Proverbs 6 (UDB)

1My son, if you provide a guarantee for a neighbor who takes out a loan, or if you give the promise that you will pay for a loan of a person 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,

2you laid a trap for yourself by making the promise, and you have been caught by agreeing to a contract for someone you did not know.if you have been trapped by the words of your lips, ensnared by the words of your mouth,

3Do this, my son, and deliver yourself from this difficulty: humbly go to your neighbor and beg him to cancel the agreement that you made.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, and do not rest until you go and talk with him.Allow no sleep to your eyes or slumber to your eyelids.

5Save yourself, like a deer that escapes from the hunter, or like a bird that flies away from the hand of one who hunts for birds.Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the snare of the fowler.

6You lazy person, learn something from watching the ants. Become wise and watch what they do.Walk in the manner of the ant, O slacker; observe its ways and become wise.

7The ant has no commander, officer, or ruler telling him what to do,Without a commander, without an overseer or ruler,

8but during the summer it works hard, gathering and storing food to eat during the winter.it prepares its provisions in summer; it gathers its food at harvest.

9But you lazy person, how long will you continue to sleep? When will you rise and go to work?How long will you lie there, O slacker? When will you get up from your sleep?

10You sleep a for a little time, and then you say, "A little more sleep, a little more resting in bed, a little more folding of the hands to take a nap."A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest,

11Suddenly poverty will take over your life like a thief who steals everything from you.and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and need like a bandit.

12A worthless person—a person who does bad to others—lives by the lies he speaks to others.A worthless person, a wicked man, walks with a perverse mouth,

13They tell tales by winking their eyes, they give signals by moving their feet, and they make plans by pointing with their fingers.winking his eyes, speaking with his feet, and pointing with his fingers.

14The one who does bad things lays out plans within himself; he stirs up constant conflict wherever he goes.With deceit in his heart he devises evil; he continually sows discord.

15His own disaster will overtake him in a second; he will be crushed to the point that he cannot be healed.Therefore calamity will come upon him suddenly; in an instant he will be shattered beyond recovery.

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

17Yahweh hates the eyes of the proud, the tongue that tells lies, the hands that shed the blood of the innocent,haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood,

18a heart that plots and makes plans to do evil things to others,a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that run swiftly to evil,

19the witness who breathes out lies when he gives testimony, and the one who causes strife between members of the same family.a false witness who gives false testimony, and one who stirs up discord among brothers.

20My son, obey the command of your father, and do not walk away from what your mother taught you.My son, keep your father’s commandment, and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.

21Keep these lessons and tie them close inside as a part of yourself; tie them around your neck, to remind you how important they are to you.Bind them always upon your heart; tie them around your neck.

22When you walk, those lessons will guide you. When you sleep, they will watch over you and protect you. When you wake up in the morning, they will teach you.When you walk, they will guide you; when you lie down, they will watch over you; when you awake, they will speak to you.

23These commands are like a lamp for you, and what we teach you is like a light to guide you. When people correct you, this is to continually teach you the right way to live.For this commandment is a lamp, this teaching is a light, and the reproofs of discipline are the way to life,

24These lessons keep you from the immoral woman; they tell you about her enticing words and warn you to be on guard.to keep you from the evil woman, from the smooth tongue of the adulteress.

25Do not throw your desires after such a woman, nor should you desire her beauty; do not let her capture you by the way she looks at you.Do not lust in your heart for her beauty or let her captivate you with her eyes.

26Sleeping with a prostitute may cost you only the price of a loaf of bread, but if you sleep with another man's wife, it may cost you your life.For the levy of the prostitute is poverty, and the adulteress preys upon your very life.

27Can you carry hot coals in your pockets and not be burned?Can a man embrace fire and his clothes not be burned?

28Can you walk on burning coals and not scorch your feet?Can a man walk on hot coals without scorching his feet?

29So is anyone who sleeps with another man's wife—he will suffer for doing that. It is certain he will be severely punished.So is he who sleeps with another man’s wife; no one who touches her will go unpunished.

30We do not despise a thief if he steals some food because he is very hungry.Men do not despise the thief if he steals to satisfy his hunger.

31But if he steals something and then is caught by others, he will have to pay back seven times as much as he stole, even if he must sell everything that is in his house to get enough money to repay what he stole.Yet if caught, he must pay sevenfold; he must give up all the wealth of his house.

32But a man who commits adultery has no good judgment because he is destroying his own self.He who commits adultery lacks judgment; whoever does so destroys himself.

33Wounds and shame will come to him; he will never forget how others disgraced him for his deed.Wounds and dishonor will befall him, and his reproach will never be wiped away.

34Because that woman's husband will be jealous, he will become furious, and when he gets revenge, he will not act mercifully toward that man.For jealousy enrages a husband, and he will show no mercy in the day of vengeance.

35He will not accept any bribe to stop him.He will not be appeased by any ransom, or persuaded by lavish gifts.

Proverbs 6

Warnings against Foolishness

Warnings against Adultery

You’ve read Proverbs 6

Go Deeper

Proverbs 6

Warnings against Foolishness

Warnings against Adultery

You’ve read Proverbs 6

Go Deeper