Proverbs 6
1 My son, if you have made yourself responsible for your neighbour, or given your word for another,
My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor, if you have struck hands in pledge with a stranger,
2 You are taken as in a net by the words of your mouth, the sayings of your lips have overcome you.
if you have been trapped by the words of your lips, ensnared by the words of your mouth,
3 Do this, my son, and make yourself free, because you have come into the power of your neighbour; go without waiting, and make a strong request to your neighbour.
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.
4 Give no sleep to your eyes, or rest to them;
Allow no sleep to your eyes or slumber to your eyelids.
5 Make yourself free, like the roe from the hand of the archer, and the bird from him who puts a net for her.
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 hater of work; give thought to her ways and be wise:
Walk in the manner of the ant, O slacker; observe its ways and become wise.
7 Having no chief, overseer, or ruler,
Without a commander, without an overseer or ruler,
8 She gets her meat in the summer, storing up food at the time of the grain-cutting.
it prepares its provisions in summer; it gathers its food at harvest.
9 How long will you be sleeping, O hater of work? when will you get up from your sleep?
How long will you lie there, O slacker? When will you get up from your sleep?
10 A little sleep, a little rest, a little folding of the hands in sleep:
A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest,
11 Then loss will come on you like an outlaw, and your need like an armed man
and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and need like a bandit.
12 A good-for-nothing man is an evil-doer; he goes on his way causing trouble with false words;
A worthless person, a wicked man, walks with a perverse mouth,
13 Making signs with his eyes, rubbing with his feet, and giving news with his fingers;
winking his eyes, speaking with his feet, and pointing with his fingers.
14 His mind is ever designing evil: he lets loose violent acts.
With deceit in his heart he devises evil; he continually sows discord.
15 For this cause his downfall will be sudden; quickly he will be broken, and there will be no help for him.
Therefore calamity will come upon him suddenly; in an instant he will be shattered beyond recovery.
16 Six things are hated by the Lord; seven things are disgusting to him:
There are six things that the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to Him:
17 Eyes of pride, a false tongue, hands which take life without cause;
haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood,
18 A heart full of evil designs, feet which are quick in running after sin;
a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that run swiftly to evil,
19 A false witness, breathing out untrue words, and one who lets loose violent acts among brothers.
a false witness who gives false testimony, and one who stirs up discord among brothers.
20 My son, keep the rule of your father, and have in memory the teaching of your mother:
My son, keep your father’s commandment, and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.
21 Keep them ever folded in your heart, and have them hanging round your neck.
Bind them always upon your heart; tie them around your neck.
22 In your walking, it will be your guide; when you are sleeping, it will keep watch over you; when you are awake, it will have talk with you.
When you walk, they will guide you; when you lie down, they will watch over you; when you awake, they will speak to you.
23 For the rule is a light, and the teaching a shining light; and the guiding words of training are the way of life.
For this commandment is a lamp, this teaching is a light, and the reproofs of discipline are the way to life,
24 They will keep you from the evil woman, from the smooth tongue of the strange woman.
to keep you from the evil woman, from the smooth tongue of the adulteress.
25 Let not your heart's desire go after her fair body; let not her eyes take you prisoner.
Do not lust in your heart for her beauty or let her captivate you with her eyes.
26 For a loose woman is looking for a cake of bread, but another man's wife goes after one's very life.
For the levy of the prostitute is poverty, and the adulteress preys upon your very life.
27 May a man take fire to his breast without burning his clothing?
Can a man embrace fire and his clothes not be burned?
28 Or may one go on lighted coals, and his feet not be burned?
Can a man walk on hot coals without scorching his feet?
29 So it is with him who goes in to his neighbour's wife; he who has anything to do with her will not go free from punishment.
So is he who sleeps with another man’s wife; no one who touches her will go unpunished.
30 Men do not have a low opinion of a thief who takes food when he is in need of it:
Men do not despise the thief if he steals to satisfy his hunger.
31 But if he is taken in the act he will have to give back seven times as much, giving up all his property which is in his house.
Yet if caught, he must pay sevenfold; he must give up all the wealth of his house.
32 He who takes another man's wife is without all sense: he who does it is the cause of destruction to his soul.
He who commits adultery lacks judgment; whoever does so destroys himself.
33 Wounds will be his and loss of honour, and his shame may not be washed away.
Wounds and dishonor will befall him, and his reproach will never be wiped away.
34 For bitter is the wrath of an angry husband; in the day of punishment he will have no mercy.
For jealousy enrages a husband, and he will show no mercy in the day of vengeance.
35 He will not take any payment; and he will not make peace with you though your money offerings are increased.
He will not be appeased by any ransom, or persuaded by lavish gifts.
