Proverbs of Solomon 6 — The Holy Bible

A Careless Tongue

My son, if you assume the debt of your friend,

You will deliver your hand to an enemy;

For a man's own lips become a strong snare to him,

And he is conquered by the utterances of his own mouth.

My son, do what I command you, and you will save yourself;

For you came into the hands of evil things through your friend;

Do not be faint,

But provoke even your friend, for whom you assumed a debt;

Do not give sleep to your eyes

Nor slumber to your eyelids

That you may be saved, as a gazelle from the snares,

And as a bird from a trap.

Laziness: A Dead-End Road

Compare yourself with the ant, O sluggard,

And be zealous when you see his ways,

And become wiser than he.

For although he has no tilled land,

Neither anyone to compel him,

Nor any master to rule him,

Yet he prepares all his food in the summer

And makes his provisions abundant in the winter.

Or go to the honeybee,

And learn how she is a worker

And how solemnly she does her work,

Whose labors kings and common people use for health;

And she is desirable to all and glorious;

And although she is weak in bodily strength,

She leads the way in honoring wisdom.

How long, O sluggard, will you be idle,

And when will you arise from sleep?

You sleep a little; you sit down a little; you doze a short while;

And you fold your hands on your chest a little;

Then poverty comes to you as an evil traveler

And neediness as a swift runner.

But if you are diligent, your harvest shall come to you as a fountain,

And neediness as an evil runner shall desert you.

A Lawless Spirit

A man who is without discernment and is lawless does not walk in good ways.

But he winks with an eye; he makes a sign with his foot,

And teaches with the wave of his hand.

And with a perverse heart, he constantly schemes evil things;

Such a man causes trouble in a city.

Therefore his destruction comes suddenly,

A deep and incurable wound.

For he rejoices in everything the Lord hates,

And he shall be broken because of his soul's uncleanness:

A haughty eye, an unrighteous tongue,

Hands that shed righteous blood,

A heart that devises evil thoughts,

And feet that hasten to do evil;

As a false witness he kindles injustice

And causes quarrels between brethren.

My son, guard the laws of your father,

And do not depart from the rules of your mother.

But fasten them to your soul continually

And wear them as a collar upon your neck.

Playing with Fire

When you walk about, bring along this commandment

And let it be with you;

And as you sleep, let it guard you,

That when you arise, it may speak to you.

For a commandment of law is a lamp and a light,

And the way of life is reproof and instruction,

That you may keep yourself from a married woman

And from the slanderous tongue of a strange woman.

Do not let the desire of beauty conquer you;

Neither be caught by her eyes,

Nor captivated by her eyelids;

For the value of a prostitute is only one loaf,

And such a woman hunts for the precious souls of men.

Shall anyone bind fire to his bosom

And his garments not burn?

Or will anyone walk about on coals of fire

And not burn his feet?

Likewise is the one who goes in to a married woman;

He shall not be guiltless, nor any who touch her.

It is not surprising if anyone who steals is caught,

For he steals that he may fill his hungry soul;

But if he is caught, he will repay sevenfold,

And by giving all his goods, he shall deliver himself.

But the adulterer through his lack of discernment

Obtains the destruction of his soul;

He bears both pain and dishonor,

And his disgrace will not be wiped away forever.

For the anger of her husband is full of jealousy;

He will not spare in the day of judgment;

He will not take any ransom in exchange for his hatred,

Nor will he be reconciled by many gifts.