Proverbs 6
1 My son, if thou art surety for thy friend, [if] thou hast stricken thy hand with a stranger,
My son, if you have become collateral for your neighbour, if you have struck your hands in pledge for a stranger,
2 Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken with the words of thy mouth.
you are trapped by the words of your mouth; you are ensnared with the words of your 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 deliver yourself, since you have come into the hand of your neighbour. Go, humble yourself. Press your plea with your neighbour.
4 Give not sleep to thy eyes, nor slumber to thy eyelids.
Give no sleep to your eyes, nor slumber to your eyelids.
5 Deliver thyself as a roe from the hand [of the hunter], and as a bird from the hand of the fowler.
Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the snare of the fowler.
6 Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise:
Go to the ant, you sluggard. Consider her ways, and be wise;
7 Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler,
which having no chief, overseer, or ruler,
8 Provideth her provisions in the summer, [and] gathereth her food in the harvest.
provides her bread in the summer, and gathers her food in the harvest.
9 How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep?
How long will you sleep, sluggard? When will you arise out of your 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 sleep—
11 So shall thy poverty come as one that traveleth, and thy want as an armed man.
so your poverty will come as a robber, and your scarcity as an armed man.
12 A naughty person, a wicked man, walketh with a froward mouth.
A worthless person, a man of iniquity, is he who walks with a perverse mouth,
13 He winketh with his eyes, he speaketh with his feet, he teacheth with his fingers;
who winks with his eyes, who signals with his feet, who motions with his fingers,
14 Frowardness [is] in his heart, he deviseth mischief continually; he soweth discord.
in whose heart is perverseness, who devises evil continually, who always sows discord.
15 Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly; suddenly shall he be broken without remedy.
Therefore his calamity will come suddenly. He will be broken suddenly, and that without remedy.
16 These six [things] doth the LORD hate: yes, seven [are] an abomination to him:
There are six things which the LORD hates; yes, seven which are an abomination to him:
17 A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood.
arrogant eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood,
18 A heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that are swift in running to mischief,
a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are swift in running to mischief,
19 A false witness [that] speaketh lies, and him that soweth discord among brethren.
a false witness who utters lies, and he who sows discord amongst brothers.
20 My son, keep thy father's commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother:
My son, keep your father’s commandment, and don’t forsake your mother’s teaching.
21 Bind them continually upon thy heart, [and] tie them about thy neck.
Bind them continually on your heart. Tie them around your 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 you walk, it will lead you. When you sleep, it will watch over you. When you awake, it will 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 commandment is a lamp, and the law is light. Reproofs of instruction are the way of life,
24 To keep thee from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman.
to keep you from the immoral woman, from the flattery of the wayward wife’s tongue.
25 Lust not after her beauty in thy heart; neither let her take thee with her eyelids.
Don’t lust after her beauty in your heart, neither let her captivate you with her eyelids.
26 For by means of a lewd woman [a man is brought] to a piece of bread: and the adulteress will hunt for the precious life.
For a prostitute reduces you to a piece of bread. The adulteress hunts for your precious life.
27 Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned?
Can a man scoop fire into his lap, and his clothes not be burnt?
28 Can one go upon hot coals, and his feet not be burned?
Or can one walk on hot coals, and his feet not be scorched?
29 So he that goeth in to his neighbor's wife; whoever toucheth her shall not be innocent.
So is he who goes in to his neighbour’s wife. Whoever touches her will not be unpunished.
30 [Men] do not despise a thief, if he stealeth to satisfy his soul when he is hungry;
Men don’t despise a thief if he steals to satisfy himself when he is hungry,
31 But [if] he is found, he shall restore seven-fold; he shall give all the substance of his house.
but if he is found, he shall restore seven times. He shall give all the wealth of his house.
32 [But] whoever committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding: he [that] doeth it destroyeth his own soul.
He who commits adultery with a woman is void of understanding. He who does it destroys his own soul.
33 A wound and dishonor shall he get; and his reproach shall not be wiped away.
He will get wounds and dishonour. His reproach will 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 arouses the fury of the husband. He won’t spare in the day of vengeance.
35 He will not regard any ransom; neither will he rest content, though thou givest many gifts.
He won’t regard any ransom, neither will he rest content, though you give many gifts.
