Proverbs 6

Practical Warnings

1 My son, if you have put up e security for your neighbor,
have e given your pledge for a stranger,
2 if you are f snared in the words of your mouth,
caught in the words of your mouth,
3 then do this, my son, and save yourself,
for you have come into the hand of your neighbor:
go, hasten, 1 and g plead urgently with your neighbor.
4 h Give your eyes no sleep
and your eyelids no slumber;
5 save yourself like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, 2
i like a bird from the hand of the fowler.

6 j Go to k the ant, O l sluggard;
consider her ways, and m be wise.
7 n Without having any chief,
o officer, or ruler,
8 she prepares her bread p in summer
and q gathers her food in harvest.
9 r How long will you lie there, l O sluggard?
When will you arise from your sleep?
10 s A little sleep, a little slumber,
t a little s folding of the hands to rest,
11 u and poverty will come upon you like a robber,
and want like an armed man.

12 v A worthless person, a wicked man,
goes about with w crooked speech,
13 x winks with his eyes, signals 3 with his feet,
points with his finger,
14 with y perverted heart z devises evil,
continually a sowing discord;
15 therefore calamity will come upon him suddenly;
b in a moment he will be broken c beyond healing.

16 There are d six things that the Lord hates,
d seven that are an abomination to him:
17 e haughty eyes, f a lying tongue,
and g hands that shed innocent blood,
18 h a heart that devises wicked plans,
i feet that make haste to run to evil,
19 j a false witness who k breathes out lies,
and one who a sows discord among brothers.

Warnings Against Adultery

20 l My son, keep your father's commandment,
l and forsake not your mother's teaching.
21 m Bind them on your heart always;
n tie them around your neck.
22 o When you walk, they 4 will lead you;
o when you lie down, they will p watch over you;
and when you awake, they will talk with you.
23 For the commandment is q a lamp and the teaching a light,
and the r reproofs of discipline are the way of life,
24 to preserve you from the evil woman, 5
from the smooth tongue of s the adulteress. 6
25 t Do not desire her beauty in your heart,
and do not let her capture you with her u eyelashes;
26 for v the price of a prostitute is only w a loaf of bread, 7
but a married woman 8 x hunts down a precious life.
27 Can a man carry y fire next to his z chest
and his clothes not be burned?
28 Or can one a walk on hot coals
and his feet not be scorched?
29 So is he who goes in to his neighbor's wife;
none who touches her b will go unpunished.
30 People do not despise a thief if he steals
to c satisfy his appetite when he is hungry,
31 but d if he is caught, he will pay e sevenfold;
he will give all the goods of his house.
32 He who commits adultery lacks sense;
he who does it destroys himself.
33 He will get wounds and dishonor,
and his disgrace will not be wiped away.
34 For f jealousy makes a man furious,
and he will not spare when g he takes revenge.
35 He will accept no compensation;
he will refuse though you multiply gifts.

