Proverbs 6:1–19

Warnings Against Folly

6 My son,g if you have put up securityh for your neighbor,i

if you have shaken hands in pledgej for a stranger,

2 you have been trapped by what you said,

ensnared by the words of your mouth.

3 So do this, my son, to free yourself,

since you have fallen into your neighbor’s hands:

Go—to the point of exhaustion—a

and give your neighbor no rest!

4 Allow no sleep to your eyes,

no slumber to your eyelids.k

5 Free yourself, like a gazellel from the hand of the hunter,m

like a bird from the snare of the fowler.n

6 Go to the ant, you sluggard;o

consider its ways and be wise!

7 It has no commander,

no overseer or ruler,

8 yet it stores its provisions in summerp

and gathers its food at harvest.q

9 How long will you lie there, you sluggard?r

When will you get up from your sleep?

10 A little sleep, a little slumber,

a little folding of the hands to rests—

11 and povertyt will come on you like a thief

and scarcity like an armed man.

12 A troublemaker and a villain,

who goes about with a corrupt mouth,

13 who winks maliciously with his eye,u

signals with his feet

and motions with his fingers,v

14 who plots evilw with deceit in his heart—

he always stirs up conflict.x

15 Therefore disaster will overtake him in an instant;y

he will suddenlyz be destroyed—without remedy.a

16 There are six things the Lord hates,b

seven that are detestable to him:

17 haughty eyes,c

a lying tongue,d

hands that shed innocent blood,e

18 a heart that devises wicked schemes,

feet that are quick to rush into evil,f

19 a false witnessg who pours out liesh

and a person who stirs up conflict in the community.i