Proverbs 6
1 My son, if thou be surety for thy friend, [if] thou hast stricken thy hand with a stranger,
My son, if thou hast become surety for another, If thou hast stricken hands for another,
2 Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken with the words of thy mouth.
If thou hast become ensnared by the words of thy mouth, If thou hast been caught by the words of thy mouth,
3 Do this now, my son, and deliver thyself, when thou art come into the hand of thy friend; go, humble thyself, and make sure thy friend.
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 Give not sleep to thine eyes, nor slumber to thine eyelids.
Give not sleep to thine eyes, nor slumber to thine eyelids;
5 Deliver thyself as a roe from the hand [of the hunter], and as a bird from the hand of the fowler.
Rescue thyself, as a roe from the hand, And as a bird from the hand of the fowler.
6 Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise:
Go to the ant, O sluggard! Consider her ways, and be wise!
7 Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler,
She hath no governor, Nor overseer, nor ruler;
8 Provideth her meat in the summer, [and] gathereth her food in the harvest.
Yet she prepareth in the summer her food, She gathereth in the harvest her meat.
9 How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep?
How long wilt thou lie in bed, O sluggard? When wilt thou arise from thy sleep?
10 [Yet] a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:
“A little sleep, —a little slumber, —A little folding of the hands to rest:”
11 So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man.
So shall thy poverty come upon thee like a robber, Yea, thy want, as an armed man!
12 A naughty person, a wicked man, walketh with a froward mouth.
A worthless wretch is the unrighteous man, Who walketh with a deceitful mouth;
13 He winketh with his eyes, he speaketh with his feet, he teacheth with his fingers;
Who winketh with his eyes, Speaketh with his feet, And teacheth with his fingers.
14 Frowardness [is] in his heart, he deviseth mischief continually; he soweth discord.
Fraud is in his heart; He deviseth mischief continually; He scattereth contentions.
15 Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly; suddenly shall he be broken without remedy.
Therefore shall calamity come upon him suddenly; In a moment shall he be destroyed, and that without remedy;
16 These six [things] doth the LORD hate: yea, seven [are] an abomination unto him:
These six things doth the LORD hate; Yea, seven are an abomination to him:
17 A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,
Lofty eyes, a false tongue, And hands which shed innocent blood;
18 An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,
A heart that contriveth wicked devices; Feet that are swift in running to mischief,
19 A false witness [that] speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.
A false witness, that uttereth lies, And him that soweth discord among brethren.
20 My son, keep thy father’s commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother:
Keep, O my son! the commandment of thy father, And forsake not the precepts of thy mother!
21 Bind them continually upon thine heart, [and] tie them about thy neck.
Bind them continually to thy heart, Tie them around thy neck!
22 When thou goest, it shall lead thee; when thou sleepest, it shall keep thee; and [when] thou awakest, it shall talk with thee.
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 the commandment [is] a lamp; and the law [is] light; and reproofs of instruction [are] the way of life:
For the commandment is a lamp, and instruction a light; Yea, the rebukes of correction lead to life.
24 To keep thee from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman.
They shall guard thee from the evil woman, From the smooth tongue of the unchaste woman.
25 Lust not after her beauty in thine heart; neither let her take thee with her eyelids.
Desire not her beauty in thy heart, Nor let her catch thee with her eyelids;
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 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 take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned?
Can a man take fire into his bosom, And his clothes not be burned?
28 Can one go upon hot coals, and his feet not be burned?
Can one walk upon burning coals, And his feet not be scorched?
29 So he that goeth in to his neighbour’s wife; whosoever toucheth her shall not be innocent.
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 a thief, if he steal to satisfy his soul when he is hungry;
Men do not overlook a thief, Though he steal to satisfy his appetite, when he is hungry;
31 But [if] he be found, he shall restore sevenfold; he shall give all the substance of his house.
If found, he must repay sevenfold, And give up all the substance of his house.
32 [But] whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding: he [that] doeth it destroyeth his own soul.
Whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding; He that doeth it destroyeth himself;
33 A wound and dishonour shall he get; and his reproach shall not be wiped away.
Blows and dishonor shall he get, And his reproach shall not be wiped away.
34 For jealousy [is] the rage of a man: therefore he will not spare 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 regard any ransom; neither will he rest content, though thou givest many gifts.
And he will not pay regard to any ransom, Nor be content, though thou offer many gifts.
