Proverbs 6:1-15 ▼

1 My son! If you have been guarantor for your friend, || Have struck your hand for a stranger,

2 Have been snared with sayings of your mouth, || Have been captured with sayings of your mouth,

3 Do this now, my son, and be delivered, || For you have come into the hand of your friend. Go, trample on yourself, and strengthen your friend,

4 Do not give sleep to your eyes, || And slumber to your eyelids,

5 Be delivered as a roe from the hand, || And as a bird from the hand of a fowler.

6 Go to the ant, O slothful one, || See her ways and be wise;

7 Which has no captain, overseer, and ruler,

8 She prepares her bread in summer, || She has gathered her food in harvest.

9 Until when, O slothful one, do you lie? When do you arise from your sleep?

10 A little sleep, a little slumber, || A little clasping of the hands to rest,

11 And your poverty has come as a traveler, || And your want as an armed man.

12 A man of worthlessness, a man of iniquity, || Walking [with] perverseness of mouth,

13 Winking with his eyes, speaking with his feet, || Directing with his fingers,

14 Contrariness [is] in his heart, devising evil at all times, || He sends forth contentions.

15 Therefore his calamity comes suddenly, || He is broken instantly—and no healing.