Proverbs 6

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
1 My son, if you have become surety to your neighbor, given your hand in pledge to another,	1 My son, if you have become surety for your neighbor, have given your pledge for a stranger;
2 You have been snared by the utterance of your lips, caught by the words of your mouth;	2 if you are snared in the utterance of your lips, caught in the words of your mouth;
3 So do this, my son, to free yourself, since you have fallen into your neighbor's power: Go, hurry, stir up your neighbor!	3 then do this, my son, and save yourself, for you have come into your neighbor's power: go, hasten, and importune your neighbor.
4 Give no sleep to your eyes, nor slumber to your eyelids;	4 Give your eyes no sleep and your eyelids no slumber;
5 Free yourself as a gazelle from the snare, or as a bird from the hand of the fowler.	5 save yourself like a gazelle from the hunter, like a bird from the hand of the fowler.
6 Go to the ant, O sluggard, study her ways and learn wisdom;	6 Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise.
7 For though she has no chief, no commander or ruler,	7 Without having any chief, officer or ruler,
8 She procures her food in the summer, stores up her provisions in the harvest.	8 she prepares her food in summer, and gathers her sustenance in harvest.
9 How long, O sluggard, will you rest? when will you rise from your sleep?	9 How long will you lie there, O sluggard? When will you arise from your sleep?
10 A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the arms to rest--	10 A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest,
11 Then will poverty come upon you like a highway man, and want like an armed man.	11 and poverty will come upon you like a vagabond, and want like an armed man.
12 A scoundrel, a villain, is he who deals in crooked talk.	12 A worthless person, a wicked man, goes about with crooked speech,
13 He winks his eyes, shuffles his feet, makes signs with his fingers;	13 winks with his eyes, scrapes with his feet, points with his finger,
14 He has perversity in his heart, is always plotting evil, sows discord.	14 with perverted heart devises evil, continually sowing discord;
15 Therefore suddenly ruin comes upon him; in an instant he is crushed beyond cure.	15 therefore calamity will come upon him suddenly; in a moment he will be broken beyond healing.
16 There are six things the LORD hates, yes, seven are an abomination to him;	16 There are six things which the LORD hates, seven which are an abomination to him:
17 Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood;	17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,
18 A heart that plots wicked schemes, feet that run swiftly to evil,	18 a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil,
19 The false witness who utters lies, and he who sows discord among brothers.	19 a false witness who breathes out lies, and a man who sows discord among brothers.
20 Observe, my son, your father's bidding, and reject not your mother's teaching;	20 My son, keep your father's commandment, and forsake not your mother's teaching.
21 Keep them fastened over your heart always, put them around your neck;	21 Bind them upon your heart always; tie them about your neck.
	22 When you walk, they will lead you; when you lie down, they will watch over you; and when you awake, they will talk with you.
23 For the bidding is a lamp, and the teaching a light, and a way to life are the reproofs of discipline;	23 For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching a light, and the reproofs of discipline are the way of life,
24 To keep you from your neighbor's wife, from the smooth tongue of the adulteress.	24 to preserve you from the evil woman, from the smooth tongue of the adventuress.
25 Lust not in your heart after her beauty, let her not captivate you with her glance!	25 Do not desire her beauty in your heart, and do not let her capture you with her eyelashes;
26 For the price of a loose woman may be scarcely a loaf of bread, But if she is married, she is a trap for your precious life.	26 for a harlot may be hired for a loaf of bread, but an adulteress stalks a man's very life.
27 Can a man take fire to his bosom, and his garments not burned?	27 Can a man carry fire in his bosom and his clothes not be burned?
28 Or can a man walk on live coals, and his feet not be scorched?	28 Or can one walk upon hot coals and his feet not be scorched?
29 So with him who goes in to his neighbor's wife-- none who touches her shall go unpunished.	29 So is he who goes in to his neighbor's wife; none who touches her will go unpunished.
30 Men despise not the thief if he steals to satisfy his appetite when he is hungry;	30 Do not men despise a thief if he steals to satisfy his appetite when he is hungry?
31 Yet if he be caught he must pay back sevenfold; all the wealth of his house he may yield up.	31 And if he is caught, he will pay sevenfold; he will give all the goods of his house.
32 But he who commits adultery is a fool; he who would destroy himself does it.	32 He who commits adultery has no sense; he who does it destroys himself.
33 A degrading beating will he get, and his disgrace will not be wiped away;	33 Wounds and dishonor will he get, and his disgrace will not be wiped away.
34 For vindictive is the husband's wrath, he will have no pity on the day of vengeance;	34 For jealousy makes a man furious, and he will not spare when he takes revenge.
35 He will not consider any restitution, nor be satisfied with the greatest gifts.	35 He will accept no compensation, nor be appeased though you multiply gifts.