Proverbs 6

¹My sonne, if thou be surety for thy neighbour, and hast striken hands with the stranger,

²Thou art snared with the wordes of thy mouth: thou art euen taken with the woordes of thine owne mouth.

³Doe this nowe, my sonne, and deliuer thy selfe: seeing thou art come into the hande of thy neighbour, goe, and humble thy selfe, and sollicite thy friends.

⁴Giue no sleepe to thine eyes, nor slumber to thine eyelids.

⁵Deliuer thy selfe as a doe from the hande of the hunter, and as a birde from the hande of the fouler.

⁶Goe to the pismire, O sluggarde: beholde her waies, and be wise.

⁷For shee hauing no guide, gouernour, nor ruler,

⁸Prepareth her meat in the sommer, and gathereth her foode in haruest.

⁹Howe long wilt thou sleepe, O sluggarde? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleepe?

¹⁰Yet a litle sleepe, a litle slumber, a litle folding of the hands to sleepe.

¹¹Therefore thy pouertie commeth as one that trauaileth by the way, and thy necessitie like an armed man.

¹²The vnthriftie man and the wicked man walketh with a froward mouth.

¹³He maketh a signe with his eyes: he signifieth with his feete: he instructeth with his fingers.

¹⁴Lewde things are in his heart: he imagineth euill at all times, and raiseth vp contentions.

¹⁵Therefore shall his destruction come speedily: hee shall be destroyed suddenly without recouerie.

¹⁶These sixe things doeth the Lord hate: yea, his soule abhorreth seuen:

¹⁷The hautie eyes, a lying tongue, and the hands that shed innocent blood,

¹⁸An heart that imagineth wicked enterprises, feete that be swift in running to mischiefe,

¹⁹A false witnesse that speaketh lyes, and him that rayseth vp contentions among brethren.

²⁰My sonne, keepe thy fathers commandement, and forsake not thy mothers instruction.

²¹Binde them alway vpon thine heart, and tye them about thy necke.

²²It shall leade thee, when thou walkest: it shall watch for thee, when thou sleepest, and when thou wakest, it shall talke with thee.

²³For the commandement is a lanterne, and instruction a light: and corrections for instruction are the way of life,

²⁴To keepe thee from the wicked woman, and from ye flatterie of ye tongue of a strange woman.

²⁵Desire not her beautie in thine heart, neither let her take thee with her eye lids.

²⁶For because of the whorish woman a man is brought to a morsell of bread, and a woman wil hunt for the precious life of a man.

²⁷Can a man take fire in his bosome, and his clothes not be burnt?

²⁸Or can a man go vpon coales, and his feete not be burnt?

²⁹So he that goeth in to his neighbours wife, shall not be innocent, whosoeuer toucheth her.

³⁰Men do not despise a thiefe, when he stealeth, to satisfie his soule, because he is hungrie.

³¹But if he be founde, he shall restore seuen folde, or he shall giue all the substance of his house.

³²But he that committeth adulterie with a woman, he is destitute of vnderstanding: he that doeth it, destroyeth his owne soule.

³³He shall finde a wounde and dishonour, and his reproch shall neuer be put away.

³⁴For ielousie is the rage of a man: therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance.

³⁵He cannot beare the sight of any raunsome: neither will he consent, though thou augment the giftes.

Proverbs 6

¹My son, if thou be surety for thy friend, if thou hast stricken thy hand with a stranger,

²Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken with the words of thy mouth.

³Do 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.

⁴Give not sleep to thine eyes, nor slumber to thine eyelids.

⁵Deliver thyself as a roe from the hand of the hunter, and as a bird from the hand of the fowler.

⁶Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise:

⁷Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler,

⁸Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest.

⁹How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep?

¹⁰Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:

¹¹So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man.

¹²A naughty person, a wicked man, walketh with a froward mouth.

¹³He winketh with his eyes, he speaketh with his feet, he teacheth with his fingers;

¹⁴Frowardness is in his heart, he deviseth mischief continually; he soweth discord.

¹⁵Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly; suddenly shall he be broken without remedy.

¹⁶These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:

¹⁷A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,

¹⁸An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,

¹⁹A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.

²⁰My son, keep thy father’s commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother:

²¹Bind them continually upon thine heart, and tie them about thy neck.

²²When thou goest, it shall lead thee; when thou sleepest, it shall keep thee; and when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee.

²³For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:

²⁴To keep thee from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman.

²⁵Lust not after her beauty in thine heart; neither let her take thee with her eyelids.

²⁶For by means of a whorish woman a man is brought to a piece of bread: and the adulteress will hunt for the precious life.

²⁷Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned?

²⁸Can one go upon hot coals, and his feet not be burned?

²⁹So he that goeth in to his neighbour’s wife; whosoever toucheth her shall not be innocent.

³⁰Men do not despise a thief, if he steal to satisfy his soul when he is hungry;

³¹But if he be found, he shall restore sevenfold; he shall give all the substance of his house.

³²But whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding: he that doeth it destroyeth his own soul.

³³A wound and dishonour shall he get; and his reproach shall not be wiped away.

³⁴For jealousy is the rage of a man: therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance.

³⁵He will not regard any ransom; neither will he rest content, though thou givest many gifts.