Proverbs 6

1 My son, if you have put up security for your friend, if you committed yourself on behalf of another;

2 you have been snared by the words of your mouth, caught by the words of your own mouth.

3 Do this now, my son, and extricate yourself, since you put yourself in your friend's power: go, humble yourself, and pester your friend;

4 give your eyes no sleep, give your eyelids no rest;

5 break free, like a gazelle from the [hunter's] trap, like a bird from the grip of the fowler.

6 Go to the ant, you lazybones! Consider its ways, and be wise.

7 It has no chief, overseer or ruler;

8 yet it provides its food in summer and gathers its supplies at harvest-time.

9 Lazybones! How long will you lie there in bed? When will you get up from your sleep?

10 "I'll just lie here a bit, rest a little longer, just fold my hands for a little more sleep"-

11 and poverty comes marching in on you, scarcity hits you like an invading soldier.

12 A scoundrel, a vicious man, lives by crooked speech,

13 winking his eyes, shuffling his feet, pointing with his fingers.

14 With deceit in his heart, he is always plotting evil and sowing discord.

15 Therefore disaster suddenly overcomes him; unexpectedly, he is broken beyond repair.

16 There are six things ADONAI hates, seven which he detests:

17 a haughty look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood,

18 a heart that plots wicked schemes, feet swift in running to do evil,

19 a false witness who lies with every breath, and him who sows strife among brothers.

20 My son, obey your father's command, and don't abandon your mother's teaching.

21 Bind them always on your heart, tie them around your neck.

22 When you walk, they will lead you; when you lie down, they will watch over you; and when you wake up, they will talk with you.

23 For the mitzvah is a lamp, Torah is light, and reproofs that discipline are the way to life.

24 They keep you from an evil woman, from a loose woman's seductive tongue.

25 Don't let your heart lust after her beauty or allow her glance to captivate you.

26 The price of a whore is a loaf of bread, but the adulteress is hunting for a precious life.

27 Can a man carry fire inside his shirt without burning his clothes?

28 Can a man walk [barefoot] on hot coals without scorching his feet?

29 So is he who has sex with his neighbor's wife; anyone touching her will be punished.

30 A thief is not despised if he steals only to satisfy his appetite when hungry;

31 but even he, if caught, must pay back sevenfold; he may have to give up all the wealth that he owns.

32 He who commits adultery lacks sense; he who does it destroys himself.

33 He will get nothing but blows and contempt, and his disgrace will not be wiped away.

34 For jealousy drives a man into a rage; he will show no mercy when he takes revenge;

35 he will not accept compensation; he'll refuse every bribe, no matter how large.

Proverbs 6 Commentary

Chapter 6

Cautions against rash suretiship. (1-5) A rebuke to slothfulness. (6-11) Seven things hateful to God. (12-19) Exhortations to walk according to God's commandments. (20-35)

Verses 1-5 If we live as directed by the word of God, we shall find it profitable even in this present world. We are stewards of our worldly substance, and have to answer to the Lord for our disposal of it; to waste it in rash schemes, or such plans as may entangle us in difficulties and temptations, is wrong. A man ought never to be surety for more than he is able and willing to pay, and can afford to pay, without wronging his family; he ought to look upon every sum he is engaged for, as his own debt. If we must take all this care to get our debts to men forgiven, much more to obtain forgiveness with God. Humble thyself to him, make sure of Christ as thy Friend, to plead for thee; pray earnestly that thy sins may be pardoned, and that thou mayest be kept from going down to the pit.

Verses 6-11 Diligence in business is every man's wisdom and duty; not so much that he may attain worldly wealth, as that he may not be a burden to others, or a scandal to the church. The ants are more diligent than slothful men. We may learn wisdom from the meanest insects, and be shamed by them. Habits of indolence and indulgence grow upon people. Thus life runs to waste; and poverty, though at first at a distance, gradually draws near, like a traveller; and when it arrives, is like an armed man, too strong to be resisted. All this may be applied to the concerns of our souls. How many love their sleep of sin, and their dreams of worldly happiness! Shall we not seek to awaken such? Shall we not give diligence to secure our own salvation?

Verses 12-19 If the slothful are to be condemned, who do nothing, much more those that do all the ill they can. Observe how such a man is described. He says and does every thing artfully, and with design. His ruin shall come without warning, and without relief. Here is a list of things hateful to God. Those sins are in a special manner provoking to God, which are hurtful to the comfort of human life. These things which God hates, we must hate in ourselves; it is nothing to hate them in others. Let us shun all such practices, and watch and pray against them; and avoid, with marked disapproval, all who are guilty of them, whatever may be their rank.

Verses 20-35 The word of God has something to say to us upon all occasions. Let not faithful reproofs ever make us uneasy. When we consider how much this sin abounds, how heinous adultery is in its own nature, of what evil consequence it is, and how certainly it destroys the spiritual life in the soul, we shall not wonder that the cautions against it are so often repeated. Let us notice the subjects of this chapter. Let us remember Him who willingly became our Surety, when we were strangers and enemies. And shall Christians, who have such prospects, motives, and examples, be slothful and careless? Shall we neglect what is pleasing to God, and what he will graciously reward? May we closely watch every sense by which poison can enter our minds or affections.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO PROVERBS 6

In this chapter the wise man dissuades from rash suretyship; exposes the sin of idleness; describes a wicked man; makes mention of seven things hateful to God; exhorts to attend to parental instructions and precepts, and cautions against adultery. Suretyship is described, Pr 6:1; and represented as a snare and a net, in which men are taken, Pr 6:2; and advice is given what to do in such a case, for safety in it, and deliverance from it, Pr 6:3-5; The sin of slothfulness is exposed, by observing the industry of the ant, Pr 6:6-8; by expostulating with the sluggard for his continuance in sloth, and by mimicking him, Pr 6:9,10; and by the poverty it brings upon him, Pr 6:11. Then a naughty wicked man is described, by his mouth, eyes, feet, fingers, and heart, whose ruin is sudden and inevitable, Pr 6:11-15. The seven things hateful to God are particularly named, Pr 6:16-19. And next the exhortation in some preceding chapters is reassumed, to attend to the instructions of parents; which will be found ornamental, pleasant, and useful, Pr 6:20-23. Especially to preserve from the lewd woman cautioned against, Pr 6:24,25; whose company is dissuaded from; on account of the extreme poverty and distress she brings persons to, and even danger of life, Pr 6:26; from the unavoidable ruin such come into, Pr 6:27-29; from the sin of uncleanness being greater than that of theft, Pr 6:30,31; from the folly the adulterer betrays; from the destruction of his soul, and the disgrace he brings on himself, Pr 6:32,33; and from the rage and irreconcilable offence of the husband of the adulteress, Pr 6:34,35.