Proverbs 6:27–35

Can a man carry fire next to his chest

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;

none who touches her will go unpunished.

People do not despise a thief if he steals

to satisfy his appetite when he is hungry,

but if he is caught, he will pay sevenfold;

he will give all the goods of his house.

He who commits adultery lacks sense;

he who does it destroys himself.

He will get wounds and dishonor,

and his disgrace will not be wiped away.

For jealousy makes a man furious,

and he will not spare when he takes revenge.

He will accept no compensation;

he will refuse though you multiply gifts.

Can a man scoop fire into his lap

without his clothes being burned?

Can a man walk on hot coals

without his feet being scorched?

So is he who sleeps with another man’s wife;

no one who touches her will go unpunished.

People do not despise a thief if he steals

to satisfy his hunger when he is starving.

Yet if he is caught, he must pay sevenfold,

though it costs him all the wealth of his house.

But a man who commits adultery has no sense;

whoever does so destroys himself.

Blows and disgrace are his lot,

and his shame will never be wiped away.

For jealousy arouses a husband’s fury,

and he will show no mercy when he takes revenge.

He will not accept any compensation;

he will refuse a bribe, however great it is.

Can a man embrace fire

and his clothes not be burned?

Can a man walk on burning coals

without scorching his feet?

So it is with the one who sleeps with

another man’s wife;

no one who touches her will go unpunished.

People don’t despise the thief if he steals

to satisfy himself when he is hungry.

Still, if caught, he must pay seven times as much;

he must give up all the wealth in his house.

The one who commits adultery lacks sense;

whoever does so destroys himself.

He will get a beating and dishonor,

and his disgrace will never be removed.

For jealousy enrages a husband,

and he will show no mercy when he takes revenge.

He will not be appeased by anything

or be persuaded by lavish bribes.

Can a man scoop a flame into his lap

and not have his clothes catch on fire?

Can he walk on hot coals

and not blister his feet?

So it is with the man who sleeps with another man’s wife.

He who embraces her will not go unpunished.

Excuses might be found for a thief

who steals because he is starving.

But if he is caught, he must pay back seven times what he stole,

even if he has to sell everything in his house.

But the man who commits adultery is an utter fool,

for he destroys himself.

He will be wounded and disgraced.

His shame will never be erased.

For the woman’s jealous husband will be furious,

and he will show no mercy when he takes revenge.

He will accept no compensation,

nor be satisfied with a payoff of any size.

Can a man take fire in his bosom,

And his clothes not be burned?

Can one go upon hot coals,

And his feet not be burned?

So he that goeth in to his neighbour’s wife;

Whosoever toucheth her shall not be innocent.

Men do not despise a thief, if he steal

To satisfy his soul when he is hungry;

But if he be found, he shall restore sevenfold;

He shall give all the substance of his house.

But whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding:

He that doeth it destroyeth his own soul.

A wound and dishonour shall he get;

And his reproach shall not be wiped away.

For jealousy is the rage of a man:

Therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance.

He will not regard any ransom;

Neither will he rest content, though thou givest many gifts.