Proverbs · Bible in Basic English
Proverbs 6 Bible in Basic English
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
1 My son, if you have made yourself responsible for your neighbour, or given your word for another,
1 My son, if you have become collateral for your neighbor, if you have struck your hands in pledge for a stranger,
2 You are taken as in a net by the words of your mouth, the sayings of your lips have overcome you.
2 you are trapped by the words of your mouth; you are ensnared with the words of your mouth.
3 Do 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.
3 Do this now, my son, and deliver yourself, since you have come into the hand of your neighbor. Go, humble yourself. Press your plea with your neighbor.
4 Give no sleep to your eyes, or rest to them;
4 Give no sleep to your eyes, nor slumber to your eyelids.
5 Make yourself free, like the roe from the hand of the archer, and the bird from him who puts a net for her.
5 Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the snare of the fowler.
6 Go to the ant, you hater of work; give thought to her ways and be wise:
6 Go to the ant, you sluggard. Consider her ways, and be wise;
7 Having no chief, overseer, or ruler,
7 which having no chief, overseer, or ruler,
8 She gets her meat in the summer, storing up food at the time of the grain-cutting.
8 provides her bread in the summer, and gathers her food in the harvest.
9 How long will you be sleeping, O hater of work? when will you get up from your sleep?
9 How long will you sleep, sluggard? When will you arise out of your sleep?
10 A little sleep, a little rest, a little folding of the hands in sleep:
10 A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep—
11 Then loss will come on you like an outlaw, and your need like an armed man
11 so your poverty will come as a robber, and your scarcity as an armed man.
12 A good-for-nothing man is an evil-doer; he goes on his way causing trouble with false words;
12 A worthless person, a man of iniquity, is he who walks with a perverse mouth,
13 Making signs with his eyes, rubbing with his feet, and giving news with his fingers;
13 who winks with his eyes, who signals with his feet, who motions with his fingers,
14 His mind is ever designing evil: he lets loose violent acts.
14 in whose heart is perverseness, who devises evil continually, who always sows discord.
15 For this cause his downfall will be sudden; quickly he will be broken, and there will be no help for him.
15 Therefore his calamity will come suddenly. He will be broken suddenly, and that without remedy.
16 Six things are hated by the Lord; seven things are disgusting to him:
16 There are six things which Yahweh hates; yes, seven which are an abomination to him:
17 Eyes of pride, a false tongue, hands which take life without cause;
17 arrogant eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood,
18 A heart full of evil designs, feet which are quick in running after sin;
18 a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are swift in running to mischief,
19 A false witness, breathing out untrue words, and one who lets loose violent acts among brothers.
19 a false witness who utters lies, and he who sows discord among brothers.
20 My son, keep the rule of your father, and have in memory the teaching of your mother:
20 My son, keep your father’s commandment, and don’t forsake your mother’s teaching.
21 Keep them ever folded in your heart, and have them hanging round your neck.
21 Bind them continually on your heart. Tie them around your neck.
22 In 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.
22 When you walk, it will lead you. When you sleep, it will watch over you. When you awake, it will talk with you.
23 For the rule is a light, and the teaching a shining light; and the guiding words of training are the way of life.
23 For the commandment is a lamp, and the law is light. Reproofs of instruction are the way of life,
24 They will keep you from the evil woman, from the smooth tongue of the strange woman.
24 to keep you from the immoral woman, from the flattery of the wayward wife’s tongue.
25 Let not your heart's desire go after her fair body; let not her eyes take you prisoner.
25 Don’t lust after her beauty in your heart, neither let her captivate you with her eyelids.
26 For a loose woman is looking for a cake of bread, but another man's wife goes after one's very life.
26 For a prostitute reduces you to a piece of bread. The adulteress hunts for your precious life.
27 May a man take fire to his breast without burning his clothing?
27 Can a man scoop fire into his lap, and his clothes not be burned?
28 Or may one go on lighted coals, and his feet not be burned?
28 Or can one walk on hot coals, and his feet not be scorched?
29 So 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.
29 So is he who goes in to his neighbor’s wife. Whoever touches her will not be unpunished.
30 Men do not have a low opinion of a thief who takes food when he is in need of it:
30 Men don’t despise a thief if he steals to satisfy himself when he is hungry,
31 But 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.
31 but if he is found, he shall restore seven times. He shall give all the wealth of his house.
