Proverbs 6

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.footnote a

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.footnote b

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:footnote c

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

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:footnote e

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

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.footnote g

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.footnote h

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.footnote i

Warnings against Foolishness

1My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor,if you have struck hands in pledge with a stranger, 2if you have been trapped by the words of your lips,ensnared by the words of your mouth, 3then do this, my son, to free yourself,for you have fallen into your neighbor’s hands:Go, humble yourself,footnote aand press your plea with your neighbor. 4Allow no sleep to your eyesor slumber to your eyelids. 5Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter,footnote blike a bird from the snare of the fowler.

6Walk in the manner of the ant, O slacker;observe its ways and become wise. 7Without a commander,without an overseer or ruler, 8it prepares its provisions in summer;it gathers its food at harvest. 9How long will you lie there, O slacker?When will you get up from your sleep? 10A little sleep, a little slumber,a little folding of the hands to rest, 11and poverty will come upon you like a robber,and need like a bandit.

12A worthless person, a wicked man,walks with a perverse mouth, 13winking his eyes, speaking with his feet,and pointing with his fingers. 14With deceit in his heart he devises evil;he continually sows discord. 15Therefore calamity will come upon him suddenly;in an instant he will be shattered beyond recovery.

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

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

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

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

Warnings against Adultery

20My son, keep your father’s commandment,and do not forsake your mother’s teaching. 21Bind them always upon your heart;tie them around your neck. 22When you walk, they will guide you;when you lie down, they will watch over you;when you awake, they will speak to you. 23For this commandment is a lamp, this teaching is a light,and the reproofs of discipline are the way to life, 24to keep you from the evil woman,from the smooth tongue of the adulteress.footnote c

25Do not lust in your heart for her beautyor let her captivate you with her eyes.footnote d 26For the levy of the prostitute is poverty,footnote eand the adulteress preys upon your very life. 27Can a man embrace fireand his clothes not be burned? 28Can a man walk on hot coalswithout scorching his feet? 29So is he who sleeps with another man’s wife;no one who touches her will go unpunished.

30Men do not despise the thiefif he steals to satisfy his hunger. 31Yet if caught, he must pay sevenfold;he must give up all the wealth of his house. 32He who commits adultery lacks judgment;whoever does so destroys himself. 33Wounds and dishonor will befall him,and his reproach will never be wiped away. 34For jealousy enrages a husband,and he will show no mercy in the day of vengeance. 35He will not be appeased by any ransom,or persuaded by lavish gifts.