6:1 [My] son, if thou become surety for thy
friend, thou shalt deliver thine hand to an enemy.
6:2 For a man's own lips become a strong snare to him, and he is caught with
the lips of his own mouth.
6:3 [My] son, do what I command thee, and deliver thyself; for on thy
friend's account thou art come into the power of evil [men]: faint not, but
stir up even thy friend for whom thou art become surety.
6:4 Give not sleep to thine eyes, nor slumber with thine eyelids;
6:5 that thou mayest deliver thyself as a doe out of the toils, and as a
bird out of a snare.
6:6 Go to the ant, O sluggard; and see, and emulate his ways, and become
wiser than he.
6:7 For whereas he has no husbandry, nor any one to compel him, and is under
no master,
6:8 he prepares food for himself in the summer, and lays by abundant store
in harvest. Or go to the bee, and learn how diligent she is, and how
earnestly she is engaged in her work; whose labours kings and private men
use for health, and she is desired and respected by all: though weak in
body, she is advanced by honouring wisdom.
6:9 How long wilt thou lie, O sluggard? and when wilt thou awake out of
sleep?
6:10 Thou sleepest a little, and thou restest a little, and thou slumberest
a short [time], and thou foldest thine arms over thy breast a little.
6:11 Then poverty comes upon thee as an evil traveller, and want as a swift
courier: but if thou be diligent, thine harvest shall arrive as a fountain,
and poverty shall flee away as a bad courier.
6:12 A foolish man and a transgressor goes in ways that are not good.
6:13 And the same winks with the eye, and makes a sign with his foot, and
teaches with the beckonings of his fingers.
6:14 [His] perverse heart devises evils: at all times such a one causes
troubles to a city.
6:15 Therefore his destruction shall come suddenly; overthrow and
irretrievable ruin.
6:16 For he rejoices in all things which God hates, and he is ruined by
reason of impurity of soul.
6:17 The eye of the haughty, a tongue unjust, hands shedding the blood of
the just;
6:18 and a heart devising evil thoughts, and feet hastening to do evil,--
[are hateful to God].
6:19 An unjust witness kindles falsehoods, and brings on quarrels between
brethren.
6:20 [My] son, keep the laws of thy father, and reject not the ordinances of
thy mother:
6:21 but bind them upon thy soul continually, and hang them as a chain about
thy neck.
6:22 Whensoever thou walkest, lead this along and let it be with thee; that
it may talk with thee when thou wakest.
6:23 For the commandment of the law is a lamp and a light; a way of life;
reproof also and correction:
6:24 to keep thee continually from a married woman, and from the calumny of
a strange tongue.
6:25 Let not the desire of beauty overcome thee, neither be thou caught by
thine eyes, neither be captivated with her eyelids.
6:26 For the value of a harlot is as much as of one loaf; and a woman hunts
for the precious souls of men.
6:27 Shall any one bind fire in his bosom, and not burn his garments?
6:28 or will any one walk on coals of fire, and not burn his feet?
6:29 So is he that goes in to a married woman; he shall not be held
guiltless, neither any one that touches her.
6:30 It is not to be wondered at if one should be taken stealing, for he
steals that when hungry he may satisfy his soul:
6:31 but if he should be taken, he shall repay sevenfold, and shall deliver
himself by giving all his goods.
6:32 But the adulterer through want of sense procures destruction to his
soul.
6:33 He endures both pain and disgrace, and his reproach shall never be
wiped off.
6:34 For the soul of her husband is full of jealousy: he will not spare in
the day of vengeance.
6:35 He will not forego [his] enmity for any ransom: neither will he be
reconciled for many gifts. |
6:1 My son, if thou be surety for thy
friend, if thou hast stricken thy hand with a stranger,
6:2 Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken with the
words of thy mouth.
6:3 Do this now, my son, and deliver thyself, when thou art come into the
hand of thy friend; go, humble thyself, and make sure thy friend.
6:4 Give not sleep to thine eyes, nor slumber to thine eyelids.
6:5 Deliver thyself as a roe from the hand of the hunter, and as a bird from
the hand of the fowler.
6:6 Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise:
6:7 Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler,
6:8 Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest.
6:9 How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy
sleep?
6:10 Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to
sleep:
6:11 So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an
armed man.
6:12 A naughty person, a wicked man, walketh with a froward mouth.
6:13 He winketh with his eyes, he speaketh with his feet, he teacheth with
his fingers;
6:14 Frowardness is in his heart, he deviseth mischief continually; he
soweth discord.
6:15 Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly; suddenly shall he be broken
without remedy.
6:16 These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto
him:
6:17 A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,
6:18 An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in
running to mischief,
6:19 A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among
brethren.
6:20 My son, keep thy father's commandment, and forsake not the law of thy
mother:
6:21 Bind them continually upon thine heart, and tie them about thy neck.
6:22 When thou goest, it shall lead thee; when thou sleepest, it shall keep
thee; and when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee.
6:23 For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of
instruction are the way of life:
6:24 To keep thee from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a
strange woman.
6:25 Lust not after her beauty in thine heart; neither let her take thee
with her eyelids.
6:26 For by means of a whorish woman a man is brought to a piece of bread:
and the adultress will hunt for the precious life.
6:27 Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned?
6:28 Can one go upon hot coals, and his feet not be burned?
6:29 So he that goeth in to his neighbour's wife; whosoever toucheth her
shall not be innocent.
6:30 Men do not despise a thief, if he steal to satisfy his soul when he is
hungry;
6:31 But if he be found, he shall restore sevenfold; he shall give all the
substance of his house.
6:32 But whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding: he
that doeth it destroyeth his own soul.
6:33 A wound and dishonour shall he get; and his reproach shall not be wiped
away.
6:34 For jealousy is the rage of a man: therefore he will not spare in the
day of vengeance.
6:35 He will not regard any ransom; neither will he rest content, though
thou givest many gifts. |