Proverbs 6

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

1My son, if you have made yourself responsible for your neighbour, or given your word for another,

1My son, if thou be surety for thy friend, thou hast engaged fast thy hand to a stranger,

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

2You are taken as in a net by the words of your mouth, the sayings of your lips have overcome you.

2Thou art ensnared with the words of thy mouth, and caught with thy own words.

3Do this now, my son, and deliver thyself, since thou hast come into the hand of thy friend: go, humble thyself, and be urgent with thy friend.

3Do this, my son, and make yourself free, because you have come into the power of your neighbour; go without waiting, and make a strong request to your neighbour.

3Do, therefore, my son, what I say, and deliver thyself: because thou art fallen into the hand of thy neighbour. Run about, make haste, stir up thy friend:

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

4Give no sleep to your eyes, or rest to them;

4Give not sleep to thy eyes, neither let thy eyelids slumber.

5deliver thyself as a gazelle from the hand [of the hunter], and as a bird from the hand of the fowler.

5Make yourself free, like the roe from the hand of the archer, and the bird from him who puts a net for her.

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

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

6Go to the ant, you hater of work; give thought to her ways and be wise:

6Go to the ant, O sluggard, and consider her ways, and learn wisdom:

7which having no chief, overseer, or ruler,

7Having no chief, overseer, or ruler,

7Which, although she hath no guide, nor master, nor captain,

8provideth her bread in the summer, [and] gathereth her food in the harvest.

8She gets her meat in the summer, storing up food at the time of the grain-cutting.

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

9How long, sluggard, wilt thou lie down? When wilt thou arise out of thy sleep?

9How long will you be sleeping, O hater of work? when will you get up from your sleep?

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

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

10A little sleep, a little rest, a little folding of the hands in sleep:

10Thou wilt sleep a little, thou wilt slumber a little, thou wilt fold thy hands a little to sleep:

11So shall thy poverty come as a roving plunderer, and thy penury as an armed man.

11Then loss will come on you like an outlaw, and your need like an armed man

11And want shall come upon thee, as a traveller, and poverty as a man armed. But if thou be diligent, thy harvest shall come as a fountain, and want shall flee far from thee.

12A man of Belial, a wicked person, is he that goeth about with a perverse mouth;

12A good-for-nothing man is an evil-doer; he goes on his way causing trouble with false words;

12A man that is an apostate, an unprofitable man, walketh with a perverse mouth,

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

13Making signs with his eyes, rubbing with his feet, and giving news with his fingers;

13He winketh with the eyes, presseth with the foot, speaketh with the finger.

14deceits are in his heart; he deviseth mischief at all times, he soweth discords.

14His mind is ever designing evil: he lets loose violent acts.

14With a wicked heart he deviseth evil, and at all times he soweth discord.

15Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly: in a moment shall he be broken, and without remedy.

15For this cause his downfall will be sudden; quickly he will be broken, and there will be no help for him.

15To such a one his destruction shall presently come, and he shall suddenly be destroyed, and shall no longer have any remedy.

16These six [things] doth Jehovah hate, yea, seven are an abomination unto him:

16Six things are hated by the Lord; seven things are disgusting to him:

16Six things there are, which the Lord hateth, and the seventh his soul detesteth:

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

17Eyes of pride, a false tongue, hands which take life without cause;

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

18a heart that deviseth wicked imaginations; feet that are swift in running to mischief;

18A heart full of evil designs, feet which are quick in running after sin;

18A heart that deviseth wicked plots, feet that are swift to run into mischief,

19a false witness that uttereth lies, and he that soweth discords among brethren.

19A false witness, breathing out untrue words, and one who lets loose violent acts among brothers.

19A deceitful witness that uttereth lies, and him that soweth discord among brethren.

20My son, observe thy father's commandment, and forsake not the teaching of thy mother;

20My son, keep the rule of your father, and have in memory the teaching of your mother:

20My son, keep the commandments of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother.

21bind them continually upon thy heart, tie them about thy neck:

21Keep them ever folded in your heart, and have them hanging round your neck.

21Bind them in thy heart continually, and put them about thy neck.

22when thou walkest, it shall lead thee; when thou sleepest, it shall keep thee; and [when] thou awakest, it shall talk with thee.

22In your walking, it will be your guide; when you are sleeping, it will keep watch over you; when you are awake, it will have talk with you.

22When thou walkest, let them go with thee: when thou sleepest, let them keep thee, and when thou awakest, talk with them.

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

23For the rule is a light, and the teaching a shining light; and the guiding words of training are the way of life.

23Because the commandment is a lamp, and the law a 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.

24They will keep you from the evil woman, from the smooth tongue of the strange woman.

24That they may keep thee from the evil woman, and from the flattering tongue of the stranger.

25Lust not after her beauty in thy heart, neither let her take thee with her eyelids;

25Let not your heart's desire go after her fair body; let not her eyes take you prisoner.

25Let not thy heart covet her beauty, be not caught with her winks:

26for by means of a whorish woman [a man is brought] to a loaf of bread, and another's wife doth hunt for the precious soul.

26For a loose woman is looking for a cake of bread, but another man's wife goes after one's very life.

26For the price of a harlot is scarce one loaf: but the woman catcheth the precious soul of a man.

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

27May a man take fire to his breast without burning his clothing?

27Can a man hide fire in his bosom, and his garments not burn?

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

28Or may one go on lighted coals, and his feet not be burned?

28Or can he walk upon hot coals, and his feet not be burnt?

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

29So it is with him who goes in to his neighbour's wife; he who has anything to do with her will not go free from punishment.

29So he that goeth in to his neighbour's wife, shall not be clean when he shall touch her.

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

30Men do not have a low opinion of a thief who takes food when he is in need of it:

30The fault is not so great when a man hath stolen: for he stealeth to fill his hungry soul:

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

31But if he is taken in the act he will have to give back seven times as much, giving up all his property which is in his house.

31And if he be taken, he shall restore sevenfold, and shall give up all the substance of his house.

32Whoso committeth adultery with a woman is void of understanding: he that doeth it destroyeth his own soul.

32He who takes another man's wife is without all sense: he who does it is the cause of destruction to his soul.

32But he that is an adulterer, for the folly of his heart shall destroy his own soul:

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

33Wounds will be his and loss of honour, and his shame may not be washed away.

33He gathereth to himself shame and dishonour, and his reproach shall not be blotted out:

34For jealousy is the rage of a man, and he will not spare in the day of vengeance;

34For bitter is the wrath of an angry husband; in the day of punishment he will have no mercy.

34Because the jealousy and rage of the husband will not spare in the day of revenge,

35he will not regard any ransom, neither will he rest content though thou multipliest [thy] gifts.

35He will not take any payment; and he will not make peace with you though your money offerings are increased.

35Nor will he yield to any man's prayers, nor will he accept for satisfaction ever so many gifts.