will you get up from your sleep?
How long wilt thou lie in bed, O sluggard? When wilt thou arise from thy sleep?
10 A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest,
“A little sleep, —a little slumber, —A little folding of the hands to rest:”
11 and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and need like a bandit.
So shall thy poverty come upon thee like a robber, Yea, thy want, as an armed man!
12 A worthless person, a wicked man, walks with a perverse mouth,
A worthless wretch is the unrighteous man, Who walketh with a deceitful mouth;
13 winking his eyes, speaking with his feet, and pointing with his fingers.
Who winketh with his eyes, Speaketh with his feet, And teacheth with his fingers.
14 With deceit in his heart he devises evil; he continually sows discord.
Fraud is in his heart; He deviseth mischief continually; He scattereth contentions.
15 Therefore calamity will come upon him suddenly; in an instant he will be shattered beyond recovery.
Therefore shall calamity come upon him suddenly; In a moment shall he be destroyed, and that without remedy;
16 There are six things that the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to Him:
These six things doth the LORD hate; Yea, seven are an abomination to him:
17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood,
Lofty eyes, a false tongue, And hands which shed innocent blood;
18 a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that run swiftly to evil,
A heart that contriveth wicked devices; Feet that are swift in running to mischief,
19 a false witness who gives false testimony, and one who stirs up discord among brothers.
A false witness, that uttereth lies, And him that soweth discord among brethren.
20 My son, keep your father’s commandment, and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.
Keep, O my son! the commandment of thy father, And forsake not the precepts of thy mother!
21 Bind them always upon your heart; tie them around your neck.
Bind them continually to thy heart, Tie them around thy 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.
When thou goest forth, they shall guide thee; When thou sleepest, they shall watch over thee; And, when thou awakest, they shall talk with thee.
23 For this commandment is a lamp, this teaching is a light, and the reproofs of discipline are the way to life,
For the commandment is a lamp, and instruction a light; Yea, the rebukes of correction lead to life.
24 to keep you from the evil woman, from the smooth tongue of the adulteress.
They shall guard thee from the evil woman, From the smooth tongue of the unchaste woman.
25 Do not lust in your heart for her beauty or let her captivate you with her eyes.
Desire not her beauty in thy heart, Nor let her catch thee with her eyelids;
26 For the levy of the prostitute is poverty, and the adulteress preys upon your very life.
For by a harlot a man is brought to a morsel of bread, And the adulteress layeth snares for the precious life.
27 Can a man embrace fire and his clothes not be burned?
Can a man take fire into his bosom, And his clothes not be burned?
28 Can a man walk on hot coals without scorching his feet?
Can one walk upon burning coals, And his feet not be scorched?
29 So is he who sleeps with another man’s wife; no one who touches her will go unpunished.
So is it with him who goeth in to his neighbor's wife; Whoever toucheth her shall not go unpunished.
30 Men do not despise the thief if he steals to satisfy his hunger.
Men do not overlook a thief, Though he steal to satisfy his appetite, when he is hungry;
31 Yet if caught, he must pay sevenfold; he must give up all the wealth of his house.
If found, he must repay sevenfold, And give up all the substance of his house.
32 He who commits adultery lacks judgment; whoever does so destroys himself.
Whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding; He that doeth it destroyeth himself;
33 Wounds and dishonor will befall him, and his reproach will never be wiped away.
Blows and dishonor shall he get, And his reproach shall not be wiped away.
34 For jealousy enrages a husband, and he will show no mercy in the day of vengeance.
For jealousy is the fury of a man; He will not spare in the day of vengeance;
35 He will not be appeased by any ransom, or persuaded by lavish gifts.
And he will not pay regard to any ransom, Nor be content, though thou offer many gifts.
