Proverbs 6
Modern English Version
Warning Against Pledges
6 My son, if you put up a security for your friend,
if you have shaken hands with a stranger,
2 you are snared with the words of your mouth;
you are taken with the words of your mouth.
3 Do this now, my son, and deliver yourself;
when you have come into the hand of your friend,
go and humble yourself;
plead with your friend.
4 Give no sleep to your eyes,
nor slumber to your eyelids.
5 Deliver yourself as a doe from the hand of the hunter,
and as a bird from the hand of the fowler.
The Folly of Idleness
6 Go to the ant, you sluggard!
Consider her ways and be wise.
7 Which, having no guide,
overseer, or ruler,
8 provides her bread in the summer,
and gathers her food in the harvest.
9 How long will you sleep, O sluggard?
When will you arise out of your sleep?
10 Yet a little sleep, a little slumber,
a little folding of the hands to sleep—
11 so will your poverty come upon you like a stalker,
and your need as an armed man.
The Wicked Man
12 A wayward person, a wicked man,
walks with a perverse mouth.
13 He winks with his eyes,
he signals with his feet,
he motions with his fingers;
14 perversity is in his heart,
he devises mischief continually, he sows discord.
15 Therefore his calamity will come suddenly;
in a moment he will be broken without remedy.
16 These six things the Lord hates,
yes, seven are an abomination to him:
17 a proud look,
a lying tongue,
and hands that shed innocent blood,
18 a heart that devises wicked imaginations,
feet that are swift in running to mischief,
19 a false witness who speaks lies,
and he who sows discord among brethren.
Warning Against Adultery
20 My son, keep your father’s commandment,
and do not forsake the instruction of your mother.
21 Bind them continually upon your heart,
and tie them around your neck.
22 When you go, they will lead you;
when you sleep, they will keep you;
and when you awake, they will speak with you.
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 flattery of the tongue of a seductress.
25 Do not lust after her beauty in your heart,
nor let her allure you with her eyelids.
26 For by means of a harlot a man is reduced to a piece of bread,
and the adulteress will prey upon his precious life.
27 Can a man take fire in his bosom,
and his clothes not be burned?
28 Can one walk upon hot coals,
and his feet not be burned?
29 So he who goes in to his neighbor’s wife;
whoever touches her will not be innocent.
30 Men do not despise a thief if he steals
to satisfy himself when he is hungry.
31 But if he is found, he will restore sevenfold;
he will give all the substance of his house.
32 But whoever commits adultery with a woman lacks understanding;
he who does it destroys his own soul.
33 A wound and dishonor will he get,
and his reproach will not be wiped away.
34 For jealousy is the rage of a man;
therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance.
35 He will not regard any ransom,
nor will he rest content, though you give many gifts.
Proverbs 6
American Standard Version
6 My son, if thou art become surety for thy neighbor,
If thou hast stricken [a]thy hands for a stranger;
2 Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth,
Thou art taken with the words of thy mouth.
3 Do this now, my son, and deliver thyself,
Seeing thou art come into the hand of thy neighbor:
Go, [b]humble thyself, and importune thy neighbor;
4 Give not sleep to thine eyes,
Nor slumber to thine eyelids;
5 Deliver thyself as a [c]roe from the hand of the hunter,
And as a bird from the hand of the fowler.
6 Go to the ant, thou sluggard;
Consider her ways, and be wise:
7 Which having no [d]chief,
Overseer, or ruler,
8 Provideth her bread in the summer,
And gathereth her food in the harvest.
9 How long wilt thou [e]sleep, O sluggard?
When wilt thou arise out of thy sleep?
10 Yet a little sleep, a little slumber,
A little folding of the hands to [f]sleep:
11 So shall thy poverty come as a [g]robber,
And thy want as [h]an armed man.
12 A worthless person, a man of iniquity,
Is he that walketh with a perverse mouth;
13 That winketh with his eyes, that [i]speaketh with his feet,
That [j]maketh signs with his fingers;
14 In whose heart is perverseness,
Who deviseth evil continually,
Who [k]soweth discord.
15 Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly;
On a sudden shall he be broken, and that without remedy.
16 There are six things which Jehovah hateth;
Yea, seven which are an abomination [l]unto him:
17 Haughty eyes, a lying tongue,
And hands that shed innocent blood;
18 A heart that deviseth wicked purposes,
Feet that are swift in running to mischief,
19 A false witness that [m]uttereth lies,
And he that [n]soweth discord among brethren.
20 My son, keep the commandment of thy father,
And forsake not the [o]law of thy mother:
21 Bind them continually upon thy heart;
Tie them about thy neck.
22 When thou walkest, it shall lead thee;
When thou [p]sleepest, it shall watch over thee;
And when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee.
23 For [q]the commandment is a lamp; and [r]the law is light;
And reproofs of instruction are the way of life:
24 To keep thee from the evil woman,
From the flattery of the foreigner’s tongue.
25 Lust not after her beauty in thy heart;
Neither let her take thee with her eyelids.
26 For on account of a harlot a man is brought to a piece of bread;
And [s]the adulteress hunteth for the precious life.
27 Can a man take fire in his bosom,
And his clothes not be burned?
28 Or can one walk upon hot coals,
And his feet not be scorched?
29 So he that goeth in to his neighbor’s wife;
Whosoever toucheth her shall not be [t]unpunished.
30 Men do not despise a thief, if he steal
To satisfy [u]himself when he is hungry:
31 But if he be found, he shall restore sevenfold;
He shall give all the substance of his house.
32 He that committeth adultery with a woman is void of [v]understanding:
He doeth it who would destroy his own soul.
33 Wounds and dishonor shall he get;
And his reproach shall not be wiped away.
34 For jealousy is the rage of a man;
And he will not spare in the day of vengeance.
35 He will not regard any ransom;
Neither will he rest content, though thou givest many gifts.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 6:1 Or, thy hand with a stranger
- Proverbs 6:3 Or, bestir
- Proverbs 6:5 Or, gazelle
- Proverbs 6:7 Or, judge
- Proverbs 6:9 Hebrew lie down.
- Proverbs 6:10 Hebrew lie down.
- Proverbs 6:11 Or, rover
- Proverbs 6:11 Hebrew a man with a shield.
- Proverbs 6:13 Or, shuffleth
- Proverbs 6:13 Or, teacheth with
- Proverbs 6:14 Hebrew letteth loose.
- Proverbs 6:16 Hebrew of his soul.
- Proverbs 6:19 Hebrew breatheth out.
- Proverbs 6:19 Hebrew letteth loose.
- Proverbs 6:20 Or, teaching
- Proverbs 6:22 Hebrew liest down.
- Proverbs 6:23 Or, their commandment
- Proverbs 6:23 Or, their teaching
- Proverbs 6:26 Hebrew a man’s wife.
- Proverbs 6:29 Hebrew held innocent.
- Proverbs 6:30 Or, his appetite
- Proverbs 6:32 Hebrew heart.
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.
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