Proverbs 6
1 My son, if you be surety for your friend, if you have stricken your hand with a stranger,
My son, if you have made yourself responsible for your neighbour, or given your word for another,
2 You are snared with the words of your mouth, you are taken with the words of your mouth.
You are taken as in a net by the words of your mouth, the sayings of your lips have overcome you.
3 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.
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.
4 Give not sleep to your eyes, nor slumber to your eyelids.
Give no sleep to your eyes, or rest to them;
5 Deliver yourself as a roe from the hand of the hunter, and as a bird from the hand of the fowler.
Make yourself free, like the roe from the hand of the archer, and the bird from him who puts a net for her.
6 Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise:
Go to the ant, you hater of work; give thought to her ways and be wise:
7 Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler,
Having no chief, overseer, or ruler,
8 Provides her meat in the summer, and gathers her food in the harvest.
She gets her meat in the summer, storing up food at the time of the grain-cutting.
9 How long will you sleep, O sluggard? when will you arise out of your sleep?
How long will you be sleeping, O hater of work? when will you get up from your sleep?
10 Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:
A little sleep, a little rest, a little folding of the hands in sleep:
11 So shall your poverty come as one that travels, and your want as an armed man.
Then loss will come on you like an outlaw, and your need like an armed man
12 A naughty person, a wicked man, walks with a fraudulent mouth.
A good-for-nothing man is an evil-doer; he goes on his way causing trouble with false words;
13 He winks with his eyes, he speaks with his feet, he teaches with his fingers;
Making signs with his eyes, rubbing with his feet, and giving news with his fingers;
14 Frowardness is in his heart, he devises mischief continually; he sows discord.
His mind is ever designing evil: he lets loose violent acts.
15 Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly; suddenly shall he be broken without remedy.
For this cause his downfall will be sudden; quickly he will be broken, and there will be no help for him.
16 These six things does the LORD hate: yes, seven are an abomination to him:
Six things are hated by the Lord; seven things are disgusting to him:
17 A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,
Eyes of pride, a false tongue, hands which take life without cause;
18 An heart that devises wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,
A heart full of evil designs, feet which are quick in running after sin;
19 A false witness that speaks lies, and he that sows discord among brothers.
A false witness, breathing out untrue words, and one who lets loose violent acts among brothers.
20 My son, keep your father’s commandment, and forsake not the law of your mother:
My son, keep the rule of your father, and have in memory the teaching of your mother:
21 Bind them continually on your heart, and tie them about your neck.
Keep them ever folded in your heart, and have them hanging round your neck.
22 When you go, it shall lead you; when you sleep, it shall keep you; and when you wake, it shall talk with you.
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.
23 For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:
For the rule is a light, and the teaching a shining light; and the guiding words of training are the way of life.
24 To keep you from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman.
They will keep you from the evil woman, from the smooth tongue of the strange woman.
25 Lust not after her beauty in your heart; neither let her take you with her eyelids.
Let not your heart's desire go after her fair body; let not her eyes take you prisoner.
26 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.
For a loose woman is looking for a cake of bread, but another man's wife goes after one's very life.
27 Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned?
May a man take fire to his breast without burning his clothing?
28 Can one go on hot coals, and his feet not be burned?
Or may one go on lighted coals, and his feet not be burned?
29 So he that goes in to his neighbor’s wife; whoever touches her shall not be innocent.
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.
30 Men do not despise a thief, if he steal to satisfy his soul when he is hungry;
Men do not have a low opinion of a thief who takes food when he is in need of it:
31 But if he be found, he shall restore sevenfold; he shall give all the substance of his house.
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.
32 But whoever commits adultery with a woman lacks understanding: he that does it destroys his own soul.
He who takes another man's wife is without all sense: he who does it is the cause of destruction to his soul.
33 A wound and dishonor shall he get; and his reproach shall not be wiped away.
Wounds will be his and loss of honour, and his shame may not be washed away.
34 For jealousy is the rage of a man: therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance.
For bitter is the wrath of an angry husband; in the day of punishment he will have no mercy.
35 He will not regard any ransom; neither will he rest content, though you give many gifts.
He will not take any payment; and he will not make peace with you though your money offerings are increased.
