Proverbs 6
1My son, if you have taken a pledge on behalf of your friend, then you have bound your hand to an outsider,
2then you are ensnared by the words of your own mouth, and taken captive by your own words.
3Therefore, my son, do what I say, and free yourself, for you have fallen into the hand of your neighbor. Run, hurry, awaken your friend.
4Do not grant sleep to your eyes, nor let your eyelids slumber.
5Rescue yourself like a gazelle from the hand, and like a bird from the hand of the fowler.
6Go to the ant, you lazy one, and consider her ways, and so learn wisdom.
7For though she has no ruler, nor instructor, nor leader,
8she provides meals for herself in the summer, and she gathers at the harvest what she may eat.
9How long will you slumber, you lazy one? When will you rise up from your sleep?
10You will sleep a little, you will slumber a little, you will fold your hands a little to sleep,
11and then destitution will meet with you, like a traveler, and poverty, like an armed man. Yet truly, if you would be diligent, then your harvest will arrive like a fountain, and destitution will flee far from you.
12An apostate man, a harmful man, walks with a perverse mouth;
13he winks with the eyes, touches with the foot, speaks with the finger.
14With a depraved heart he devises evil, and at all times he sows conflict.
15To this one, his perdition will arrive promptly, and he shall be crushed suddenly: he will no longer have any remedy.
16Six things there are that the Lord hates, and the seventh, his soul detests:
17haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood,
18a heart that devises the most wicked thoughts, feet running swiftly unto evil,
19a deceitful witness bringing forth lies, and he who sows discord among brothers.
20My son, preserve the precepts of your father, and do not dismiss the law of your mother.
21Bind them to your heart unceasingly, and encircle them around your throat.
22When you walk, let them keep step with you. When you sleep, let them guard you. And when you keep watch, speak with them.
23For commandment is a lamp, and law is a light, and the reproofs of discipline are the way of life.
24So may they guard you from an evil woman, and from the flattering tongue of the outsider.
25Let not your heart desire her beauty; do not be captivated by her winks.
26For the price of a prostitute is only one loaf. Yet the woman seizes the precious soul of a man.
27Would a man be able to conceal fire in his bosom, so that his garments would not burn?
28Or could he walk over burning coals, so that his feet would not be burned?
29So also, he who enters to the wife of his neighbor shall not be clean when he touches her.
30Not so great is the fault when someone has stolen. For he steals so as to satisfy a hungry soul.
31Also, if he is apprehended, he shall repay sevenfold and hand over all the substance of his house.
32But whoever is an adulterer, because of the emptiness of his heart, will destroy his own soul.
33He gathers shame and dishonor to himself, and his disgrace will not be wiped away.
34For the jealousy and fury of the husband will not spare him on the day of vindication,
35nor will he agree to the pleadings of anyone, nor will he accept, as repayment, a multitude of gifts.
1My son, if thou be surety for thy friend, if thou hast stricken thy hand with a stranger,
2Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken with the words of thy mouth.
3Do 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.
4Give not sleep to thine eyes, nor slumber to thine eyelids.
5Deliver thyself as a roe from the hand of the hunter, and as a bird from the hand of the fowler.
6Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise:
7Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler,
8Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest.
9How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep?
10Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:
11So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man.
12A naughty person, a wicked man, walketh with a froward mouth.
13He winketh with his eyes, he speaketh with his feet, he teacheth with his fingers;
14Frowardness is in his heart, he deviseth mischief continually; he soweth discord.
15Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly; suddenly shall he be broken without remedy.
16These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:
17A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,
18An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,
19A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.
20My son, keep thy father’s commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother:
21Bind them continually upon thine heart, and tie them about thy neck.
22When thou goest, it shall lead thee; when thou sleepest, it shall keep thee; and when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee.
23For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:
24To keep thee from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman.
25Lust not after her beauty in thine heart; neither let her take thee with her eyelids.
26For by means of a whorish woman a man is brought to a piece of bread: and the adulteress will hunt for the precious life.
27Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned?
28Can one go upon hot coals, and his feet not be burned?
29So he that goeth in to his neighbour’s wife; whosoever toucheth her shall not be innocent.
30Men do not despise a thief, if he steal to satisfy his soul when he is hungry;
31But if he be found, he shall restore sevenfold; he shall give all the substance of his house.
32But whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding: he that doeth it destroyeth his own soul.
33A wound and dishonour shall he get; and his reproach shall not be wiped away.
34For jealousy is the rage of a man: therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance.
35He will not regard any ransom; neither will he rest content, though thou givest many gifts.