The Proverbs

⭑ Unlocked Literal Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 6 -

Warning against suretyship

My son, if you set aside your money as a guarantee for your neighbor’s loan, if you gave your promise for a loan of someone you do not know,

then you have laid a trap for yourself by your promise and you have been caught by the words of your mouth.

When you are caught by your words, my son, do this and save yourself, since you have fallen into the hand of your neighbor; go and humble yourself and make your case before your neighbor.

Give your eyes no sleep and your eyelids no slumber.

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

Warning against laziness

Look at the ant, you lazy person, consider her ways, and be wise.

It has no commander, officer, or ruler,

yet it prepares its food in the summer and during the harvest it stores up what it will eat.

How long will you sleep, you lazy person? When will you rise from your sleep?

“A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest”-

and your poverty will come like a robber and your needs like an armed soldier.

Warning against falsehood

A worthless person-a wicked man-lives by the crookedness of his speech,

winking his eyes, making signals with his feet and pointing with his fingers.

He plots evil with deceit in his heart; he always stirs up discord.

Therefore, his disaster will overtake him in an instant; in a moment he will be broken beyond healing.

Prevention of seven sins

There are six things that Yahweh hates, seven that are disgusting to him.

The eyes of a proud person, a tongue that lies, hands that shed the blood of innocent people,

a heart that invents wicked schemes, feet that quickly run to do evil,

a witness who breathes out lies and one who sows discord among brothers.

Prevention against adultery

My son, obey the command of your father and do not forsake the teaching of your mother.

Always bind them on your heart; tie them about your neck.

When you walk, they will guide you; when you sleep, they will watch over you; and when you wake up, they will teach you.

For the commands are a lamp, and the teaching is a light; the corrections that come by instruction are the way of life.

It keeps you from the immoral woman, from the smooth words of an immoral woman.

Do not lust in your heart after her beauty and do not let her capture you with her eyelashes.

Sleeping with a prostitute can cost the price of a loaf of bread, but the wife of another may cost you your very life.

Can a man carry a fire against his chest without burning his clothes?

Can a man walk on hot coals without scorching his feet?

So is the man who sleeps with his neighbor’s wife; the one who sleeps with her will not go unpunished.

People do not despise a thief if he steals to satisfy his need when he is hungry.

Yet if he is caught, he will pay back seven times what he stole; he must give up everything of value in his house.

The one who commits adultery has no sense; the one who does it destroys himself.

Wounds and shame are what he deserves and his disgrace will not be wiped away.

For jealousy makes a man furious; he will show no mercy when he takes his revenge.

He will accept no compensation and he cannot be bought off, though you offer him 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.