Proverbs 6

1My son, if you have made yourself responsible for your neighbour, or given your word for another,● 2You are taken as in a net by the words of your mouth, the sayings of your lips have overcome you.● 3Do this, my son, and make yourself free, because you have come into the power of your neighbour; go without waiting, and make a strong request to your neighbour.● 4Give no sleep to your eyes, or rest to them;● 5Make yourself free, like the roe from the hand of the archer, and the bird from him who puts a net for her.● 6Go to the ant, you hater of work; give thought to her ways and be wise:● 7Having no chief, overseer, or ruler,● 8She gets her meat in the summer, storing up food at the time of the grain-cutting.● 9How long will you be sleeping, O hater of work? when will you get up from your sleep?● 10A little sleep, a little rest, a little folding of the hands in sleep:● 11Then loss will come on you like an outlaw, and your need like an armed man● 12A good-for-nothing man is an evil-doer; he goes on his way causing trouble with false words;● 13Making signs with his eyes, rubbing with his feet, and giving news with his fingers;● 14His mind is ever designing evil: he lets loose violent acts.● 15For this cause his downfall will be sudden; quickly he will be broken, and there will be no help for him.● 16Six things are hated by the Lord; seven things are disgusting to him:● 17Eyes of pride, a false tongue, hands which take life without cause;● 18A heart full of evil designs, feet which are quick in running after sin;● 19A false witness, breathing out untrue words, and one who lets loose violent acts among brothers.● 20My son, keep the rule of your father, and have in memory the teaching of your mother:● 21Keep them ever folded in your heart, and have them hanging round your neck.● 22In your walking, it will be your guide; when you are sleeping, it will keep watch over you; when you are awake, it will have talk with you.● 23For the rule is a light, and the teaching a shining light; and the guiding words of training are the way of life.● 24They will keep you from the evil woman, from the smooth tongue of the strange woman.● 25Let not your heart's desire go after her fair body; let not her eyes take you prisoner.● 26For a loose woman is looking for a cake of bread, but another man's wife goes after one's very life.● 27May a man take fire to his breast without burning his clothing?● 28Or may one go on lighted coals, and his feet not be burned?● 29So it is with him who goes in to his neighbour's wife; he who has anything to do with her will not go free from punishment.● 30Men do not have a low opinion of a thief who takes food when he is in need of it:● 31But if he is taken in the act he will have to give back seven times as much, giving up all his property which is in his house.● 32He who takes another man's wife is without all sense: he who does it is the cause of destruction to his soul.● 33Wounds will be his and loss of honour, and his shame may not be washed away.● 34For bitter is the wrath of an angry husband; in the day of punishment he will have no mercy.● 35He will not take any payment; and he will not make peace with you though your money offerings are increased.●