Proverbs 6
1 My son, if you set aside your money as a guarantee for your neighbor's loan, if you gave your promise for a loan of someone you do not know,
My son, suppose you have pledged to guarantee your neighbor's debt, or you have shaken hands in agreement with a stranger,
2 then you have laid a trap for yourself by your promise and you have been caught by the words of your mouth.
then you've trapped yourself by what you promised, you've been caught by what you said.
3 When you are caught by your words, my son, do this and save yourself, since you have fallen into the hand of your neighbor; go and humble yourself and make your case before your neighbor.
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 your eyes no sleep and your eyelids no slumber.
Don't delay, saying that you'll sleep on it. Don't rest until you've done it.
5 Save yourself like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like 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 Look at the ant, you lazy person, consider her ways, and be wise.
Go and observe the ants, you slacker! Learn from what they do and become wise.
7 It has no commander, officer, or ruler,
They don't have a leader, an officer, or a ruler,
8 yet it prepares its food in the summer and during the harvest it stores up what it will eat.
yet they work hard during the summer getting their food, gathering what they need during the harvest.
9 How long will you sleep, you lazy person? When will you rise from your sleep?
So how long are you going to lie there, you slacker? When are you going to get up from your sleep?
10 “A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest”—
You may say, “Please, just a little more sleep, a little longer snooze, a little more folding of the arms to rest”—
11 and your poverty will come like a robber and your needs like an armed soldier.
and poverty will attack you like a robber, destitution like an armed warrior.
12 A worthless person—a wicked man— lives by the crookedness of his speech,
Rebellious and wicked people go around telling lies,
13 winking his eyes, making signals with his feet and pointing with his fingers.
winking slyly, giving sneaky foot gestures, rudely pointing with their fingers.
14 He plots evil with deceit in his heart; he always stirs up discord.
Their warped minds plot evil schemes; they're always causing trouble.
15 Therefore his disaster will overtake him in an instant; in a moment he will be broken beyond healing.
As a result, disaster falls suddenly on such people; in just a moment they're destroyed without hope of healing.
16 There are six things that Yahweh hates, seven that are disgusting to him.
There are six things that the Lord hates, seven things that he absolutely detests:
17 The eyes of a proud person, a tongue that lies, hands that shed the blood of innocent people,
arrogant eyes, a lying tongue, hands that murder the innocent,
18 a heart that invents wicked schemes, feet that quickly run to do evil,
a mind that plots evil schemes, feet that hurriedly run to do wrong,
19 a witness who breathes out lies and one who sows discord among brothers.
a false witness that speaks lies, those who caused arguments in families.
20 My son, obey the command of your father and do not forsake the teaching of your mother.
My son, pay attention to your father's instruction, and don't reject your mother's teaching.
21 Always bind them on your heart; tie them about your neck.
Keep them always in mind. Tie them around your neck.
22 When you walk, they will guide you; when you sleep, they will watch over you; and when you wake up, they will teach you.
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 For the commands are a lamp, and the teaching is a light; the corrections that come by 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 It keeps you from the immoral woman, from the smooth words of an immoral woman.
It will protect you from an evil woman and the seductive words of a prostitute.
25 Do not lust in your heart after her beauty and do not let her capture you with her eyelashes.
Don't let your mind lust after her beauty, or let her hypnotize you with her fluttering eyelashes.
26 Sleeping with a prostitute can cost the price of a loaf of bread, but the wife of another may cost you your very life.
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 carry a fire against his chest without burning his clothes?
Can you put fire in your lap and not burn your clothes?
28 Can a man walk on hot coals without scorching his feet?
Can you walk on hot coals and not scorch your feet?
29 So is the man who sleeps with his neighbor's wife; the one who sleeps with her will not go unpunished.
It's the same for anyone who sleeps with another man's wife. No one who touches her will remain unpunished.
30 People do not despise a thief if he steals to satisfy his need when he is hungry.
People don't condemn a thief if he steals to satisfy himself when he's hungry.
31 Yet if he is caught, he will pay back seven times what he stole; he must give up everything of value in 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 The one who commits adultery has no sense; the one who does it destroys himself.
Any man who commits adultery with a woman has no sense; he who does so destroys himself.
33 Wounds and shame are what he deserves and his disgrace will not be wiped away.
He will be wounded and dishonored. His disgrace will never be removed.
34 For jealousy makes a man furious; he will show no mercy when he takes his revenge.
For jealousy makes a husband furious, and he won't hold back when he takes revenge.
35 He will accept no compensation and he cannot be bought off, though you offer him many gifts.
He refuses any compensation, and won't be paid off, however big the amount.
