Proverbs 6

1 My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor, if you have struck hands in pledge with a stranger,

1 My son, if thou be surety for thy friend, if thou hast stricken thy hand with a stranger,

2 if you have been trapped by the words of your lips, ensnared by the words of your mouth,

2 Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken with the words of thy mouth.

3 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.

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.

4 Allow no sleep to your eyes or slumber to your eyelids.

4 Give not sleep to thine eyes, nor slumber to thine eyelids.

5 Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the snare of the fowler.

5 Deliver thyself as a roe from the hand of the hunter, and as a bird from the hand of the fowler.

6 Walk in the manner of the ant, O slacker; observe its ways and become wise.

6 Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise:

7 Without a commander, without an overseer or ruler,

7 Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler,

8 it prepares its provisions in summer; it gathers its food at harvest.

8 Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest.

9 How long will you lie there, O slacker? When will you get up from your sleep?

9 How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep?

10 A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest,

10 Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:

11 and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and need like a bandit.

11 So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man.

12 A worthless person, a wicked man, walks with a perverse mouth,

12 A naughty person, a wicked man, walketh with a froward mouth.

13 winking his eyes, speaking with his feet, and pointing with his fingers.

13 He winketh with his eyes, he speaketh with his feet, he teacheth with his fingers;

14 With deceit in his heart he devises evil; he continually sows discord.

14 Frowardness is in his heart, he deviseth mischief continually; he soweth discord.

15 Therefore calamity will come upon him suddenly; in an instant he will be shattered beyond recovery.

15 Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly; suddenly shall he be broken without remedy.

16 There are six things that the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to Him:

16 These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:

17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood,

17 A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,

18 a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that run swiftly to evil,

18 An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,

19 a false witness who gives false testimony, and one who stirs up discord among brothers.

19 A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.

20 My son, keep your father’s commandment, and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.

20 My son, keep thy father’s commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother:

21 Bind them always upon your heart; tie them around your neck.

21 Bind them continually upon thine heart, and tie them about thy neck.

22 When you walk, they will guide you; when you lie down, they will watch over you; when you awake, they will speak to you.

22 When thou goest, it shall lead thee; when thou sleepest, it shall keep thee; and when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee.

23 For this commandment is a lamp, this teaching is a light, and the reproofs of discipline are the way to life,

23 For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:

24 to keep you from the evil woman, from the smooth tongue of the adulteress.

24 To keep thee from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman.

25 Do not lust in your heart for her beauty or let her captivate you with her eyes.

25 Lust not after her beauty in thine heart; neither let her take thee with her eyelids.

26 For the levy of the prostitute is poverty, and the adulteress preys upon your very life.

26 For by means of a whorish woman a man is brought to a piece of bread: and the adulteress will hunt for the precious life.

27 Can a man embrace fire and his clothes not be burned?

27 Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned?

28 Can a man walk on hot coals without scorching his feet?

28 Can one go upon hot coals, and his feet not be burned?

29 So is he who sleeps with another man’s wife; no one who touches her will go unpunished.

29 So he that goeth in to his neighbour’s wife; whosoever toucheth her shall not be innocent.

30 Men do not despise the thief if he steals to satisfy his hunger.

30 Men do not despise a thief, if he steal to satisfy his soul when he is hungry;

31 Yet if caught, he must pay sevenfold; he must give up all the wealth of his house.

31 But if he be found, he shall restore sevenfold; he shall give all the substance of his house.

32 He who commits adultery lacks judgment; whoever does so destroys himself.

32 But whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding: he that doeth it destroyeth his own soul.

33 Wounds and dishonor will befall him, and his reproach will never be wiped away.

33 A wound and dishonour shall he get; and his reproach shall not be wiped away.

34 For jealousy enrages a husband, and he will show no mercy in the day of vengeance.

34 For jealousy is the rage of a man: therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance.

35 He will not be appeased by any ransom, or persuaded by lavish gifts.

35 He will not regard any ransom; neither will he rest content, though thou givest many gifts.