Proverbs 6 (ARST)

1My child, if you guarantee to pay a loan for someone you know,{ or if} you agree to pay a loan for someone you do not know,My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor, if you have struck hands in pledge with a stranger,

2{ or if} you have troubled yourself by promising to do something,{ and} you cannot fulfill what you promised,if you have been trapped by the words of your lips, ensnared by the words of your mouth,

3then, my child, do this in order to save yourself{ from what you have troubled yourself with}: humbly go to that person you know and beg him{ to cancel what you have promised} because he controls you.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.

4Do not sleep, do not even rest{ until you go and talk to him}.Allow no sleep to your eyes or slumber to your eyelids.

5Save yourself{ immediately}, as if you were a deer fleeing from a hunter or a bird fleeing from a trapper.Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the snare of the fowler.

6You lazy person, go watch ants! Consider what ants do so that you can be wise.Walk in the manner of the ant, O slacker; observe its ways and become wise.

7Absolutely no one tells ants what to do.Without a commander, without an overseer or ruler,

8{ Nevertheless,} at the right time they store their food{ to eat during the winter}. Indeed, when people harvest crops, the ants collect what they will{ later} eat.it prepares its provisions in summer; it gathers its food at harvest.

9{ But} you lazy person, stop sleeping! Wake up!How long will you lie there, O slacker? When will you get up from your sleep?

10{ You say to yourself,}“Let me sleep just a little more! Let me lay my hands{ across my chest} in order to rest comfortably for a little while longer!”A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest,

11{ Being so lazy} will result in you suddenly becoming poor and needy as if a thief has robbed you.and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and need like a bandit.

12Worthless people who act sinfully constantly deceive people by what they say.A worthless person, a wicked man, walks with a perverse mouth,

13They gesture with their bodies to deceive people.winking his eyes, speaking with his feet, and pointing with his fingers.

14They are always thinking perversely while planning how to do evil things. They cause people to argue{ with each other}.With deceit in his heart he devises evil; he continually sows discord.

15Because of this, disastrous things will suddenly happen to those people. Someone will destroy them instantly and they will not be able to recover.Therefore calamity will come upon him suddenly; in an instant he will be shattered beyond recovery.

16Yahweh absolutely hates six, no, seven things:There are six things that the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to Him:

17being proud, speaking falsely, someone who murders a person who has not done anything wrong,haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood,

18someone who plans ways to act sinfully, someone who is eager to act wickedly,a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that run swiftly to evil,

19someone who easily lies when testifying, and someone who causes members of the same family to argue.a false witness who gives false testimony, and one who stirs up discord among brothers.

20My child, be mindful to obey what I, your father, have commanded{ you}. Indeed, obey the rules that your mother has commanded.My son, keep your father’s commandment, and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.

21Remember what we have taught you as if it were always a part of you. Indeed,{ remember these lessons as if} you wore them like a necklace.Bind them always upon your heart; tie them around your neck.

22What we have taught you will cause you to know what you should do each day. It will cause you to be safe when you sleep. It will even be instructive for you when you wake up{ in the morning}.When you walk, they will guide you; when you lie down, they will watch over you; when you awake, they will speak to you.

23{ This is so} because what I have commanded{ you} is{ like} a lamp{ for you}. Indeed, the rules{ we taught you} are{ like} a light{ to guide you}. When we rebuke you while instructing you,{ we do that} so that you can do what will keep you alive.For this commandment is a lamp, this teaching is a light, and the reproofs of discipline are the way to life,

24{ We taught you these lessons} in order to prevent you from{ going to} wicked women,{ and to prevent you} from{ believing} what immoral women say seductively.to keep you from the evil woman, from the smooth tongue of the adulteress.

25Do not think lustfully about her beautiful body. Do not let her seduce you by the{ flirtatious} way she looks at you.Do not lust in your heart for her beauty or let her captivate you with her eyes.

26{ Do not do so} because, although having sex with a prostitute only costs you the price of a cheap meal, an{ adulterous} married woman will cause you to die.For the levy of the prostitute is poverty, and the adulteress preys upon your very life.

27Fire will surely burn people who put it on their chests!Can a man embrace fire and his clothes not be burned?

28Burning coals will surely burn the feet of people who step on them!Can a man walk on hot coals without scorching his feet?

29It is similar with anyone who acts adulterously with a married woman. People will certainly punish anyone who does that.So is he who sleeps with another man’s wife; no one who touches her will go unpunished.

30Nobody hates people who steal if they steal{ food} in order to feed themselves when they are hungry.Men do not despise the thief if he steals to satisfy his hunger.

31Nevertheless, if people catch thieves, those thieves must pay back seven times{ as much as they stole to those whom they stole from}. They must give everything that they have{ in order to repay what they stole}.Yet if caught, he must pay sevenfold; he must give up all the wealth of his house.

32By contrast, a man who acts adulterously with a woman does not think wisely. What he does will kill him!He who commits adultery lacks judgment; whoever does so destroys himself.

33Someone will injure and disgrace him, and he will always be ashamed.Wounds and dishonor will befall him, and his reproach will never be wiped away.

34{ This is so} because the jealous husband will become furious. He will act mercilessly when he revenges himself{ on the man who acted adulterously with his wife}.For jealousy enrages a husband, and he will show no mercy in the day of vengeance.

35That jealous husband will not accept any money{ to stop being furious}, no matter how much money you offer him.He will not be appeased by any ransom, or persuaded by lavish gifts.

Proverbs 6

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Proverbs 6

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