Proverbs 6 – read and compare multiple versions
Proverbs 6
[1] My son, if you have become collateral for your neighbor,
if you have struck your hands in pledge for a stranger,
[2] you are trapped by the words of your mouth;
you are ensnared with the words of your mouth.
[3] 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.
[4] Give no sleep to your eyes,
nor slumber to your eyelids.
[5] Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter,
like a bird from the snare of the fowler. [6] Go to the ant, you sluggard.
Consider her ways, and be wise;
[7] which having no chief, overseer, or ruler,
[8] provides her bread in the summer,
and gathers her food in the harvest.
[9] How long will you sleep, sluggard?
When will you arise out of your sleep?
[10] A little sleep, a little slumber,
a little folding of the hands to sleep—
[11] so your poverty will come as a robber,
and your scarcity as an armed man. [12] A worthless person, a man of iniquity,
is he who walks with a perverse mouth,
[13] who winks with his eyes, who signals with his feet,
who motions with his fingers,
[14] in whose heart is perverseness,
who devises evil continually,
who always sows discord.
[15] Therefore his calamity will come suddenly.
He will be broken suddenly, and that without remedy. [16] There are six things which Yahweh hates;
yes, seven which are an abomination to him:
[17] arrogant eyes, a lying tongue,
hands that shed innocent blood,
[18] a heart that devises wicked schemes,
feet that are swift in running to mischief,
[19] a false witness who utters lies,
and he who sows discord among brothers. [20] My son, keep your father’s commandment,
and don’t forsake your mother’s teaching.
[21] Bind them continually on your heart.
Tie them around your neck.
[22] When you walk, it will lead you.
When you sleep, it will watch over you.
When you awake, it will talk with you.
[23] For the commandment is a lamp,
and the law is light.
Reproofs of instruction are the way of life,
[24] to keep you from the immoral woman,
from the flattery of the wayward wife’s tongue.
[25] Don’t lust after her beauty in your heart,
neither let her captivate you with her eyelids.
[26] For a prostitute reduces you to a piece of bread.
The adulteress hunts for your precious life.
[27] Can a man scoop fire into his lap,
and his clothes not be burned?
[28] Or can one walk on hot coals,
and his feet not be scorched?
[29] So is he who goes in to his neighbor’s wife.
Whoever touches her will not be unpunished.
[30] Men don’t despise a thief
if he steals to satisfy himself when he is hungry,
[31] but if he is found, he shall restore seven times.
He shall give all the wealth of his house.
[32] He who commits adultery with a woman is void of understanding.
He who does it destroys his own soul.
[33] He will get wounds and dishonor.
His reproach will not be wiped away.
[34] For jealousy arouses the fury of the husband.
He won’t spare in the day of vengeance.
[35] He won’t regard any ransom,
neither will he rest content, though you give many gifts.
if you have struck your hands in pledge for a stranger,
[2] you are trapped by the words of your mouth;
you are ensnared with the words of your mouth.
[3] 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.
[4] Give no sleep to your eyes,
nor slumber to your eyelids.
[5] Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter,
like a bird from the snare of the fowler. [6] Go to the ant, you sluggard.
Consider her ways, and be wise;
[7] which having no chief, overseer, or ruler,
[8] provides her bread in the summer,
and gathers her food in the harvest.
[9] How long will you sleep, sluggard?
When will you arise out of your sleep?
[10] A little sleep, a little slumber,
a little folding of the hands to sleep—
[11] so your poverty will come as a robber,
and your scarcity as an armed man. [12] A worthless person, a man of iniquity,
is he who walks with a perverse mouth,
[13] who winks with his eyes, who signals with his feet,
who motions with his fingers,
[14] in whose heart is perverseness,
who devises evil continually,
who always sows discord.
[15] Therefore his calamity will come suddenly.
He will be broken suddenly, and that without remedy. [16] There are six things which Yahweh hates;
yes, seven which are an abomination to him:
[17] arrogant eyes, a lying tongue,
hands that shed innocent blood,
[18] a heart that devises wicked schemes,
feet that are swift in running to mischief,
[19] a false witness who utters lies,
and he who sows discord among brothers. [20] My son, keep your father’s commandment,
and don’t forsake your mother’s teaching.
[21] Bind them continually on your heart.
Tie them around your neck.
[22] When you walk, it will lead you.
When you sleep, it will watch over you.
When you awake, it will talk with you.
[23] For the commandment is a lamp,
and the law is light.
Reproofs of instruction are the way of life,
[24] to keep you from the immoral woman,
from the flattery of the wayward wife’s tongue.
[25] Don’t lust after her beauty in your heart,
neither let her captivate you with her eyelids.
[26] For a prostitute reduces you to a piece of bread.
The adulteress hunts for your precious life.
[27] Can a man scoop fire into his lap,
and his clothes not be burned?
[28] Or can one walk on hot coals,
and his feet not be scorched?
[29] So is he who goes in to his neighbor’s wife.
Whoever touches her will not be unpunished.
[30] Men don’t despise a thief
if he steals to satisfy himself when he is hungry,
[31] but if he is found, he shall restore seven times.
He shall give all the wealth of his house.
[32] He who commits adultery with a woman is void of understanding.
He who does it destroys his own soul.
[33] He will get wounds and dishonor.
His reproach will not be wiped away.
[34] For jealousy arouses the fury of the husband.
He won’t spare in the day of vengeance.
[35] He won’t regard any ransom,
neither will he rest content, though you give many gifts.