The Proverbs

⭑ Douay-Rheims :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 6 -

Warning against suretyship

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

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

Do 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:

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

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

Warning against laziness

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

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

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

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

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

And 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.

Warning against falsehood

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

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

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

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

Prevention of seven sins

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

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

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

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

Prevention against adultery

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

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

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

Because the commandment is a lamp, and the law a light, and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Warning against suretyship

My son, if you have become collateral for your neighbor, if you have struck your hands in pledge for a stranger,

you are trapped by the words of your mouth; you are ensnared with the words of your mouth.

Do this now, my son, and deliver yourself, since you have come into the hand of your neighbor. Go, humble yourself. Press your plea with your neighbor.

Give no sleep to your eyes, nor slumber to your eyelids.

Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the snare of the fowler.

Warning against laziness

Go to the ant, you sluggard. Consider her ways, and be wise;

which having no chief, overseer, or ruler,

provides her bread in the summer, and gathers her food in the harvest.

How long will you sleep, sluggard? When will you arise out of your sleep?

A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep—

so your poverty will come as a robber, and your scarcity as an armed man.

Warning against falsehood

A worthless person, a man of iniquity, is he who walks with a perverse mouth,

who winks with his eyes, who signals with his feet, who motions with his fingers,

in whose heart is perverseness, who devises evil continually, who always sows discord.

Therefore his calamity will come suddenly. He will be broken suddenly, and that without remedy.

Prevention of seven sins

There are six things which the LORD hates; yes, seven which are an abomination to him:

arrogant eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood,

a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are swift in running to mischief,

a false witness who utters lies, and he who sows discord among brothers.

Prevention against adultery

My son, keep your father’s commandment, and don’t forsake your mother’s teaching.

Bind them continually on your heart. Tie them around your neck.

When you walk, it will lead you. When you sleep, it will watch over you. When you awake, it will talk with you.

For the commandment is a lamp, and the law is light. Reproofs of instruction are the way of life,

to keep you from the immoral woman, from the flattery of the wayward wife’s tongue.

Don’t lust after her beauty in your heart, neither let her captivate you with her eyelids.

For a prostitute reduces you to a piece of bread. The adulteress hunts for your precious life.

Can a man scoop fire into his lap, and his clothes not be burned?

Or can one walk on hot coals, and his feet not be scorched?

So is he who goes in to his neighbor’s wife. Whoever touches her will not be unpunished.

Men don’t despise a thief if he steals to satisfy himself when he is hungry,

but if he is found, he shall restore seven times. He shall give all the wealth of his house.

He who commits adultery with a woman is void of understanding. He who does it destroys his own soul.

He will get wounds and dishonor. His reproach will not be wiped away.

For jealousy arouses the fury of the husband. He won’t spare in the day of vengeance.

He won’t regard any ransom, neither will he rest content, though you give many gifts.