  1. Cross References
    Job 17:3
    Lay down a pledge for me with yourself; who is there who will put up security for me?
  2. Cross References
    Job 17:3
    Lay down a pledge for me with yourself; who is there who will put up security for me?
  3. Cross References
    Proverbs 5:22
    The iniquities of the wicked ensnare him, and he is held fast in the cords of his sin.
  4. Cross References
    Luke 11:8
    I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his impudence he will rise and give him whatever he needs.
    Luke 18:5
    Yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.'
  5. Cross References
    Proverbs 20:13
    Love not sleep, lest you come to poverty; open your eyes, and you will have plenty of bread.
    Psalms 132:4
    I will not give sleep to my eyes or slumber to my eyelids.
  6. Cross References
    Psalms 91:3
    For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence.
  7. Cross References
    Job 12:7
    But ask the beasts, and they will teach you; the birds of the heavens, and they will tell you.
  8. Cross References
    Proverbs 30:25
    The ants are a people not strong, yet they provide their food in the summer.
  9. Cross References
    Proverbs 10:26
    Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes, so is the sluggard to those who send him.
  10. Cross References
    Proverbs 23:19
    Hear, my son, and be wise, and direct your heart in the way.
    Proverbs 27:11
    Be wise, my son, and make my heart glad, that I may answer him who reproaches me.
  11. Cross References
    Proverbs 30:27
    The locusts have no king, yet all of them march in rank.
  12. Cross References
    Exodus 5:6
    The same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people and their foremen.
    Exodus 5:15
    Then the foremen of the people of Israel came and cried to Pharaoh, "Why do you treat your servants like this?
  13. Cross References
    Proverbs 10:5
    He who gathers in summer is a prudent son, but he who sleeps in harvest is a son who brings shame.
  14. Cross References
    Proverbs 10:5
    He who gathers in summer is a prudent son, but he who sleeps in harvest is a son who brings shame.
  15. Cross References
    Jonah 1:6
    So the captain came and said to him, "What do you mean, you sleeper? Arise, call out to your god! Perhaps the god will give a thought to us, that we may not perish.
  16. Cross References
    Proverbs 6:6
    Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise.
  17. Cross References
    Proverbs 24:33
    A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest.
  18. Cross References
    Proverbs 24:33
    A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest.
  19. Cross References
    Ecclesiastes 4:5
    The fool folds his hands and eats his own flesh.
  20. Cross References
    Proverbs 24:34
    And poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man.
  21. Cross References
    Proverbs 16:27
    A worthless man plots evil, and his speech is like a scorching fire.
  22. Cross References
    Proverbs 4:24
    Put away from you crooked speech, and put devious talk far from you.
  23. Cross References
    Proverbs 10:10
    Whoever winks the eye causes trouble, but a babbling fool will come to ruin.
    Psalms 35:19
    Let not those rejoice over me who are wrongfully my foes, and let not those wink the eye who hate me without cause.
  24. Cross References
    Proverbs 2:12
    Delivering you from the way of evil, from men of perverted speech.
  25. Cross References
    Micah 2:1
    Woe to those who devise wickedness and work evil on their beds! When the morning dawns, they perform it, because it is in the power of their hand.
    Proverbs 3:29
    Do not plan evil against your neighbor, who dwells trustingly beside you.
  26. Cross References
    Proverbs 16:28
    A dishonest man spreads strife, and a whisperer separates close friends.
  27. Cross References
    Isaiah 30:13 - 14
    Therefore this iniquity shall be to you like a breach in a high wall, bulging out, and about to collapse, whose breaking comes suddenly, in an instant.
    Jeremiah 19:11
    And shall say to them, 'Thus says the Lord of hosts: So will I break this people and this city, as one breaks a potter's vessel, so that it can never be mended. Men shall bury in Topheth because there will be no place else to bury.
  28. Cross References
    Proverbs 29:1
    He who is often reproved, yet stiffens his neck, will suddenly be broken beyond healing.
    2 Chronicles 36:16
    But they kept mocking the messengers of God, despising his words and scoffing at his prophets, until the wrath of the Lord rose against his people, until there was no remedy.
  29. Cross References
    Job 5:19
    He will deliver you from six troubles; in seven no evil shall touch you.
  30. Cross References
    Job 5:19
    He will deliver you from six troubles; in seven no evil shall touch you.
  31. Cross References
    Proverbs 8:13
    The fear of the Lord is hatred of evil. Pride and arrogance and the way of evil and perverted speech I hate.
    Proverbs 16:5
    Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the Lord ; be assured, he will not go unpunished.
    Proverbs 21:4
    Haughty eyes and a proud heart, the lamp of the wicked, are sin.
    Psalms 101:5
    Whoever slanders his neighbor secretly I will destroy. Whoever has a haughty look and an arrogant heart I will not endure.
  32. Cross References
    Proverbs 12:22
    Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but those who act faithfully are his delight.
    Proverbs 17:7
    Fine speech is not becoming to a fool; still less is false speech to a prince.
    Psalms 31:18
    Let the lying lips be mute, which speak insolently against the righteous in pride and contempt.
