Proverbs 6
1 My son, if you have become collateral for your neighbour, if you have struck your hands in pledge for a stranger,
My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor, if you have struck hands in pledge with a stranger,
2 you are trapped by the words of your mouth; you are ensnared with the words of your mouth.
if you have been trapped by the words of your lips, ensnared by the words of your mouth,
3 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.
then do this, my son, to free yourself, for you have fallen into your neighbor’s hands: Go, humble yourself, and press your plea with your neighbor.
4 Give no sleep to your eyes, nor slumber to your eyelids.
Allow no sleep to your eyes or slumber to your eyelids.
5 Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the snare 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, you sluggard. Consider her ways, and be wise;
Walk in the manner of the ant, O slacker; observe its ways and become wise.
7 which having no chief, overseer, or ruler,
Without a commander, without an overseer or ruler,
8 provides her bread in the summer, and gathers her food in the harvest.
it prepares its provisions in summer; it gathers its food at harvest.
9 How long will you sleep, sluggard? When will you arise out of your sleep?
How long will you lie there, O slacker? When will you get up from your sleep?
10 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 your poverty will come as a robber, and your scarcity as an armed man.
and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and need like a bandit.
12 A worthless person, a man of iniquity, is he who walks with a perverse mouth,
A worthless person, a wicked man, walks with a perverse mouth,
13 who winks with his eyes, who signals with his feet, who motions with his fingers,
winking his eyes, speaking with his feet, and pointing with his fingers.
14 in whose heart is perverseness, who devises evil continually, who always sows discord.
With deceit in his heart he devises evil; he continually sows discord.
15 Therefore his calamity will come suddenly. He will be broken suddenly, and that without remedy.
Therefore calamity will come upon him suddenly; in an instant he will be shattered beyond recovery.
16 There are six things which the LORD hates; yes, seven which are an abomination to him:
There are six things that the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to Him:
17 arrogant eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood,
haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood,
18 a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are swift in running to mischief,
a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that run swiftly to evil,
19 a false witness who utters lies, and he who sows discord amongst brothers.
a false witness who gives false testimony, and one who stirs up discord among brothers.
20 My son, keep your father’s commandment, and don’t forsake your mother’s teaching.
My son, keep your father’s commandment, and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.
21 Bind them continually on your heart. Tie them around your neck.
Bind them always upon your heart; tie them around your neck.
22 When you walk, it will lead you. When you sleep, it will watch over you. When you awake, it will talk with you.
When you walk, they will guide you; when you lie down, they will watch over you; when you awake, they will speak to you.
23 For the commandment is a lamp, and the law is light. Reproofs of instruction are the way of life,
For this commandment is a lamp, this teaching is a light, and the reproofs of discipline are the way to life,
24 to keep you from the immoral woman, from the flattery of the wayward wife’s tongue.
to keep you from the evil woman, from the smooth tongue of the adulteress.
25 Don’t lust after her beauty in your heart, neither let her captivate you with her eyelids.
Do not lust in your heart for her beauty or let her captivate you with her eyes.
26 For a prostitute reduces you to a piece of bread. The adulteress hunts for your precious life.
For the levy of the prostitute is poverty, and the adulteress preys upon your very life.
27 Can a man scoop fire into his lap, and his clothes not be burnt?
Can a man embrace fire and his clothes not be burned?
28 Or can one walk on hot coals, and his feet not be scorched?
Can a man walk on hot coals without scorching his feet?
29 So is he who goes in to his neighbour’s wife. Whoever touches her will not be unpunished.
So is he who sleeps with another man’s wife; no one who touches her will go unpunished.
30 Men don’t despise a thief if he steals to satisfy himself when he is hungry,
Men do not despise the thief if he steals to satisfy his hunger.
31 but if he is found, he shall restore seven times. He shall give all the wealth of his house.
Yet if caught, he must pay sevenfold; he must give up all the wealth of his house.
32 He who commits adultery with a woman is void of understanding. He who does it destroys his own soul.
He who commits adultery lacks judgment; whoever does so destroys himself.
33 He will get wounds and dishonour. His reproach will not be wiped away.
Wounds and dishonor will befall him, and his reproach will never be wiped away.
34 For jealousy arouses the fury of the husband. He won’t spare in the day of vengeance.
For jealousy enrages a husband, and he will show no mercy in the day of vengeance.
35 He won’t regard any ransom, neither will he rest content, though you give many gifts.
He will not be appeased by any ransom, or persuaded by lavish gifts.
