Proverbs 6
1 My son, if thou be surety for thy friend, thou hast engaged fast thy hand to a stranger.
My son, if you be surety for your friend, if you have stricken your hand with a stranger,
2 Thou art ensnared with the words of thy mouth, and caught with thy own words.
You are snared with the words of your mouth, you are taken with the words of your mouth.
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:
Do this now, my son, and deliver yourself, when you are come into the hand of your friend; go, humble yourself, and make sure your friend.
4 Give not sleep to thy eyes, neither let thy eyelids slumber.
Give not sleep to your eyes, nor slumber to your eyelids.
5 Deliver thyself as a doe from the hand, and as a bird from the hand of the fowler.
Deliver yourself as a roe from the hand of the hunter, and as a bird from the hand of the fowler.
6 Go to the ant, O sluggard, and consider her ways, and learn wisdom:
Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise:
7 Which, although she hath no guide, nor master, nor captain,
Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler,
8 Provideth her meat for herself in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest.
Provides her meat in the summer, and gathers her food in the harvest.
9 How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou rise out of thy sleep?
How long will you sleep, O sluggard? when will you arise out of your sleep?
10 Thou wilt sleep a little, thou wilt slumber a little, thou wilt fold thy hands a little to sleep:
Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:
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.
So shall your poverty come as one that travels, and your want as an armed man.
12 A man that is an apostate, an unprofitable man, walketh with a perverse mouth,
A naughty person, a wicked man, walks with a fraudulent mouth.
13 He winketh with the eyes, presseth with the foot, speaketh with the finger.
He winks with his eyes, he speaks with his feet, he teaches with his fingers;
14 With a wicked heart he deviseth evil, and at all times he soweth discord.
Frowardness is in his heart, he devises mischief continually; he sows discord.
15 To such a one his destruction shall presently come, and he shall suddenly be destroyed, and shall no longer have any remedy.
Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly; suddenly shall he be broken without remedy.
16 Six things there are, which the Lord hateth, and the seventh his soul detesteth:
These six things does the LORD hate: yes, seven are an abomination to him:
17 Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood,
A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,
18 A heart that deviseth wicked plots, feet that are swift to run into mischief,
An heart that devises wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,
19 A deceitful witness that uttereth lies, and him that soweth discord among brethren.
A false witness that speaks lies, and he that sows discord among brothers.
20 My son, beep the commandments of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother.
My son, keep your father’s commandment, and forsake not the law of your mother:
21 Bind them in thy heart continually, and put them about thy neck.
Bind them continually on your heart, and tie them about 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.
When you go, it shall lead you; when you sleep, it shall keep you; and when you wake, it shall 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 commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:
24 That they may keep thee from the evil woman, and from the flattering tongue of the stranger.
To keep you from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman.
25 Let not thy heart covet her beauty, be not caught with her winks:
Lust not after her beauty in your heart; neither let her take you with her eyelids.
26 For the price of a harlot is scarce one loaf: but the woman catcheth the precious soul of a man.
For by means of a whorish woman a man is brought to a piece of bread: and the adulteress will hunt for the precious life.
27 Can a man hide fire in his bosom, and his garments not burn?
Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned?
28 Or can he walk upon hot coals, and his feet not be burnt?
Can one go on hot coals, and his feet not be burned?
29 So he that goeth in to his neighbour’s wife, shall not be clean when he shall touch her.
So he that goes in to his neighbor’s wife; whoever touches her shall not be innocent.
30 The fault is not so great when a man hath stolen: for he stealeth to fill his hungry soul:
Men do not despise a thief, if he steal to satisfy his soul when he is hungry;
31 And if he be taken he shall restore sevenfold, and shall give up all the substance of his house.
But if he be found, he shall restore sevenfold; he shall give all the substance of his house.
32 But he that is an adulterer, for the folly of his heart shall destroy his own soul:
But whoever commits adultery with a woman lacks understanding: he that does it destroys his own soul.
33 He gathereth to himself shame and dishonour, and his reproach shall not be blotted out:
A wound and dishonor shall he get; and his reproach shall not be wiped away.
34 Because the jealousy and rage of the husband will not spare in the day of revenge,
For jealousy is the rage of a man: therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance.
35 Nor will he yield to any man’s prayers, nor will he accept for satisfaction ever so many gifts.
He will not regard any ransom; neither will he rest content, though you give many gifts.