    Psalms 120:2
    Deliver me, O Lord, from lying lips, from a deceitful tongue.
  33. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 19:10
    Lest innocent blood be shed in your land that the Lord your God is giving you for an inheritance, and so the guilt of bloodshed be upon you.
    Isaiah 1:15
    When you spread out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not listen; your hands are full of blood.
    Isaiah 59:3
    For your hands are defiled with blood and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies; your tongue mutters wickedness.
    Isaiah 59:7
    Their feet run to evil, and they are swift to shed innocent blood; their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; desolation and destruction are in their highways.
  34. Cross References
    Genesis 6:5
    The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
  35. Cross References
    Proverbs 1:16
    For their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed blood.
  36. Cross References
    Psalms 27:12
    Give me not up to the will of my adversaries; for false witnesses have risen against me, and they breathe out violence.
  37. Cross References
    Proverbs 12:17
    Whoever speaks the truth gives honest evidence, but a false witness utters deceit.
    Proverbs 14:5
    A faithful witness does not lie, but a false witness breathes out lies.
    Proverbs 14:25
    A truthful witness saves lives, but one who breathes out lies is deceitful.
    Proverbs 19:5
    A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who breathes out lies will not escape.
    Proverbs 19:9
    A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who breathes out lies will perish.
  38. Cross References
    Proverbs 6:14
    With perverted heart devises evil, continually sowing discord.
  39. Cross References
    Proverbs 1:8
    Hear, my son, your father's instruction, and forsake not your mother's teaching.
  40. Cross References
    Proverbs 1:8
    Hear, my son, your father's instruction, and forsake not your mother's teaching.
  41. Cross References
    Proverbs 3:3
    Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart.
  42. Cross References
    Job 31:36
    Surely I would carry it on my shoulder; I would bind it on me as a crown.
  43. Cross References
    Proverbs 3:23 - 24
    Then you will walk on your way securely, and your foot will not stumble.
  44. Cross References
    Proverbs 3:23 - 24
    Then you will walk on your way securely, and your foot will not stumble.
  45. Cross References
    Proverbs 2:11
    Discretion will watch over you, understanding will guard you.
  46. Cross References
    Psalms 119:105
    Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.
    Psalms 13:3
    Consider and answer me, O Lord my God; light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death.
  47. Cross References
    Proverbs 10:17
    Whoever heeds instruction is on the path to life, but he who rejects reproof leads others astray.
  48. Cross References
    Proverbs 2:16
    So you will be delivered from the forbidden woman, from the adulteress with her smooth words.
  49. Cross References
    Matthew 5:28
    But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
  50. Cross References
    2 Kings 9:30
    When Jehu came to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it. And she painted her eyes and adorned her head and looked out of the window.
  51. Cross References
    Proverbs 29:3
    He who loves wisdom makes his father glad, but a companion of prostitutes squanders his wealth.
  52. Cross References
    Proverbs 28:21
    To show partiality is not good, but for a piece of bread a man will do wrong.
    1 Samuel 2:36
    And everyone who is left in your house shall come to implore him for a piece of silver or a loaf of bread and shall say, "Please put me in one of the priests' places, that I may eat a morsel of bread."'
  53. Cross References
    Ezekiel 13:18
    And say, Thus says the Lord God : Woe to the women who sew magic bands upon all wrists, and make veils for the heads of persons of every stature, in the hunt for souls! Will you hunt down souls belonging to my people and keep your own souls alive?
  54. Cross References
    Job 31:12
    For that would be a fire that consumes as far as Abaddon, and it would burn to the root all my increase.
  55. Cross References
    Psalms 79:12
    Return sevenfold into the lap of our neighbors the taunts with which they have taunted you, O Lord!
  56. Cross References
    Isaiah 43:2
    When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.
  57. Cross References
    Proverbs 16:5
    Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the Lord ; be assured, he will not go unpunished.
  58. Cross References
    Job 38:39
    Can you hunt the prey for the lion, or satisfy the appetite of the young lions.
  59. Cross References
    Exodus 22:4
    If the stolen beast is found alive in his possession, whether it is an ox or a donkey or a sheep, he shall pay double.
  60. Cross References
    Psalms 79:12
    Return sevenfold into the lap of our neighbors the taunts with which they have taunted you, O Lord!
  61. Cross References
    Proverbs 27:4
    Wrath is cruel, anger is overwhelming, but who can stand before jealousy?
    Song of Solomon 8:6
    Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm, for love is strong as death, jealousy is fierce as the grave. Its flashes are flashes of fire, the very flame of the Lord.
  62. Cross References
    Leviticus 20:10
    If a man commits adultery with the wife of his neighbor, both the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.
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