Chapter 6
Miscellaneous Proverbs*
1My son, if you have become surety to your neighbor, c 1f: Prv 11, 15; 22, 26; Sir 8, 13; 29, 19 . given your hand in pledge* to another, 2You have been snared by the utterance of your lips, caught by the words of your mouth; 3So do this, my son, to free yourself, since you have fallen into your neighbor's power: Go, hurry, stir up your neighbor! 4Give no sleep to your eyes, nor slumber to your eyelids; 5Free yourself as a gazelle from the snare, or as a bird from the hand of the fowler.
6Go to the ant, d Prv 30, 25 . O sluggard, study her ways and learn wisdom; 7For though she has no chief, no commander or ruler, 8She procures her food in the summer, stores up her provisions in the harvest. 9How long, O sluggard, will you rest? when will you rise from your sleep? 10A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the arms to rest—* 11Then will poverty come upon you like a highwayman, and want like an armed man.
12A scoundrel, a villain, is he who deals in crooked talk. 13He winks his eyes, shuffles his feet, makes signs with his fingers; 14He has perversity in his heart, is always plotting evil, sows discord. 15Therefore suddenly ruin comes upon him; in an instant he is crushed beyond cure. 16There are six things the LORD hates, yes, seven are an abomination to him;* 17Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood; 18A heart that plots wicked schemes, feet that run swiftly to evil, 19The false witness who utters lies, and he who sows discord among brothers.
Warning against Adultery*
20Observe, my son, your father's bidding, and reject not your mother's teaching; 21Keep them fastened over your heart always, put them around your neck; 23For the bidding is a lamp, and the teaching a light, and a way to life are the reproofs of discipline; 24To keep you from your neighbor's wife, from the smooth tongue of the adulteress. e Prv 2, 16; 7, 5 .
25Lust not in your heart after her beauty, let her not captivate you with her glance! f Ex 20, 17; Dt 5, 21; Sir 9, 8; 25, 20; Mt 5, 28 . 26For the price of a loose woman may be scarcely a loaf of bread, But if she is married, she is a trap for your precious life.* 27Can a man take fire to his bosom, and his garments not be burned? 28Or can a man walk on live coals, and his feet not be scorched? 29So with him who goes in to his neighbor's wife— none who touches her shall go unpunished. g Sir 9, 9 .
30Men despise not the thief if he steals to satisfy his appetite when he is hungry; 31Yet if he be caught he must pay back sevenfold; all the wealth of his house he may yield up. 32But he who commits adultery is a fool; he who would destroy himself does it. 33A degrading beating will he get, and his disgrace will not be wiped away; 34For vindictive is the husband's wrath, he will have no pity on the day of vengeance; 35He will not consider any restitution, nor be satisfied with the greatest gifts.