32 He who takes another man's wife is without all sense: he who does it is the cause of destruction to his soul.
32 He who commits adultery with a woman is void of understanding. He who does it destroys his own soul.
33 Wounds will be his and loss of honour, and his shame may not be washed away.
33 He will get wounds and dishonor. His reproach will not be wiped away.
34 For bitter is the wrath of an angry husband; in the day of punishment he will have no mercy.
34 For jealousy arouses the fury of the husband. He won’t spare in the day of vengeance.
35 He will not take any payment; and he will not make peace with you though your money offerings are increased.
35 He won’t regard any ransom, neither will he rest content, though you give many gifts.
Cross references (33)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Proverbs 22:26; Proverbs 17:18; Proverbs 20:16; Proverbs 11:15; Genesis 43:9
- 2 Proverbs 18:7; Proverbs 12:13
- 3 James 4:10; 2 Samuel 24:14; Psalm 31:8; Exodus 10:3; 2 Chronicles 12:5
- 4 Psalm 132:4; Proverbs 6:10–11; Mark 13:35–36; Ecclesiastes 9:10; Matthew 24:17–18
- 5 Psalm 91:3; Psalm 124:7; Proverbs 1:17
- 6 Proverbs 20:4; Proverbs 18:9; Proverbs 13:4; Proverbs 6:9; Hebrews 6:12
- 7 Job 38:39–39:12; Proverbs 30:27; Job 39:26–30; Job 41:4–34
- 8 Proverbs 10:5; 1 Timothy 6:19; Proverbs 30:25
- 9 Proverbs 24:33–34; Psalm 94:8; Jeremiah 4:14; Ephesians 5:14; Proverbs 1:22
- 10 Proverbs 24:33–34; Proverbs 6:6; Proverbs 23:33–34
- 11 Proverbs 13:4; Proverbs 20:4; Proverbs 10:4; Proverbs 24:34
- 12 Matthew 12:34; Proverbs 16:27; Proverbs 4:24; 1 Timothy 5:13; Psalm 52:2–4
- 13 Psalm 35:19; Job 15:12; Proverbs 10:10; Proverbs 5:6
- 14 Micah 2:1; Romans 16:17; Hosea 8:7; Proverbs 6:18–19; Proverbs 26:17–22
- 15 2 Chronicles 36:16; Jeremiah 19:11; 1 Thessalonians 5:3; Proverbs 1:27; Isaiah 30:13–14
- 16 Psalm 11:5; Proverbs 8:13; Proverbs 11:20; Proverbs 17:15; Deuteronomy 25:16
- 17 Psalm 120:2–3; Proverbs 12:22; Isaiah 1:15; Psalm 101:5; Psalm 5:6
- 18 Genesis 6:5; Proverbs 1:16; Jeremiah 4:14; Psalm 36:4; Romans 3:15
- 19 Proverbs 19:5; Proverbs 6:14; James 3:18; Psalm 27:12; Proverbs 19:9
- 20 Ephesians 6:1; Deuteronomy 27:16; Proverbs 7:1–4; Proverbs 1:8–9; Proverbs 23:22
- 21 Proverbs 3:3; Proverbs 7:3–4; 2 Corinthians 3:3; Deuteronomy 6:8; Exodus 13:16
- 22 Psalm 119:11; Proverbs 3:23–24; Proverbs 2:11; Psalm 119:24; Psalm 119:97
- 23 Psalm 119:105; 2 Peter 1:19; Psalm 19:8; Proverbs 15:31; Proverbs 4:13
- 24 Proverbs 2:16; Proverbs 7:5; Ecclesiastes 7:26; Proverbs 5:3
- 25 James 1:14–15; Matthew 5:28; 2 Kings 9:30; 2 Samuel 11:2–5; Song of Songs 4:9
- 26 Luke 15:30; Proverbs 29:3; Genesis 39:14; 1 Samuel 2:36; Ezekiel 13:18
- 27 Job 31:9–12; James 3:5; Hosea 7:4–7
- 29 1 Corinthians 7:1; Leviticus 20:10; 2 Samuel 12:9–10; Ezekiel 22:11; Malachi 3:5
- 31 Luke 19:8; Job 20:18; 2 Samuel 12:6; Exodus 22:1–4; Matthew 18:25
- 32 Proverbs 7:7; Hebrews 13:4; Proverbs 7:22–23; Romans 1:22–24; Proverbs 2:18–19
- 33 Proverbs 5:9–11; 1 Kings 15:5; Psalm 38:1–8; Nehemiah 13:26; Matthew 1:6
- 34 Numbers 5:14; Proverbs 27:4; Song of Songs 8:6; 1 Corinthians 10:22; Numbers 25:11
- 35 Proverbs 8:25; 2 Kings 5:1; Malachi 2:9; Isaiah 2:9; Proverbs 4:3
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
… minds of the Romans, demanded for her service their best citizen, not to ripen him still more in virtue by her helpful counsel, but to entangle him by her deceit, like her of whom it is written, "The adulteress will hunt for the precious soul." Her intent was to puff up this high- souled man by an apparently divine testimony …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 2 (1887)
For ye know how great a thing jealousy is: and therefore He said, to whom these things are clearly known, "For full of jealousy is the rage of a husband;" "he will not spare in the day of vengeance:" and "jealousy is cruel as the grave." And we too know of many that have chosen to give up their lives …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
If however any one thinks that he is not being burned when sinning, to him the Scripture saith, Shall a man wrap up fire in his bosom, and not burn his clothes?
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)
Be therefore prudent, copy the ant, as saith the Scripture: "Store in summer, lest thou hunger in winter;" the winter is the last day, the day of tribulation; the winter is the day of offences and of bitterness: gather what may be there for thee for the future: but if thou doest not so, thou wilt perish both imprudent and …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 8 (1888)
… send unto Kedar, and know if nations will change their gods; which yet are no gods." And to the brutes likewise He sends us oftentimes, saying on this wise, "Go to the ant, thou sluggard, and emulate her ways:" and "go forth to the bee." This therefore I also now say unto you; consider the philosophers of the Greeks; and …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)