Proverbs 6
1 My son, if thou hast become surety for another, If thou hast stricken hands for another,
My son, If thou hast become surety for thy friend, if thou hast struck thy hand for a stranger;
2 If thou hast become ensnared by the words of thy mouth, If thou hast been caught by the words of thy mouth,
If thou art ensnared through the words of thy mouth, if thou art caught through the words of thy mouth:
3 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!
[Then] do this by all means, my son, and deliver thyself, because thou art come into the power of thy friend, Go hasten to him, and urge thy friend.
4 Give not sleep to thine eyes, nor slumber to thine eyelids;
Grant not any sleep to thy eyes, nor slumber to thy eyelids.
5 Rescue thyself, as a roe from the hand, And as a bird from the hand of the fowler.
Deliver thyself as a roebuck from the hand [of the hunter], and as a bird from the hand of the fowler.
6 Go to the ant, O sluggard! Consider her ways, and be wise!
Go to the ant, thou sluggard; look on her ways, and become wise.
7 She hath no governor, Nor overseer, nor ruler;
She, that hath no prince, officer, or ruler,
8 Yet she prepareth in the summer her food, She gathereth in the harvest her meat.
Provideth in the summer her provision, gathereth in harvest-time her food.
9 How long wilt thou lie in bed, O sluggard? When wilt thou arise from thy sleep?
How long, O sluggard, wilt thou lie down? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep?
10 “A little sleep, —a little slumber, —A little folding of the hands to rest:”
“A little [more] sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands in lying down;”
11 So shall thy poverty come upon thee like a robber, Yea, thy want, as an armed man!
But then will thy poverty come like a rover, and thy want as a man armed with a shield.
12 A worthless wretch is the unrighteous man, Who walketh with a deceitful mouth;
A Godless person is a man of injustice, who walketh with a distorted mouth.
13 Who winketh with his eyes, Speaketh with his feet, And teacheth with his fingers.
He blinketh with his eyes, he scrapeth with his feet, he pointeth with his fingers;
14 Fraud is in his heart; He deviseth mischief continually; He scattereth contentions.
Perverseness is in his heart, he contriveth evil at all times; he scattereth abroad discord.
15 Therefore shall calamity come upon him suddenly; In a moment shall he be destroyed, and that without remedy;
Therefore shall suddenly come his calamity: unawares shalt he be broken without a remedy.
16 These six things doth the LORD hate; Yea, seven are an abomination to him:
Six things there are which the Lord hateth; and seven are an abomination unto his spirit:
17 Lofty eyes, a false tongue, And hands which shed innocent blood;
Haughty eyes, a tongue of falsehood, and hands that shed innocent blood,
18 A heart that contriveth wicked devices; Feet that are swift in running to mischief,
A heart that contriveth plans of injustice, feet that hasten to run after evil,
19 A false witness, that uttereth lies, And him that soweth discord among brethren.
A false witness that eagerly uttereth lies, and him that scattereth abroad discord among brethren.
20 Keep, O my son! the commandment of thy father, And forsake not the precepts of thy mother!
Keep, O my son, the commandment of thy father, and reject not the teaching of thy mother:
21 Bind them continually to thy heart, Tie them around thy neck!
Bind them upon thy heart continually, tie them about thy throat.
22 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.
When thou walkest, it shall lead thee; when thou liest down, it shall watch over thee; and when thou art awake, it shall converse with thee.
23 For the commandment is a lamp, and instruction a light; Yea, the rebukes of correction lead to life.
For the commandment is a lamp, and the law is light; and the way of life are the admonitions of correction:
24 They shall guard thee from the evil woman, From the smooth tongue of the unchaste woman.
To guard thee against a bad woman, from the flattery of an alien tongue.
25 Desire not her beauty in thy heart, Nor let her catch thee with her eyelids;
Covet not her beauty in thy heart, and let her not conquer thee with her eyelids.
26 For by a harlot a man is brought to a morsel of bread, And the adulteress layeth snares for the precious life.
For by means of a harlot [one is brought down] to the last loaf of bread: and an adulterous woman will even hunt for the precious life,
27 Can a man take fire into his bosom, And his clothes not be burned?
Can a man gather up fire in his lap, and shall his clothes not be burnt?
28 Can one walk upon burning coals, And his feet not be scorched?
Can a man walk along upon hot coals, and shall his feet not be burnt?
29 So is it with him who goeth in to his neighbor's wife; Whoever toucheth her shall not go unpunished.
So it is with him that goeth in to his neighbor's wife: no one that toucheth her shall remain unpunished.
30 Men do not overlook a thief, Though he steal to satisfy his appetite, when he is hungry;
Men do not despise the thief, if he steal, to gratify his craving when he is hungry:
31 If found, he must repay sevenfold, And give up all the substance of his house.
And if he be found, he must pay sevenfold; all the wealth his house must he give.
32 Whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding; He that doeth it destroyeth himself;
But whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh sense: he that is the destroyer of his soul, will alone do this.
33 Blows and dishonor shall he get, And his reproach shall not be wiped away.
Plague and disgrace will he meet with; and his reproach will not be blotted out.
34 For jealousy is the fury of a man; He will not spare in the day of vengeance;
For jealousy is the fury of a husband, and he will not spare on the day of vengeance.
35 And he will not pay regard to any ransom, Nor be content, though thou offer many gifts.
He will not regard the appearance of any ransom; and he will not be content, though thou give ever so many bribes.
