Proverbs 6
1 My son, if thou be surety for thy friend, thou hast engaged fast thy hand to 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 Thou art ensnared with the words of thy mouth, and caught with thy own words.
then you've trapped yourself by what you promised, you've been caught by what you said.
3 Do therefore, my son, what I say, and deliver thyself: because thou art fallen into the hand of thy neighbour. Run about, make haste, stir up thy friend:
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 Give not sleep to thy eyes, neither let thy eyelids slumber.
Don't delay, saying that you'll sleep on it. Don't rest until you've done it.
5 Deliver thyself as a doe from the hand, and as a bird from the hand of the fowler.
Get out of it like a gazelle escaping from a trap, like a bird from a bird-catcher's net.
6 Go to the ant, O sluggard, and consider her ways, and learn wisdom:
Go and observe the ants, you slacker! Learn from what they do and become wise.
7 Which, although she hath no guide, nor master, nor captain,
They don't have a leader, an officer, or a ruler,
8 Provideth her meat for herself in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest.
yet they work hard during the summer getting their food, gathering what they need during the harvest.
9 How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou rise out of thy sleep?
So how long are you going to lie there, you slacker? When are you going to get up from your sleep?
10 Thou wilt sleep a little, thou wilt slumber a little, thou wilt fold thy hands a little to sleep:
You may say, “Please, just a little more sleep, a little longer snooze, a little more folding of the arms to rest”—
11 And want shall come upon thee, as a traveller, and poverty as a man armed. But if thou be diligent, thy harvest shall come as a fountain, and want shall flee far from thee.
and poverty will attack you like a robber, destitution like an armed warrior.
12 A man that is an apostate, an unprofitable man, walketh with a perverse mouth,
Rebellious and wicked people go around telling lies,
13 He winketh with the eyes, presseth with the foot, speaketh with the finger.
winking slyly, giving sneaky foot gestures, rudely pointing with their fingers.
14 With a wicked heart he deviseth evil, and at all times he soweth discord.
Their warped minds plot evil schemes; they're always causing trouble.
15 To such a one his destruction shall presently come, and he shall suddenly be destroyed, and shall no longer have any remedy.
As a result, disaster falls suddenly on such people; in just a moment they're destroyed without hope of healing.
16 Six things there are, which the Lord hateth, and the seventh his soul detesteth:
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 deviseth wicked plots, feet that are swift to run into mischief,
a mind that plots evil schemes, feet that hurriedly run to do wrong,
19 A deceitful witness that uttereth lies, and him that soweth discord among brethren.
a false witness that speaks lies, those who caused arguments in families.
20 My son, beep the commandments of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother.
My son, pay attention to your father's instruction, and don't reject your mother's teaching.
21 Bind them in thy heart continually, and put them about thy neck.
Keep them always in mind. Tie them around your neck.
22 When thou walkest, let them go with thee: when thou sleepest, let them keep thee; and when thou awakest, talk with them.
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 Because the commandment is a lamp, and the law a light, and reproofs of instruction are the way of 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 That they may keep thee from the evil woman, and from the flattering tongue of the stranger.
It will protect you from an evil woman and the seductive words of a prostitute.
25 Let not thy heart covet her beauty, be not caught with her winks:
Don't let your mind lust after her beauty, or let her hypnotize you with her fluttering eyelashes.
26 For the price of a harlot is scarce one loaf: but the woman catcheth the precious soul of a man.
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 hide fire in his bosom, and his garments not burn?
Can you put fire in your lap and not burn your clothes?
28 Or can he walk upon hot coals, and his feet not be burnt?
Can you walk on hot coals and not scorch your feet?
29 So he that goeth in to his neighbour’s wife, shall not be clean when he shall touch her.
It's the same for anyone who sleeps with another man's wife. No one who touches her will remain unpunished.
30 The fault is not so great when a man hath stolen: for he stealeth to fill his hungry soul:
People don't condemn a thief if he steals to satisfy himself when he's hungry.
31 And if he be taken he shall restore sevenfold, and shall give up all the substance 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 But he that is an adulterer, for the folly of his heart shall destroy his own soul:
Any man who commits adultery with a woman has no sense; he who does so destroys himself.
33 He gathereth to himself shame and dishonour, and his reproach shall not be blotted out:
He will be wounded and dishonored. His disgrace will never be removed.
34 Because the jealousy and rage of the husband will not spare in the day of revenge,
For jealousy makes a husband furious, and he won't hold back when he takes revenge.
35 Nor will he yield to any man’s prayers, nor will he accept for satisfaction ever so many gifts.
He refuses any compensation, and won't be paid off, however big the amount.
