Proverbs 6

¹ My son, if you have become ^(A)surety for your neighbor,Have ^(a)given a pledge for a stranger,

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

¹ My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor^(a)or entered into an agreement with^(b) a stranger,^(c)(A)

¹ My son, if you guarantee a loan for your neighbor, if you have agreed to a deal with a stranger,

¹ My son, if you have become surety (guaranteed a debt or obligation) for your neighbor,If you have given your pledge for [the debt of] a stranger or another [outside your family],

³ Do this then, my son, and deliver yourself;Since you have come into the ^(b)hand of your neighbor,Go, humble yourself, and importune your neighbor.

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.

³ Do this, then, my son, and free yourself,for you have put yourself in your neighbor’s power:Go, humble yourself, and plead with your neighbor.

³ then do this, my son, and deliver yourself, because you have come under your neighbor's control. Go, humble yourself! Plead passionately with your neighbor!

³ Do this now, my son, and release yourself [from the obligation];^(a)Since you have come into the hand of your neighbor,Go humble yourself, and plead with your neighbor [to pay his debt and release you].

⁵ Deliver yourself like a gazelle from the hunter’s handAnd like a ^(C)bird from the hand of the fowler.

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

⁵ Escape like a gazelle from a hunter,^(e)like a bird from a fowler’s trap.^(f)(C)

⁵ Deliver yourself like a gazelle from a hunter's hand, or like a bird from a fowler's hand.

⁵ Tear yourself away like a gazelle from the hand of the hunterAnd like a bird from the hand of the fowler.

⁷ Which, having ^(F)no chief,Officer or ruler,

⁷ Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler,

⁷ Without leader, administrator, or ruler,

⁷ It has no commander, officer, or ruler,

⁷ Which, having no chief,Overseer or ruler,

⁹ How long will you lie down, O sluggard?When will you arise from your sleep?

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

⁹ How long will you stay in bed, you slacker?When will you get up from your sleep?

⁹ How long will you lie down, lazy man? When will you get up from your sleep?

⁹ How long will you lie down, O lazy one?When will you arise from your sleep [and learn self-discipline]?^(B)

^{11 (I)}Your poverty will come in like a ^(d)vagabondAnd your need like ^(e)an armed man.

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

¹¹ and your poverty will come like a robber,your need, like a bandit.^(H)

¹¹ and your poverty will come on you like a bandit and your desperation like an armed man.

¹¹ So your poverty will come like an approaching prowler who walks [slowly, but surely]And your need [will come] like an armed man [making you helpless].^(C)

¹³ Who ^(L)winks with his eyes, who ^(f)signals with his feet,Who ^(g)points with his fingers;

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

¹³ winking^(K) his eyes, signaling with his feet,and gesturing with his fingers.

¹³ winking with his eyes, making signs with his feet, pointing with his fingers,

¹³ Who winks with his eyes [in mockery], who shuffles his feet [to signal],Who points with his fingers [to give subversive instruction];

¹⁵ Therefore ^(P)his calamity will come suddenly;^(Q)Instantly he will be broken and there will be ^(R)no healing.

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

¹⁵ Therefore calamity will strike him suddenly;he will be shattered instantly—beyond recovery.^(N)

¹⁵ Therefore, disaster will overtake him suddenly. He will be broken in an instant, and he will never recover.

¹⁵ Therefore [the crushing weight of] his disaster will come suddenly upon him;Instantly he will be broken, and there will be no healing or remedy [because he has no heart for God].

^{17 (S)}Haughty eyes, a ^(T)lying tongue,And hands that ^(U)shed innocent blood,

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

¹⁷ arrogant eyes,^(O) a lying tongue,^(P)hands that shed innocent blood,^(Q)

¹⁷ Arrogant eyes, a lying tongue, and hands shedding innocent blood;

¹⁷ A proud look [the attitude that makes one overestimate oneself and discount others], a lying tongue,And hands that shed innocent blood,^(D)

¹⁹ A ^(X)false witness who utters lies,And one who ^(j)(Y)spreads strife among brothers.

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

¹⁹ a lying witness who gives false testimony,^(T)and one who stirs up trouble among brothers.^(U)

¹⁹ a false witness snorting lies, and someone sowing quarrels between brothers.

¹⁹ A false witness who breathes out lies [even half-truths],And one who spreads discord (rumors) among brothers.

^{21 (AA)}Bind them continually on your heart;Tie them around your neck.

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

²¹ Always bind them to your heart;tie them around your neck.^(W)

²¹ by binding them to your heart continuously, fastening them around your neck.

²¹ Bind them continually upon your heart (in your thoughts),And tie them around your neck.^(F)

²³ For ^(AC)the commandment is a lamp and the ^(o)teaching is light;And reproofs for discipline are the way of life

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

²³ For a command is a lamp, teaching is a light,^(X)and corrective discipline is the way to life.^(Y)

²³ Because the command is a lamp and the Law a light, rebukes that discipline are a way of life

²³ For the commandment is a lamp, and the teaching [of the law] is light,And reproofs (rebukes) for discipline are the way of life,^(G)

^{25 (AE)}Do not desire her beauty in your heart,Nor let her capture you with her ^(AF)eyelids.

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

²⁵ Don’t lust in your heart for her beauty^(AA)or let her captivate you with her eyelashes.^(AB)

²⁵ Do not focus on her beauty in your mind, nor allow her to take you prisoner with her flirting eyes,

²⁵ Do not desire (lust after) her beauty in your heart,Nor let her capture you with her eyelashes.

²⁷ Can a man ^(r)take fire in his bosomAnd his clothes not be burned?

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

²⁷ Can a man embrace fire^(k)and his clothes not be burned?

²⁷ Can a man scoop fire into his bosom without burning his clothes?

²⁷ Can a man take fire to his chestAnd his clothes not be burned?

²⁹ So is the one who ^(AI)goes in to his neighbor’s wife;Whoever touches her ^(AJ)will not ^(s)go unpunished.

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

²⁹ So it is with the one who sleeps withanother man’s wife;no one who touches her will go unpunished.^(AD)

²⁹ So also is it with someone who has sex with his neighbor's wife; anyone touching her will not remain unpunished.

²⁹ So is the one who goes in to his neighbor’s wife;Whoever touches her will not be found innocent or go unpunished.

³¹ But when he is found, he must ^(AL)repay sevenfold;He must give all the ^(v)substance of his house.

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

³¹ Still, if caught, he must pay seven times as much;^(AF)he must give up all the wealth in his house.

³¹ but when he is discovered, he must restore seven-fold, forfeiting the entire value of his house.

³¹ But when he is found, he must repay seven times [what he stole];He must give all the property of his house [if necessary to meet his fine].

³³ Wounds and disgrace he will find,And his reproach will not be blotted out.

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

³³ He will get a beating^(m) and dishonor,and his disgrace will never be removed.

³³ He will receive a beating and dishonor, and his shame won't disappear,

³³ Wounds and disgrace he will find,And his reproach (blame) will not be blotted out.

³⁵ He will not ^(z)accept any ransom,Nor will he be ^(aa)satisfied though you give many ^(ab)gifts.

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

³⁵ He will not be appeased by anythingor be persuaded by lavish gifts. >

³⁵ He will not consider any payment, nor will he be willing to accept it, no matter how large the bribe.

³⁵ He will not accept any ransom [offered to buy him off from demanding full punishment];Nor will he be satisfied though you offer him many gifts (bribes).