Proverbs · Catholic Public Domain Version
Proverbs 6 Catholic Public Domain Version
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
Notes on this text (3)
- Esther and Daniel are the Vulgate books (Esther 1–16 with the Greek additions as chapters 10:4–16; Daniel 1–14 with the Song of the Three, Susanna and Bel). Baruch 6 is the Letter of Jeremiah.
- The translator's footnotes, cross-references, chapter summaries and book introductions in the CrossWire module are not shown.
- No imprimatur; single translator.
1 My son, if you have taken a pledge on behalf of your friend, then you have bound your hand to an outsider,
1 My son, if you have become collateral for your neighbor, if you have struck your hands in pledge for a stranger,
2 then you are ensnared by the words of your own mouth, and taken captive by your own words.
2 you are trapped by the words of your mouth; you are ensnared with the words of your mouth.
3 Therefore, my son, do what I say, and free yourself, for you have fallen into the hand of your neighbor. Run, hurry, awaken your friend.
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 Do not grant sleep to your eyes, nor let your eyelids slumber.
4 Give no sleep to your eyes, nor slumber to your eyelids.
5 Rescue yourself like a gazelle from the hand, and like a bird from the hand of the fowler.
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 lazy one, and consider her ways, and so learn wisdom.
6 Go to the ant, you sluggard. Consider her ways, and be wise;
7 For though she has no ruler, nor instructor, nor leader,
7 which having no chief, overseer, or ruler,
8 she provides meals for herself in the summer, and she gathers at the harvest what she may eat.
8 provides her bread in the summer, and gathers her food in the harvest.
9 How long will you slumber, you lazy one? When will you rise up from your sleep?
9 How long will you sleep, sluggard? When will you arise out of your sleep?
10 You will sleep a little, you will slumber a little, you will fold your hands a little to sleep,
10 A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep—
11 and then destitution will meet with you, like a traveler, and poverty, like an armed man. Yet truly, if you would be diligent, then your harvest will arrive like a fountain, and destitution will flee far from you.
11 so your poverty will come as a robber, and your scarcity as an armed man.
12 An apostate man, a harmful man, walks with a perverse mouth;
12 A worthless person, a man of iniquity, is he who walks with a perverse mouth,
13 he winks with the eyes, touches with the foot, speaks with the finger.
13 who winks with his eyes, who signals with his feet, who motions with his fingers,
14 With a depraved heart he devises evil, and at all times he sows conflict.
14 in whose heart is perverseness, who devises evil continually, who always sows discord.
15 To this one, his perdition will arrive promptly, and he shall be crushed suddenly: he will no longer have any remedy.
15 Therefore his calamity will come suddenly. He will be broken suddenly, and that without remedy.
16 Six things there are that the Lord hates, and the seventh, his soul detests:
16 There are six things which Yahweh hates; yes, seven which are an abomination to him:
17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood,
17 arrogant eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood,
18 a heart that devises the most wicked thoughts, feet running swiftly unto evil,
18 a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are swift in running to mischief,
19 a deceitful witness bringing forth lies, and he who sows discord among brothers.
19 a false witness who utters lies, and he who sows discord among brothers.
20 My son, preserve the precepts of your father, and do not dismiss the law of your mother.
20 My son, keep your father’s commandment, and don’t forsake your mother’s teaching.
21 Bind them to your heart unceasingly, and encircle them around your throat.
21 Bind them continually on your heart. Tie them around your neck.
22 When you walk, let them keep step with you. When you sleep, let them guard you. And when you keep watch, speak with them.
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 commandment is a lamp, and law is a light, and the reproofs of discipline 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 So may they guard you from an evil woman, and from the flattering tongue of the outsider.
24 to keep you from the immoral woman, from the flattery of the wayward wife’s tongue.
25 Let not your heart desire her beauty; do not be captivated by her winks.
25 Don’t lust after her beauty in your heart, neither let her captivate you with her eyelids.
26 For the price of a prostitute is only one loaf. Yet the woman seizes the precious soul of a man.
26 For a prostitute reduces you to a piece of bread. The adulteress hunts for your precious life.
27 Would a man be able to conceal fire in his bosom, so that his garments would not burn?
27 Can a man scoop fire into his lap, and his clothes not be burned?
28 Or could he walk over burning coals, so that his feet would not be burned?
28 Or can one walk on hot coals, and his feet not be scorched?
29 So also, he who enters to the wife of his neighbor shall not be clean when he touches her.
29 So is he who goes in to his neighbor’s wife. Whoever touches her will not be unpunished.
30 Not so great is the fault when someone has stolen. For he steals so as to satisfy a hungry soul.
30 Men don’t despise a thief if he steals to satisfy himself when he is hungry,
31 Also, if he is apprehended, he shall repay sevenfold and hand over all the substance of his house.
31 but if he is found, he shall restore seven times. He shall give all the wealth of his house.
32 But whoever is an adulterer, because of the emptiness of his heart, will destroy his own soul.
32 He who commits adultery with a woman is void of understanding. He who does it destroys his own soul.
33 He gathers shame and dishonor to himself, and his disgrace will not be wiped away.
33 He will get wounds and dishonor. His reproach will not be wiped away.
34 For the jealousy and fury of the husband will not spare him on the day of vindication,
34 For jealousy arouses the fury of the husband. He won’t spare in the day of vengeance.
35 nor will he agree to the pleadings of anyone, nor will he accept, as repayment, a multitude of gifts.
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)