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Proverbs 6

Holman Christian Standard Bible, 2009 (HCSB)

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1 My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor [1] or entered into an agreement with [2] a stranger, [3] ⓐ
2 you have been trapped by the words of your lips [4] — ensnared by the words of your mouth.
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.
4 Don’t give sleep to your eyes or slumber to your eyelids. ⓑ
5 Escape like a gazelle from a hunter, [5] like a bird from a fowler’s trap. [6] ⓒ
6 Go to the ant, ⓓ you slacker! ⓔ Observe its ways and become wise.
7 Without leader, administrator, or ruler,
8 it prepares its provisions in summer; it gathers its food during harvest. ⓕ
9 How long will you stay in bed, you slacker? When will you get up from your sleep?
10 A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the arms to rest, ⓖ
11 and your poverty will come like a robber, your need, like a bandit. ⓗ
12 A worthless person, ⓘ a wicked man goes around speaking dishonestly, ⓙ
13 winking ⓚ his eyes, signaling with his feet, and gesturing with his fingers.
14 He always plots evil ⓛ with perversity in his heart — he stirs up trouble. ⓜ
15 Therefore calamity will strike him suddenly; he will be shattered instantly — beyond recovery. ⓝ
16 The LORD hates six things; in fact, seven are detestable to Him:
17 arrogant eyes, ⓞ a lying tongue, ⓟ hands that shed innocent blood, ⓠ
18 a heart that plots wicked schemes, ⓡ feet eager to run to evil, ⓢ
19 a lying witness who gives false testimony, ⓣ and one who stirs up trouble among brothers. ⓤ
20 My son, keep your father’s command, and don’t reject your mother’s teaching. ⓥ
21 Always bind them to your heart; tie them around your neck. ⓦ
22 When you walk here and there, they will guide you; when you lie down, they will watch over you; when you wake up, they will talk to you.
23 For a command is a lamp, teaching is a light, ⓧ and corrective discipline is the way to life. ⓨ
24 They will protect you from an evil woman, [7] from the flattering [8] tongue of a stranger. ⓩ
25 Don’t lust in your heart for her beauty ⓐ or let her captivate you with her eyelashes. ⓑ
26 For a prostitute’s fee is only a loaf of bread, [9] but an adulteress [10] goes after a precious life. ⓒ
27 Can a man embrace fire [11] and his clothes not be burned?
28 Can a man walk on burning coals without scorching his feet?
29 So it is with the one who sleeps with another man’s wife; no one who touches her will go unpunished. ⓓ
30 People don’t despise the thief if he steals to satisfy himself when he is hungry. ⓔ
31 Still, if caught, he must pay seven times as much; ⓕ he must give up all the wealth in his house.
32 The one who commits adultery [12] lacks sense; whoever does so destroys himself. ⓖ
33 He will get a beating [13] and dishonor, and his disgrace will never be removed.
34 For jealousy enrages a husband, ⓗ and he will show no mercy when he takes revenge.
35 He will not be appeased by anything or be persuaded by lavish gifts.