Proverbs — Chapter 6

My son, if you have stood surety for your fellow,Given your hand for another,aGiven your hand for another Meaning of Heb. uncertain.

You have been trapped by the words of your mouth,Snared by the words of your mouth.

Do this, then, my son, to extricate yourself,For you have come into the power of your fellow:Go grovel—and badger your fellow;

Give your eyes no sleep,Your pupils no slumber.

Save yourself like a deer out of the hand [of a hunter],Like a bird out of the hand of a fowler.

Lazybones, go to the ant;Study its ways and learn.

Without leaders, officers, or rulers,

It lays up its stores during the summer,Gathers in its food at the harvest.

How long will you lie there, lazybones;When will you wake from your sleep?

A bit more sleep, a bit more slumber,A bit more hugging yourself in bed,

And poverty will come calling upon you,bcalling upon you Meaning of Heb. uncertain. And want, like a man with a shield.

A scoundrel, an evil manLives by crooked speech,

Winking his eyes,Shuffling his feet,Pointing his finger.

Duplicity is in his heart;He plots evil all the time;He incites quarrels.

Therefore calamity will come upon him without warning;Suddenly he will be broken beyond repair.

GOD hates six things—And abominates seven:

A haughty bearing,A lying tongue,Hands that shed innocent blood,

A mind that hatches evil plots,Feet quick to run to evil,

A false witness testifying lies,And one who incites siblings to quarrel.

My son, keep your father’s commandment;Do not forsake your mother’s teaching.

Tie them over your heart always;Bind them around your throat.

When you walk it will lead you;When you lie down it will watch over you;And when you are awake it will talk with you.

For the commandment is a lamp,The teaching is a light,And the way to life is the rebuke that disciplines.

It will keep you from an evil woman,From the smooth tongue of a forbiddencforbidden Lit. “alien.” woman.

Do not lust for her beautyOr let her captivate you with her eyes.

The last loaf of bread will go for a prostitute;A married woman will snare a person of honor.

Can anyone rake embers into their bosomWithout burning their clothes?

Can anyone walk on live coalsWithout scorching their feet?

It is the same with the man who sleeps with his fellow’s wife;No one who touches her will go unpunished.

A thief is not held in contemptFor stealing to appease his hunger;

Yet if caught he must pay sevenfold;He must give up all he owns.

He who commits adultery is devoid of sense;Only one who would destroy himself does such a thing.

He will meet with disease and disgrace;His reproach will never be expunged.

The fury of the husband will be passionate;He will show no pity on his day of vengeance.

He will not have regard for any ransom;He will refuse your bribe, however great.