The Proverbs

⭑ Geneva Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 6 -

Warning against suretyship

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

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

Doe 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.

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

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

Warning against laziness

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

For shee hauing no guide, gouernour, nor ruler,

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

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

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

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

Warning against falsehood

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

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

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

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

Prevention of seven sins

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

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

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

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

Prevention against adultery

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

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

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

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

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

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

For 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Warning against suretyship

My son, if you have become collateral for your neighbor, if you have struck your hands in pledge for a stranger,

you are trapped by the words of your mouth; you are ensnared with the words of your mouth.

Do this now, my son, and deliver yourself, since you have come into the hand of your neighbor. Go, humble yourself. Press your plea with your neighbor.

Give no sleep to your eyes, nor slumber to your eyelids.

Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the snare of the fowler.

Warning against laziness

Go to the ant, you sluggard. Consider her ways, and be wise;

which having no chief, overseer, or ruler,

provides her bread in the summer, and gathers her food in the harvest.

How long will you sleep, sluggard? When will you arise out of your sleep?

A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep—

so your poverty will come as a robber, and your scarcity as an armed man.

Warning against falsehood

A worthless person, a man of iniquity, is he who walks with a perverse mouth,

who winks with his eyes, who signals with his feet, who motions with his fingers,

in whose heart is perverseness, who devises evil continually, who always sows discord.

Therefore his calamity will come suddenly. He will be broken suddenly, and that without remedy.

Prevention of seven sins

There are six things which the LORD hates; yes, seven which are an abomination to him:

arrogant eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood,

a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are swift in running to mischief,

a false witness who utters lies, and he who sows discord among brothers.

Prevention against adultery

My son, keep your father’s commandment, and don’t forsake your mother’s teaching.

Bind them continually on your heart. Tie them around your neck.

When you walk, it will lead you. When you sleep, it will watch over you. When you awake, it will talk with you.

For the commandment is a lamp, and the law is light. Reproofs of instruction are the way of life,

to keep you from the immoral woman, from the flattery of the wayward wife’s tongue.

Don’t lust after her beauty in your heart, neither let her captivate you with her eyelids.

For a prostitute reduces you to a piece of bread. The adulteress hunts for your precious life.

Can a man scoop fire into his lap, and his clothes not be burned?

Or can one walk on hot coals, and his feet not be scorched?

So is he who goes in to his neighbor’s wife. Whoever touches her will not be unpunished.

Men don’t despise a thief if he steals to satisfy himself when he is hungry,

but if he is found, he shall restore seven times. He shall give all the wealth of his house.

He who commits adultery with a woman is void of understanding. He who does it destroys his own soul.

He will get wounds and dishonor. His reproach will not be wiped away.

For jealousy arouses the fury of the husband. He won’t spare in the day of vengeance.

He won’t regard any ransom, neither will he rest content, though you give many gifts.